Full dataset of the Views of Leuven collection which includes images and maps of Leuven from the 16th-20th centuries.
The Views of Leuven collection at KU Libraries Special Collections contains 352 images that date from the sixteenth to the twentieth centuries. The images were created using various techniques including lithograph, etching, engraving, porcelain cards, and more. Items in the Views of Leuven collection depict places in Leuven and the surrounding areas, including churches, monasteries, university buildings and other landmarks. The collection also includes panoramic images and maps of Leuven. KU Leuven Libraries digitized this collection in collaboration with Erfgoedcel Leuven and other local heritage institutions. The collection can be accessed on the Erfgoedcel website in addition to the KU Leuven Libraries’ Digital Heritage Online Collection.
The Views of Leuven dataset is a repository of descriptive metadata representing all of the items in the collection. The dataset also includes links to images of the collection, allowing users to harvest the images to use for visualization. The digitised Views of Leuven Collection can also be explored through the Libraries’ Digital Heritage Online Collections discovery interface, within the thematic collection “Views of Leuven”.
The repository is designated as a free resource for digital humanities research, for scholars, students and teachers. It also is intended for creative reuse.
The Views of Leuen dataset has been used to create an interactive digital map of Leuven through the centuries. The Mapping Views of Leuven Collection repository includes the basic source files (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) and a modified version of the metadata CSV file found in this repository. The completed project can be seen here.
Have you used this dataset in a creative way? Please share it with us so we can add it here and showcase more examples of creative reuse of digital cultural heritage!
The dataset is based on the library catalogue metadata. It holds the descriptive metadata as well as URL links to the digital viewer and the image thumbnail. The dataset is published in two formats: an XML file that contains the unprocessed dataset as downloaded from the Alma digital preservation environment of KU Leuven Libraries and a cleaned CSV file that contains computationally more amenable curated data. The cleaned CSV file has also been enriched with coordinates for the locations depicted in the image. The data was cleaned, transformed and refined with the OpenRefine application software.
The CSV file contains 352 records in rows and 43 columns. For a correct download click on VoLcomplete.csv. On some web browsers, you need to right-click on 'Raw' and select 'Download linked file as'. For other web browsers, including Chrome, click on 'Raw' and then go to File > Save Page As... The CSV file can also be downloaded from Zenodo. In order to correctly display the CSV file, the recommended setup for a proper display of the CSV file can be adjusted in the Excel data import popup window: 'Character set' to 'Unicode (UTF-8)', the separator option 'Comma' should be selected and the 'Column type' of Column A (Record ID) should be changed from General to 'Text'.
Notes:
- An asterisk (*) indicates a category which was added during the data cleaning and transforming process.
- Latitude and Longitude for the places featured in the images were added. However, there are 6 images for which the location could not be determined. Additionally, the map images also do not contain latitude or longitude information.
- Three degree symbols (°°°) are used to separate values in multi-valued cells.
