Customer Success Stories
The digitization of historical archives presents an ever-growing challenge for public administrations: need to preserve fragile documents, facilitate access to information and ensure its long-term preservation. This challenge becomes even more complex when dealing with extensive, scattered collections of documents that are subject to stringent archival standards.
Published: 15/07/2026
This was the situation faced by the Regional Government of Castile and León, which, through its Department of Culture, Tourism and Sport, launched a strategic initiative to preserve and converse into digital assets the documentary heritage of the mining regions of León and Palencia, as part of the Just Transition Plan 2021–2027. The objective was twofold: to protect this industrial legacy and make it accessible to researchers, the public and future cultural enhancement initiatives.
The project faced a significant operational challenge: over 800,000 documentary items, including large-format technical drawings, books, photographs and administrative records, many of which were fragile and required specific handling and conservation measures. At the same time, the initiative required the coordination of the collection, transport and safe handling of historical materials between different locations, such as Fabero, Sabero, León, and Palencia.
“This work was essential not only for preserving historical memory, but also for fostering new opportunities for cultural and economic development in these regions,” says Roberto Fernández Fernández, Director of the Museum of Iron and Steel and Mining of Castile and León.
To meet this challenge, a comprehensive archival service was implemented, covering the physical organization of the collections, archival description, digitization, generating metadata and integrating it into public management systems.
The project was carried out in accordance with international standards such as ISAD-G, METS, PREMIS and FADGI, which are essential for ensuring the quality of digitization, the interoperability of digital assets and their long-term preservation. The final upload was carried out in SIEGA and in a dedicated digital repository, ensuring traceability, consistency and scalability.
The impact of the program is already evident. To date, 430,000 pages have been digitized, 50,000 technical drawings processed and 30,000 photographs digitized, significantly improving access to the mining documentary heritage for researchers and the public.
As well as enhancing conservation and reducing the physical handling of fragile documents, the initiative contributes to the objectives of the Just Transition Plan, supporting the cultural and economic revitalization of mining areas affected by the closure of mining operations.
Beyond its current scope, the project lays a solid foundation for future phases of heritage digitization. This case demonstrates that, when a public administration needs to preserve large volumes of documents and convert them into useful and accessible assets, the key lies not only in digitizing, but in doing so with archival criteria, appropriate standards and a sustainable integration strategy.
