A cooperative to unlock our written past
We are on a mission to provide the best tools for making historical data accessible. We do this as a co-operative, following the motto: purpose before profit.
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What is read-coop?
As a purpose-driven co-operative, our mission is to provide a comprehensive range of tools and services that empower researchers, institutions, and individuals to collaboratively discover and explore the rich tapestry of history. Our platform Transkribus covers the entire process of making historical documents accessible, from scanning and AI-assisted data extraction to online publication. We believe in fostering strong partnerships with stakeholders, reinvesting profits in our ecosystem, and championing social responsibility, all while delivering exceptional technology and support to our community.
Our Values
Community and collaboration
We believe collaboration with the digital heritage and scholarly communities is the most effective way of building the tools they require.
Purpose over profit
We are a mission-driven cooperative—any profit is fed directly back to our work and our community, not to shareholders.
Open access and impact
We support the public's right to information by making historical documents accessible and providing scholarships for educational and non-profit projects.
A complete toolkit
We provide a full range of tools to help users at every step, from scanning and processing to publishing and searching historical sources.
Sustainable innovation
We are committed to ensuring that our technological advancements, especially in AI, are environmentally responsible, for example, using 100% renewable energy for our data centres.
Flexibility and adaptation
We aim to build flexible tools that can quickly adapt to new technologies and community needs.
