The project "Cataloging and Digitization of Texts in Tibetan Language" has been completed, carried out under a seven-year agreement between the National Library of Mongolia (NLM) and the American organization Asian Legacy Library (ALL). This was reported by MiddleAsianNews.
From 2018 to 2025, the project registered 11,359 manuscripts, and the catalog was supplemented with 199,986 entries. Of this number, 9,930 manuscripts, totaling 3,026,668 pages, were successfully digitized.
The digitization and registration project of rare manuscripts significantly improved the preservation of the NLM collection and made it more accessible to researchers.
The goal of this digital conservation project is to protect the Tibetan collection of the NLM, which includes over 40,000 manuscripts and engravings. The initiative, launched in 2018, aims at digital cataloging, scanning, and archiving to prevent the deterioration of these vulnerable texts. The ALL organization provides technical support, conducts training, finances the project, and ensures secure storage and access through its digital library in collaboration with the Buddhist Digital Resource Center (BDRC). This initiative strengthens the capacity of the NLM in long-term digital conservation and preserves Mongolia's cultural heritage for future generations, ensuring access at both local and international levels.
History
The National Library of Mongolia, founded in 1921, plays a key role in preserving the cultural and intellectual heritage of the country. Its Tibetan collection, consisting of more than 40,000 volumes of manuscripts and engravings, is a vital resource for the study of Mongolian Buddhism and Mongolia's cultural heritage.
Since the 13th century, these works have been stored in private libraries and small institutions, forming the cultural heritage of the country before being gathered in the NLM. In 2018, a partnership agreement was initiated between ALL and the NLM, which enabled the preservation and global access to this cultural treasure.
