Wikimedia chapters/Reports/Wikimedia Nederland/20215

GLAMs and content

Over 15,000 images available from Elsinga Collection - Regionaal Archief Alkmaar

Grote Kerk Alkmaar - organ detail during restoration by J. Elsinga

The Ambachtsmolen in the Geestmerambacht polder

In November 2019, during the Wiki Techstorm, participants started writing a script for upload of the Elsinga Collection of Regionaal Archief Alkmaar to Wikimedia Commons. Due to technical challenges, this did not succeed easily. We are happy to report that through the efforts of volunteers over 15,000 images of photographer Joop Elsinga are now available at Wikimedia Commons. About Joop Elsinga:

An Alkmaar (municipal) photographer in heart and soul- (by Regionaal Archief Alkmaar)
Photographer Joop Elsinga (1944) began working for the municipality of Alkmaar in 1967 as an (assistant) supervisor during the construction of various apartment buildings and schools. He then moved on to the Department for the Preservation of Monuments where he remained until his retirement, almost forty years later, as restoration supervisor. In this function he was involved in various projects on historical and iconic monuments such as the Accijnstorentje, De Waag, the Stadhuistoren and the Grote Kerk. Since Joop has been a keen photographer since his youth, the municipality of Alkmaar asked him soon after his appointment to take photographs for them as well.
Of course Joop grabbed this opportunity with both hands. Eventually this resulted in an oeuvre of thousands of photographs and slides of everything that has anything to do with architecture in the city. The vast majority of this extensive collection has been incorporated into the Regionaal Archief Alkmaar and is published, including descriptions, via the digital image bank of this archive. Besides being a professional photographer, Joop has always continued to photograph out of pure hobby. For decades, and until today, he has been very active in Fotoclub Alkmaar, the successor of Fotogroep De Waag. Joop Elsinga, an Alkmaar (city) photographer in heart and soul!

Communication and publicity

Newsletter

We sent out the newsletter of May.