Unlocking the Value of Digitised Heritage Collections: Case Studies From ULiège Library

This paper examines the strategies developed by the University of Liège (ULiège) Library to enhance the discoverability and value of its digitised heritage collections. In a landscape dominated by large-scale digitisation platforms, smaller institutions face the challenge of ensuring the visibility and accessibility of their cultural assets. The DONum project (Dépot d'Objets Numérisés), launched in 2009, exemplifies ULiège Library's response to these challenges. Initially conceived as a digitised objects repository within a consortium of Francophone Belgian university libraries, DONum has evolved into a comprehensive and inclusive platform hosting over 13,000 digitised items. This paper explores how DONum not only facilitates conservation and public access but also integrates open access principles, scientific mediation through blogging, and crowdsourced content via academic partnerships such as Arm@rium Universitatis Leodiensis. The study further addresses the technical and strategic complexities involved in integrating DONum with ULiège's library management system (Alma) and discovery interface (Primo), including the consistency of the metadata, enhancements of the user interface, and development of a dedicated Primo view, Legito, for heritage materials. These integrations aim to streamline user experience, improve searchability, and maintain bibliographic coherence across platforms.