SEARCHstrata is a project that is currently underway and will offer a more robust search of the Harvard Libraries’ Islamic collections—the largest academic collection of its kind in the world. As it develops, the platform will integrate a virtual browsing experience alongside guidance from a collections curator, helping users navigate the breadth and depth of the materials. The project is designed to expand access for users around the globe, enabling them to engage with materials housed at Harvard while also laying the groundwork for future collaboration. Partner institutions will be able to contribute additional sources on Islamic law—including legislation, court cases, and fatwas—and curate their own “shelves” within a shared virtual library. At the same time, data science tools currently in development and created in collaboration with scholars in the field aim to support both close and distant reading of historical and contemporary texts, opening new possibilities for research and analysis.
