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Turning the Pages

http://www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/ttp/ttpbooks.html

Provider: The British Library Board

Turning the Pages is an award-winning interactive program that allows museums and libraries to give members of the public access to precious books while keeping the originals safely under glass. Through the use of this program, the British Library provides online access to a number of rare and precious books and manuscripts. The pages of the books are accompanied by textual descriptions and explanations, along with audio features. Images of the pages can be enlarged for better viewing.

The site requires a Shockwave plugin to run the standard version. The new version runs on Microsoft Vista and will run on other systems using the Microsoft Silverlight program. There is also an alternative version that does not require either Shockwave or Silverlight. All of these options are clearly explained on the site.

Some of the works available for viewing include

  • LISBON HEBREW BIBLE
  • BAYBARS' MAGNIFICENT QUR'AN
  • BIBLE FROM ETHIOPIA
  • FIRST ATLAS OF EUROPE
  • A LANDMARK IN MEDICAL HISTORY: Vesalius's stunning 16th-century anatomy
  • SKETCHES BY LEONARDO
  • BLAKE'S NOTEBOOK: Sketches and poems, including 'The Tyger'
  • JANE AUSTEN'S EARLY WORK: The History of England in her own hand
  • THE ORIGINAL ALICE: Written and illustrated by Lewis Carroll
  • MOZART'S MUSICAL DIARY: With 75 audio excerpts