Customer testimonial: City of Bruges digitizes its archive thanks to the ‘Digitization’ framework agreement

How is the City of Bruges approaching the digitization of its archives?

“Digitizing our building permits is an important step toward the long-term preservation of our archives,” explains Mathieu Nollet, Digitization Process Coordinator for the City of Bruges.

By utilizing a framework agreement, the city is actively preparing its archives for the future.

Why did the City of Bruges choose the Flemish Government’s ‘Digitization’ framework agreement?

For public authorities looking to digitize large volumes of analog records, this framework agreement offers an attractive solution: it eliminates the need for a complex public procurement process, provides competitive pricing, and includes support for the ingestion of files into an E-Depot (electronic repository).

“The straightforward procurement process, competitive pricing, high-quality service, and minimal administrative burden allow our staff to remain focused on their core tasks, while the digitization process proceeds smoothly,” says Mathieu Nollet of the City of Bruges.

By scanning planning and development files, the City of Bruges is taking a significant step toward the sustainable preservation of its archives. This will enable the city to easily provide digital access to file documents in the future—for instance, through platforms like the ‘Woningpas’ (Housing Passport).

What are the benefits of a digital archive for a city or municipality?

A digital archive makes file information far more accessible, both for citizens and for internal administrative operations. Furthermore, a digital archive provides the essential foundation for implementing AI-driven applications in the future, while also reducing the risks associated with relying solely on physical archives.

Youston: a reliable partner for the City of Bruges

‘Within the Space & Economy department, we have been working with Youston and the iGuana document management system for some time. This collaboration is consistently professional, constructive, and pleasant. Thanks to these positive experiences, we now consider them a reliable partner.’ says Mathieu Nollet.