Transkribus simplifies historical research by automating the transcription and digitization of handwritten or printed historical pages. Many researchers, libraries, and archives are already benefiting from this powerful tool. As a Utrecht University employee, you can now access Transkribus at a significant discount.

What is Transkribus?

Transkribus is a comprehensive tool that uses AI-powered text recognition to digitize, transcribe, and search historical documents in any language. Check out some projects that have successfully utilized Transkribus.

Through the subscription of the Centre for Digital Humanities, Utrecht University has become an official member of READ-COOP, the European Cooperative Society that provides the Transkribus platform. This means that all Utrecht University affiliates, including researchers, teachers, and staff, can enjoy discounted access to this service.

How does it work?

Most features in Transkribus are free of charge, including training the model, layout analysis, and manual transcribing. Credits are only required for the text recognition feature. To get started:

1. Register as a new user using your Utrecht University email address. You will receive 500 free credits upon signup. Credit consumption depends on the type of material (printed or handwritten) and the text recognition engine used (PyLaia or HTR+).
2. Calculate the required number of credits for your project using the provided tool.
3. To purchase credits at the discounted rate, please contact the sales team at READ-COOP via projects@readcoop.eu. Mention that you are a Utrecht University user and provide the Utrecht University billing address for the invoice, along with your project WBS-number. The sales team will allocate the necessary credits to your account at the reduced rate. Please note that this account does not need to have membership status.

Transkribus Scholarship Programme for teachers and students

If you are a student or teacher, consider applying for the Transkribus Scholarship Programme. This global program provides free credits for the handwritten text recognition technology in Transkribus. Scholarships are project-based, so you will need to submit a specific project proposal to utilize the Scholarship credits. The program is open to students and teachers from any discipline.

Questions and support

If you have any questions regarding the usage of Transkribus or purchasing discounted credits, the READ-COOP team is ready to assist you. Reach out to them at projects@readcoop.eu. For technical support, contact the Transkribus helpdesk at info@readcoop.eu. Additionally, the Transkribus website offers a wealth of helpful How-to guides.

Transkribus workshop

 Interested in using Transkribus but unsure where to start? The Centre for Digital Humanities, in collaboration with the Utrecht University Library, offers customized Transkribus workshops for humanities staff upon request. These workshops will be scheduled based on interest. For more information, please email us at cdh@uu.nl.