According to an article in the Slovakian newspaper Pravda this month, the Bratislava University Library has started a mass digitization project that may one day turn it into a purely electronic library.  But a library without any physical books?  Probably not anytime soon, according to Tomas Fiala, head of the digitization department at the Bratislava University Library.

“It is certain that for the near future we will be able to access physical and digital books in our libraries.  Then it will be up to the people to decide.  Physical books will not disappear from libraries or bookshops for as long as people demand them,” Fiala said.

Placing an emphasis on unique and damaged books, the Bratislava University Library naturally chose a Bookeye 3 R2 book scanner to manage their most valuable material.

Also part of the project, ScanRobot is being used for the mass quantities of less fragile but nevertheless valuable and interesting books.

Want to read more about this fascinating project in Slovakia?  Read the Pravda article in English here.