| Column | Content Type | Description | Instance |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Record ID | unique key = record id in original cataloging system | 9984685980101488 |
| B | URL Limo | Direct link to the record in Limo, the library’s search interface | https://limo.libis.be/primo-explore/search?query=any,contains,9984685980101488&tab=all_content_tab&search_scope=ALL_CONTENT&vid=KULeuven&lang=en_US&offset=0 |
| C | Date Type | Encoded indication of type of date https://www.loc.gov/marc/bibliographic/bd008a.html | q |
| D | Date 1 | The (estimated) date the original image was created https://www.loc.gov/marc/bibliographic/bd008a.html | 18uu |
| E | Date 2 | A second indicative date the print was created https://www.loc.gov/marc/bibliographic/bd008a.html | \\ |
| F | Language | Encoded indication of the primary language of publication https://www.loc.gov/marc/languages/ | fre |
| G | Imprint_$a_$b_$c_$3_Place_Name_Date_of_Publication | Imprint — Place, name and date of publication https://www.loc.gov/marc/bibliographic/bd260.html [Note: $c s.d. is an image without a date of publication, the accompanying $3 indicates the cataloguer’s best guess of when the document is from] | $c s.d°°° $3 1850-1900 |
| H | Imprint_$e_$f_$g_Place_Name_Date_of_Manufacture | Imprint — Place, name and date of manufacture https://www.loc.gov/marc/bibliographic/bd260.html | $e Brussels°°° $f F. Dricot & Cie |
| I | Physical Extent 1 | Dimensions of the image https://www.loc.gov/marc/bibliographic/bd300.html | $c image: 177 x 242 mm |
| J | Physical Extent 2 | Dimensions of the image including surrounding texts and frames https://www.loc.gov/marc/bibliographic/bd300.html | $c image with inscription: 209 x 242 mm. |
| K | Color Indication | Indication of the colors used in the illustration https://www.loc.gov/marc/bibliographic/bd340.html | $g Black-and-white |
| L | Note on Content | Description of the content of the image (Dutch) https://www.loc.gov/marc/bibliographic/bd545.html | $a Panoramisch zicht op het klooster van de dominicanen, waarbij de verschillende gebouwen zijn aangeduid en benoemd. |
| M* | Note on Content ENG | Description of the content of the image in English (translated from Dutch using DeepL) https://www.loc.gov/marc/bibliographic/bd545.html | $a Panoramic view of the monastery of the Dominicans, where the various buildings are indicated and named. |
| N | Source of Illustration | Reference to the source of the published illustration https://www.loc.gov/marc/bibliographic/bd580.html | $a illustration from: Edward Van Even, Louvain monumental ou Description historique et artistique de tous les édifices civils et religieux de la dite ville, Leuven, Fonteyn, 1860. |
| O | Main Title | Main title of the publication https://www.loc.gov/marc/bibliographic/bd245.html | $a Le Couvent des Dominicains |
| P* | Place Name 1 | A standardized name of the place in the image | Onze-Lieve-Vrouw-ten-Predikherenkerk |
| Q* | Lat1 | The latitude of Place Name 1 in decimal degrees | 50.87893 |
| R* | Long1 | The longitude of Place Name 1 in decimal degrees | 4.6961 |
| S* | Object | Indicates if the image is of an object (portrait, stained glass, etc) rather than a physical place | Yes / null |
| T* | Place Name 2 | A standardized name of an optional second place in the image | College van Premonstreit |
| U* | Lat2 | The latitude of Place Name 2 in decimal degrees | 50.87558 |
| V* | Long2 | The longitude of Place Name 2 in decimal degrees | 4.70119 |
| W* | Place Name 3 | A standardized name of an optional third place in the image | Pauscollege |
| X* | Lat3 | The latitude of Place Name 3 in decimal degrees | 50.87705 |
| Y* | Long3 | The longitude of Place Name 3 in decimal degrees | 4.70321 |
| Z* | Place Name 4 | A standardized name of an optional fourth place in the image | Biestpoort |
| AA* | Lat4 | The latitude of Place Name 1 in decimal degrees | 50.880571 |
| AB* | Long4 | The longitude of Place Name 1 in decimal degrees | 4.694726 |
| AC | Local_Subj_Building_Type | Specific category for this project specifying the type of building | $a VoL Building type$x churches (church buildings)°°° $a VoL Building type$x monastery |
| AD | Local_Subj_Building | Specific category for this project specifying the building name | $a VoL Building$x Leuven, Onze-Lieve-Vrouw ten Predikherenkerk |
