Fondazione Faraggiana-Ferrandi
Municipality of Novara
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Municipality of Novara
OUR SERVICES
- Cataloguing
- Digitalization
- We Development
A digital showcase to tell the story of the Faraggiana and Ferrandi family legacy
To enhance a valuable heritage of historical photographs, album pages, and scientific records of the city, ETT developed for the Municipality of Novara a digital showcase and a multi-domain cataloguing system based on metaFAD, the open-source application for digital management of cultural assets.
The project focused on the Faraggiana/Ferrandi photographic collections, preserved by the Museums Office, the Negroni Library, and the Faraggiana Foundation, with the goal of making them accessible, searchable, and available through a dedicated online portal. The collection includes taxidermy specimens, preserved fluids, osteological samples, wax models, and historical-scientific records—evidence of a naturalistic and museological knowledge that runs through the history of the city.
The platform is built on metaFAD, an integrated, multi-standard environment capable of managing archival, bibliographic, and museological materials within a single infrastructure. The system ensures alignment with national and international description standards and incorporates a digital library for online consultation of the contents
Digitization
The heterogeneous material, varied in form and medium, was digitized using state-of-the-art planetary scanners and camera stands—tools designed for high-legibility acquisition while ensuring maximum preservation of the originals. These devices employ cold-light illumination, ideal for conservation and faithful rendering of details.
More than 10,000 digital objects were produced, each identified with a unique naming convention and enriched with metadata structured according to the MAG format (Administrative and Management Metadata), essential for management and traceability of the material.
Cataloguing and Publication
Cataloguing was carried out directly within the metaFAD system, which allows different types of materials to be described, managed, and interlinked in a consistent and integrated way. The descriptive records, designed using a customized schema for zoological materials, were published within a web-accessible digital showcase, visually designed to align with the institution’s identity.
The interface offers advanced search tools that enable users to explore contents according to scientific parameters such as specimen type, author, or conservation status.
The showcase is managed through a CMS, allowing the Foundation to independently update and publish records and content, ensuring the project’s continuity and sustainability over time.
Training
At the conclusion of the project, a comprehensive training program was delivered to the designated staff, providing the theoretical and practical skills required to use the system effectively—both for content consultation and for updating records.
