Graphic Collections of the Moravská zemská knihovna in Brno

In addition to books, the Moravian Library manages valuable collections of maps, prints, manuscripts, and other historical documents. We created a dedicated interface for the Graphic Collections that reflects the visual character of the content and encourages natural exploration of the collection.

The Brief and Goal

The Graphic Collections already had a web presence. The requirements were to create a modern technical solution and a more intuitive user interface.

The project aimed to design a website that:

• utilizes data stored in the MZK digital library (Kramerius system),
• makes navigating the various parts of the collection easier,
• offers high-quality viewing of the prints,
• connects related works and metadata,
• features a visual identity specific to the graphic collections.

From Audit to New Structure

We began by reviewing the original website, its content, available metadata, and the various paths users take to explore the collection. This audit led to an improved information architecture with simplified navigation and a clear content structure.

The homepage serves as a visual hub. It introduces individual parts of the collection, featured prints, and thematic sets, allowing visitors to start exploring based on what catches their interest.

Dedicated listing pages provide access to specific categories and search results. Users can further refine content using filters and navigate to the details of a selected print.

A detail view where the image takes center stage

We designed the print detail page to give the visual material plenty of space while keeping all essential information easily accessible.

Visitors can open the print in a larger view, examine its details, and then continue to related items. Breadcrumb navigation helps them keep track of where they are within the collection.

The mobile interface follows the same logic. Content, navigation, filters, and image details all adapt to smaller screens while maintaining the core user journeys.

Data from Kramerius, presentation tailored to the nature of the collection

In this project, Kramerius serves as the source and repository for digitized data. A standalone website creates a user layer on top of it, designed specifically for graphic collections.

Content is managed in a single data environment, while the public presentation adapts to the specific collection, its visual character, and how people browse it.

This principle allows us to leverage existing infrastructure while giving the collection a form that supports orientation, searching, and discovering connections.

The Result

We created a responsive presentation website grafiky.mzk.cz, which connects data from the digital library with a clear and functional interface.

Graphic collections can be browsed by main categories, searched, filtered, and explored for related works. The structure is also designed to accommodate the gradual expansion of content, thematic sets, and other ways of categorization.

The project demonstrates how digitized content can be transformed into an environment where people can easily find, understand, and continue to discover it.

Do you have a digitized collection you want to make more accessible?

We will help you evaluate the potential of your existing data and design a presentation layer that matches the character of your collection and the needs of its users.

Let us know, and we can discuss the options for making your collection accessible.