| AE | Local_Subj_Street | Specific category for this project specifying the street name | $a VoL Street$x Leuven, Onze-Lieve-Vrouwstraat |
| AF | Local_Subj_Pano | Specific category for this project specifying if the image is a panorama | $a VoL Pano$x Leuven, panorama |
| AG | Local_Subj_Event | Specific category for this project specifying if the image is related to World War I | $a VoL Event$x Wereldoorlog I (1914-1918) |
| AH | Creator Name 1 | Creator 1 of the image https://www.loc.gov/marc/bibliographic/bd700.html | $a Otto, Henri°°° $g Belgian painter, active 19th C.°°° $4 art°°° $3 graphic artist |
| AI | Creator Name 2 | Creator 2 of the image https://www.loc.gov/marc/bibliographic/bd700.html | $a de Jonge, F.B.°°° $4 art°°° $3 designer |
| AJ | Creator Name 3 | Creator 3 of the image https://www.loc.gov/marc/bibliographic/bd700.html | $a Lemercier & Cie°°° $g Parisian firm of lithographic (and later photogravure) printers°°° $4 art°°° $3 printer |
| AK | Local Uniform Title City | Locally created group titles indicating the city | $a Leuven |
| AL | Local Uniform Title Category | Locally created group titles indicating the categories included | Religious buildings°°° Streets |
| AM | (Typo)Graphical Terms | Terms taken from a list of terms to retrieve certain (typo)graphical techniques, phenomena etc. | $b lithograph(s) |
| AN | Full Inscription | Transcriptions of the texts found on the images | $a coördinaten (1-24)$b in de voorstelling: verspreid°°°$a LE COUVENT DES DOMINICAINS, FONDÉ EN 1228, ET SUPPRIMÉ EN 1796.$b buiten de voorstelling:bovenaan, centraal°°°$a Louvain Monumental.$b buiten de voorstelling: bovenaan, links°°°$a H. Otto, sculp.$b buiten de voorstelling: onderaan, rechts°°°$a legende (1-24)$b buiten de voorstelling: onderaan, centraal |
| AO | URL Digital Object | Link to the item in the Teneo viewer | http://resolver.libis.be/IE978853/representation |
| AP | URL Thumbnail | Link to the item as a thumbnail image | http://resolver.libis.be/IE978853/thumbnail |
| AQ | Physical Original | Indication of the physical location of the image | KU Leuven Libraries BIBC BRES TA00383 |
Note: the catalogue metadata also included the following four categories which have been excluded from the CSV dataset because they were a constant value.
| Deleted category | Description | Instance |
|---|---|---|
| Country | encoded indication of country/state of origin | xx (no country was indicated for any record) |
| RDA content | Fixed value https://www.loc.gov/marc/bibliographic/bd336.html | $a still image (same value for each record) |
| RDA media | Fixed value https://www.loc.gov/marc/bibliographic/bd337.html | $a unmediated (same value for each record) |
| RDA carrier | Fixed value https://www.loc.gov/marc/bibliographic/bd338.html | $a card |
When referring to or using the data repository in research publications and documentation, consider citing the dataset with its digital object identifier (DOI) that is minted in Zenodo 
The Views of Leuven Collection repository is licensed under a Public Domain Mark (PDM). PDM operates as a label indicating that the dataset is no longer restricted by copyright and can be freely used by everyone. KU Leuven Libraries follows an open images policy that allows its public domain digitized heritage collections to be freely copied, modified, distributed and reused, only by mentioning “KU Leuven. Views of Leuven Collection” without asking for further permission. For a detailed view of the library’s legal compliances read here.
The GitHub repository of the Digitisation Department of KU Leuven Libraries follows the Contributor Covenant as a way to be overt in its openness, welcoming all people to engage and contribute, pledging in return to value them. In order to make our open communities welcoming, diverse and inclusive, we are encouraging the adaptation of a mindful code of conduct as a means to express and share those values. Any unacceptable behavior as trolling, insulting/derogatory comments, personal or political attacks will not be tolerated. The Contributor Covenant is released under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Public License.
- Nele Gabriels: Digitisation Department
- Bruno Vandermeulen: Digitisation Department
- Diederik Lanoye: Metadata Services and Acquisitions
- Tjamke Snijders: Special Collections
- Allison Bearly: Intern, Special Collections and Digitisation, thesis project