Олександр Кузьменко That's Life 20 January 2025, 16:34

A teacher from Volyn developed the online platform "CREDENCE", which preserves digital cultural heritage

Valeriy Kulay, a teacher at Ivan Franko Lyceum No. 1 in Horokhiv, developed the online platform «CREDENCE,» which «combines the functionality of a library system with a unique catalog of Ukraine’s cultural heritage.» It provides access to digitized cultural heritage from communities in the Volyn region and Ivano-Frankivsk region — other communities can also join the platform for a fee.

What is a credenza?

This is a word of foreign origin, used in western Ukraine and regions close to the west to refer to a locker for storing things.

According to the developer in a comment to «Suspilny», the site is a platform for community residents where they can familiarize themselves with the cultural heritage of the region, the book collections of libraries, and announcements of artistic events.

The first communities participating in the project were Horokhivska and Rozhyshchenska from the Volyn region and Rozhnyativska from the Ivano-Frankivsk region. Valeriy Kulay notes that other communities that want to digitize their cultural heritage can also join the platform.

«This service is paid, because you need to pay for the servers. The amount depends on the population of the community and how the materials will be stored on the platform,» the developer explained.

The platform’s website notes that it is designed to automate book inventory accounting, simplify the processes of issuing and returning books, and effectively manage libraries. «CREDENCE» also allows you to store, systematize, and provide access to data about cultural objects, ensuring their accessibility for researchers and a wide audience.

The following categories are currently available on the site:

Embroidered treasures are ancient examples of hand embroidery.
Ancient recipes are traditional dishes of the region that have been passed down from generation to generation.
Retro photos are photographs that reflect the history of a community.
Folk customs, rituals, and traditions are unique elements of culture.
Crafts are a skill that local craftsmen are famous for.
Art gallery — works of art.
Song heritage — authentic songs in text or audio format.
Ancient things are household items, tools, or other unique artifacts.
Open Chest is a category for materials that do not fit into other categories. Materials can be presented in the form of texts, photos, audio files, or videos.

According to the developer, anyone can contribute to filling the platform with content.

Read the country's main IT news in our Telegram

"It's not just a commercial success, it's a huge cultural achievement." The owner of GSC Game World said that S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 has already paid off and is starting to make a profit.

Perfect for completely forgetting Russian culture. Aitivets created a list of books that every Ukrainian should read

"I am very glad that the Ministry of Defense is becoming such a magnet and part of mass culture." Chernogorenko commented on jokes about the failure in "Rezerv+"