Chronicle of the Munich Digitization Center
Summer of 1997
Inception of the Munich Digitization Center with support of the 
German Research Foundation.
1997-2003
Several digitization projects, realized with own equipment or by outsourcing. Assembling of a server infrastructure.
1999
First project in long-term preservation subjects together with the Software Technology Institute of the University of the German Federal Armed Forces (Universität der Bundeswehr).
July 2003
The Bavarian State Library is founder member of the nestor-initiative (the german Network of expertise in Digital long-term preservation).
2003
The ZEND workflow-tool, based on Open-Source-Software, becomes the backbone of all digitization and archiving processes.
January til March 2004
The Munich Digitization Center abolishes its collection of CD-ROMs and DVDs. Change to professional and efficient storage systems by support of the Leibniz Supercomputinge Center. Implementing of automatic storage procedures.
2004
Relaunch of the Bayerische Landesbibliothek Online as a central portal for resources on Bavarian history.
2004-2005
Fundamental reorganisation and massive expansion of the Digitization Center and installation of several modern scanning facilities. Start of mass digitization.
2004
Start of digitization of the complete Monumenta Germaniae Historica which will be finished 2005.
2005
Evaluation of the MDZ by the German Research Foundation with positive result.
2005
Start of the long-term preservation project "Library Archiving and Access System" BABS. Implementation of new workflows in long-term preservation.
2006
Start of the project VD 16 with further new scanners.
July 2006
The archive exceeds the limit of 10 million files (15 terabytes).
Summer of 2006
The MDZ ist the biggest german provider of retrodigitised content.
December 2006
The first complete hardware-migration of the archival system succeeds within 10 days. Cause is the relocation of the Leibniz-Supercomputing-Center to München-Garching.
February 2007
Rapid increase of production. The archive exceeds the limit of 15 million files (28 terabytes).
March 7th 2007
The public-provate partnership of the BSB and Google is announced. The digitization of more than 1 million books will soon increase the content of the Digital Collections of the BSB as well as the size of the electronic archive.
July 2007
Project VD16 digital starts. The digitization of the whole holdings of 16th century prints (7.230.000 pages approx.) by two scan robots starts July and will last til 2009.
October 2007
The classic MDZ homepage is being disconnected after 10 years of duty. Launch of a copletely revised version with extended features.
January 2008
Doubling of the data holdings within just one year. The archive now comprises 25.1 M files (49,9 TB data).
June 2008
The Bavarian State Library is elected 'Library of the year 2008' by the The German Library Association. Among other facts the statement of the jury pointed out the developement of the Munich Digitization Center to a service and technology provider for libraries as well as the engagement of the library in long-term preservation together with the Leibniz Supercomputing Center. Award ceremony takes place October 24d.
June 18-20, 2008
Scan Robot Days at the Bavarian State Library. The four leading manufacturers of automated scanning devices show their newest equipment to a well-informed international public.
October 11, 2008
The first open day since five years is a great success. Several hundreds of visitors drop by to see our facilities and to have a chat with the staff of the MDZ.
