Digital Archiving for SV 47 Mutscheid e.V.

Gentlent recently joined forces with SV 47 Mutscheid e.V. to tackle a unique challenge: digitizing decades of historical club documents. The project aimed to preserve the rich history of the football club while making it easily accessible in a digital format. What seemed like a daunting task was made achievable through methodical planning, innovative technology, and custom-built solutions.

The process began with assessing the archival materials. The documents were stored in a variety of folders, some neatly organized while others were mixed with unrelated items. To prepare for digitization, we dismantled each folder carefully, grouping the papers into logical batches based on their content and size. Each batch was then sorted to ensure no pages were overlooked or misplaced.

Once organized, the documents were processed through high-speed feed scanners. The goal was to digitize hundreds of pages quickly and accurately. Approximately 427 sheets, many double-sided, were scanned, resulting in a digital dataset of 4.91 GB. The sheer volume of data necessitated a streamlined approach to maintain consistency across such a large workload.

After scanning, the next step was text extraction and optimization. Using OpenAI's APIs, we developed custom scripts that worked alongside Adobe’s OCR functionalities. These scripts automated tasks like correcting page orientation, identifying text, and compressing file sizes. By the end of this stage, the dataset had been reduced to 1.29 GB without losing any crucial details.

Sorting the documents digitally was another crucial phase. Custom-built programs categorized the files based on content, timestamps, and relevance. This step was especially important for creating a coherent structure that mirrored the original archive's intent. These algorithms saved countless hours compared to manual sorting.

With the data organized, additional scripts powered by OpenAI's capabilities analyzed the contents of the files. Metadata such as dates, topics, and key names were extracted automatically. This metadata was then used to create concise summaries, offering an overview of each document's significance without the need to open the full file.

The culmination of the project was a dedicated website, archiv.svmutscheid.de, built to host and showcase the digital archive. The site provides club members and the community with easy access to the documents, enriched with AI-generated summaries for intuitive navigation. This new digital archive preserves the legacy of SV Mutscheid while ensuring its accessibility for future generations.

In less than 8 hours, the team completed a full digital transformation of the archive. The project underscores the potential of combining thoughtful preparation with advanced AI technologies to address complex challenges. For SV 47 Mutscheid, this effort represents a bridge between their storied past and a digitally enabled future.