Memories of the Hungarian language on the internet. Considerations related to the new multimedia service of the National Széchényi Library

Abstract

The National Széchényi Library organised a large-scale temporary exhibition about the memories of the early written Hungarian language. As a plus, in October 2009 the library launched a multimedia service entitled Memories of the Hungarian language. The article presents first of all the related webpage, and also calls attention to the relationship between the exhibition and internet-based publishing, as well as to the issues evolving in this context. The webpage serves the purposes of both research and education by its two, graphically different but at the same time interrelated levels. It is the aim of the so-called research interface to publish the list of significant memories selected by experts, the list of their locations, the digitised versions of several language memories, the list of research-oriented text editions, the increasing number of digitised volumes, as well as selected special bibliographies. The essays and descriptions can be accessed by a mouse click from the pages containing the lists. In addition, the service presents several interpretations of interest, such as works of art and music inspired by language memories. The other interface serving education and the general public includes the most important language memories. This narrower selection of 16 texts is complemented by descriptions, audio materials and short films.