Breaking Down Barriers: Bringing Medieval Books to Life with ChroniCode

On 6 June 2026, visitors to the Mitchell Library found themselves touching a medieval manuscript facsimile, hearing the Latin text spoken aloud, and learning to code, all in the space of a single workshop. Later that afternoon, the same experience travelled to Gorbals Library, bringing medieval books and coding into a community setting all as part of the Glasgow Science Festival’s Cheers for 20 Years programme.

The workshops formed part of ChroniCode, a project exploring how affordable technology can make medieval works, and library collections more broadly, more accessible while introducing people of all ages to coding in a creative and approachable way.

As Dr Johanna Green observed, “[m]edieval manuscripts were made to be handled: to be read, to be touched, to be annotated, even kissed.” Yet today these remarkable objects are often difficult to read or engage with and are usually encountered behind glass or through digital images. While these forms of access are essential for preservation, they can also create distance between people and the collections held in our libraries. ChroniCode began with a simple question: how might we recreate some of that sense of interaction without placing the originals at risk?

The workshops explored whether inexpensive digital tools could help overcome some of the barriers medieval books present: unfamiliar scripts, languages that many readers do not know, and the simple intimidation that can come from encountering an object hundreds of years old. At the same time, it introduced participants to the fundamentals of coding, demonstrating that heritage and computing are not separate disciplines but can work together to create engaging, educational and inclusive experiences.

Rather than handling original books, participants worked with high-quality facsimiles. Using copper tape, imitation gold leaf, graphite pencils, crocodile clips and a Makey Makey (a circuit board that turns everyday objects into computer keys) connected to a computer running Scratch (a coding programme), they transformed individual lines of text into interactive touch points. When a participant completed the circuit by holding one crocodile clip and touching a prepared section of the page, Scratch responded by reading the selected passage aloud in Latin, English or another chosen language. The manuscript, in effect, could speak.

The experience, however, extended beyond the spoken word. Alongside the readings, individual passages also triggered soundscapes, including newly composed Gregorian chants and other musical compositions inspired by the books themselves. Rather than presenting the text in isolation, these sounds were intended to evoke the wider world of the medieval books, encouraging participants to experience each page not simply as writing, but as part of a richer cultural and sensory landscape. This represented a significant development from earlier coding projects undertaken in 2019 and 2020, adding an additional dimension that helped bring the books to life.

The original concept for ChroniCode imagined a more technically ambitious installation using conductive inks, a Touch Board and custom C programming. This remains an exciting possibility for future development. For the Glasgow Science Festival workshops, however, the aim was to demonstrate that meaningful interaction does not depend on expensive hardware or specialist expertise. Instead, ChroniCode showed that public libraries, schools, community groups, and so on can create engaging digital heritage experiences using inexpensive materials and beginner-friendly software such as Scratch.

Scratch was chosen deliberately. As a free programming environment used widely in schools and in Glasgow Libraries’ CoderDojos, it allows complete beginners to understand, modify and experiment with code in only a short time. For many participants, this was their first experience of coding. Because the programming had been simplified, they were able to begin experimenting almost immediately, often without realising they were developing coding skills alongside their exploration of medieval books. Coding, importantly, was never the end goal in itself. It was a means of opening up collections and changing the way people encounter written heritage.

Participants also had the opportunity to examine genuine medieval books from the Mitchell Library’s Special Collections. The workshop examined two editions of the Book of Chronicles (1493), a printed history of the world from Biblical times to 1493, and the Book of Pluscarden (c.1500), a hand-written late‑medieval Scottish chronicle ending in 1437. A short talk introduced the history of the books, their production, and their place within the library’s remarkable collections. Practical demonstrations showing how woodcuts were created helped participants understand the craftsmanship behind the two printed books on display, linking the interactive activities directly to the historical objects that inspired them.

One of the wider aims of ChroniCode was to introduce audiences to the Mitchell Library’s Special Collections. Many people are unaware of the extraordinary collections held in the library or that they are available for anyone to see. By combining original collection material with interactive facsimiles, the workshops offered visitors a glimpse into the Mitchell’s collections while, it is hoped, inspiring future visits and deeper engagement with the collections themselves.

Holding workshops at both the Mitchell Library and Gorbals Library was equally important. Heritage should not be confined to the buildings where collections are stored. By taking facsimiles and interactive activities into another public library, ChroniCode demonstrated that meaningful encounters with medieval books can happen in many different community spaces.

Perhaps the most rewarding aspect of the day was watching participants discover just how approachable both coding and medieval books can be. Adults and children alike quickly began experimenting beyond the workshop instructions. One young participant even transformed the facsimile into a game controller, using it to control a unicorn on the computer screen. Others were visibly surprised when touching a particular line caused the corresponding passage to speak aloud. Moments like these demonstrated that once barriers are lowered, curiosity naturally takes over.

This workshop is only one step in an ongoing exploration of how coding and historical collections can be brought together in new ways. A number of future projects are already in development, continuing to explore how technology can help libraries make their collections more accessible while preserving the original works that inspire them. If ChroniCode demonstrated anything, it is that medieval books are not simply objects of the past. They remain powerful tools for learning, creativity and discovery, and with a little imagination, they can still speak to us today.