Historical Archives

Libraries are at great risk of becoming outdated in the 21st century unless they embrace new technologies to improve information management and service delivery. In recent years, chatbots have arisen in the digital landscape as a further important development of technology, providing libraries, with an emphasis on academic libraries, innovative ways to enhance patrons’ experiences and provide services. This research deeply explores the multi-faceted world of chatbots in the academic library environment. This research continues with a global review of literature focusing on four main points. First, it collects studies and articles relating to technological factors that influence chatbots’ adoption in academic libraries. These factors refer to their integration with existing library systems, the technical expertise demanded to implement their application, as well as compatibility issues with library material and collections. Furthermore, studies relating to user-centric factors are presented. These refer to library patrons’ acceptance and familiarity with chatbots, their preferences for using them as communication channels, as well as the expectations they have regarding response accuracy and time. Finally, this research indicates articles and papers that are associated with social and cultural factors regarding the adoption of these AI-driven technologies. It examines the perception of chatbots as replacements for human interaction, security and privacy concerns, and lastly, cultural attitudes toward these technologies. Consequently, this work pinpoints key findings, highlights their importance, and provides recommendations for future research directions.

Abstract The immediate post-Holocaust period, especially the restart of children’s lives, remains an understudied part of Hungarian Holocaust history. Our article presents the Zionist children’s homes in post-war Szeged. Like most European Jewish cities, Szeged lost much of its Jewish population during the Holocaust. Szeged was the main deportation hub for villages and towns in the area. In June 1944, about 8,600 Jews were deported from Szeged over three days. The first train went to Auschwitz; most were murdered. The second train split between Auschwitz and the Strasshof labor camp. The third train went to Strasshof, where most survived. Thus, Szeged’s Jews, including children and the elderly, had an unusually high survival rate. This survival rate may help explain why five Zionist organizations in the city opened orphanages after the war. Residents included children from distant regions, locals, orphans, half-orphans, and even those from intact families. This variety reflects the many stories of Hungary’s “children of the Holocaust.” Both the makeup of these groups and their educational methods and aims were unusual. In this article, we present the distinctive features of these institutions, often referred to as orphanages. We use archival materials and testimonies to show their work.

This study revisits the hypothesis that Claviceps purpurea (Fr.) Tul., a fungus infecting cereals and producing ergot alkaloids (EAs), was the psychedelic agent in kykeon, the sacred elixir of the Eleusinian Mysteries. Although archaeological evidence supports this link, experimental data confirming the transformation of toxic ergopeptides into psychoactive lysergic acid amide derivatives in putative ancient preparations remain limited. The potential hydrolysis products of ergot were investigated using a technique that could have been readily applied by the priestesses of Eleusis, notably reacting in lye. Pulverized sclerotia were refluxed in solutions of lye and in distilled water. Samples obtained after liquid-liquid extractions were analyzed with 1H-NMR and UHPLC/Q-TOF-HRMS. The 1H NMR spectra demonstrated conversion of toxic ergopeptides, present in control samples but absent at all reaction times in 5% w/v ergot treated with pH 12.5 lye, where characteristic peaks for lysergic acid amide (LSA; ergine) and isolysergic acid amide (iso-LSA; isoergine; erginine) appeared. UHPLC/Q-TOF-HRMS quantitation confirmed this conversion, yielding 0.54 mg LSA and 0.48 mg iso-LSA per gram of ergot at 120 min. The chemical transformation of toxic EAs to psychoactive compounds, utilizing ancient technology, was demonstrated and supports the “psychedelic Eleusis” hypothesis.

In 1937, during the war, a large number of Chinese universities migrated westward. Universities such as National Central University and Cheeloo University relocated to West China Union University in Chengdu, where they launched "Five Universities" educational alliance at Huaxiba. The educational alliance established a Joint Administrative Committee responsible for coordinating operations among the universities and implementing a system of mutual credit recognition. They generated the model of "unified scheduling, free course selection, and interchangeable credits", allowing students to take courses across campuses and enabling faculties to teach across institutions, with credits recognized by all member universities. This became the largest and most comprehensive higher medical education model during the wartime. This was an example of sharing resource and preserving the traditions of each institution. This article reviews the history of the "Five Universities" educational alliance at Huaxiba. This history witnesses the development and cultural continuity of higher medical education in China and stands as a legendary chapter in history.

This is the English translation of the academic-divulgative article originally published in Spanish under the same title. It explores the historical, genealogical, and symbolic dimensions of a carta ejecutoria de hidalguía, integrating personal lineage, archival documentation, and contextual analysis. The original Spanish version is available as Version 1 of this record. This translation maintains the same structure, footnotes, and illustrative materials, adapted for an international audience. The article contributes to the documentation and interpretation of noble heritage in early modern Spain, offering insights into dynastic identity, visual culture, and historical memory.

Abstract This essay explores the role of food in Italian Jesuit colleges and residences between the 19th and 20th centuries, drawing on archival sources from the Historical Archives of the Jesuits’ Euro-Mediterranean Province (AEMSI). By analyzing menus, house diaries, supply inventories, and culinary guidelines, it reveals how food shaped daily life, community hierarchies, and regional identities within the Society of Jesus. The study highlights three key dimensions: nutritional practices (e.g., seasonal preservation techniques, dietary restrictions for health), social and symbolic functions (food as a gift, punishment, or tool for cohesion), and administrative management (procurement, the roles of lay brothers, and wartime scarcity). Examining sources such as the approved Leviticus and novitiate diaries, the essay demonstrates how Jesuit communities adapted to geopolitical upheavals and canonical reforms while preserving regional gastronomic traditions. Ultimately, it argues that these archives offer unparalleled insights into the intersection of food history, religious discipline, and socioeconomic change in modern Italy.

W artykule przedstawiono dzieje nadzoru nad narastającym zasobem archiwalnym z terenu Kujaw i ziemi dobrzyńskiej, sprawowanego w latach 1950–1982 przez włocławskie struktury Wojewódzkiego Archiwum Państwowego w Bydgoszczy. Utworzony w sierpniu 1950 r. Oddział Powiatowy we Włocławku, funkcjonujący w chwili obecnej jako Oddział Zamiejscowy A rchiwum Państwowego w Toruniu, rozpoczął wówczas proces selekcji i zabezpieczania dokumentacji o wartości historycznej, obrazującej wszelakie dziedziny życia, realizując jeden z najważniejszych postulatów ukształtowanej nowożytnej sieci archiwów państwowych. Warto podkreślić fakt, że metody i doświadczenia, wypracowane w toku długoletniej działalności archiwistów, reform administracyjnych, komputeryzacji itp., służą współcześnie kolejnym pokoleniom pracowników nadzoru.