Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana and Other Manuscripts
The Vatican Film Library (VFL) at Saint Louis University holds over 40,000 manuscripts from the 4th to the 17th centuries reproduced in microfilm and digital formats principally from the Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana (BAV), but from many other libraries as well. The collections are described and can be accessed in a variety of ways:
- Vatican Film Library Manuscripts-on-Microfilm Database – Inventory and concordance of manuscript shelfmarks and corresponding VFL microfilm roll numbers for all manuscripts (BAV and non-BAV) reproduced in microfilm; browsable by city/repository and shelfmark
- Vatican Film Library Digitized Manuscripts – Digital collection of all non-BAV manuscripts reproduced in digital format; browsable by city/repository and shelfmark (images accessible only in the Vatican Film Library reading room)
- METAscripta – Digital library of a growing number of BAV manuscripts digitized from VFL microfilm; browsable by language, country, date, and shelfmark (images freely accessible online)
- Saint Louis University Libraries Catalog – Portion of the overall collection described in the online library catalog; browsable
via the following tracings:
- Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana Manuscripts-on-Microfilm – Retrieves only BAV manuscripts reproduced on VFL microfilm that have been described in the library catalog
- Vatican Film Library Manuscripts-on-Microfilm – Retrieves all manuscripts (BAV and non-BAV) reproduced on VFL microfilm that have been described in the library catalog
The Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana holds over 80,000 manuscripts. The collection is described and can be accessed via:
- DVL: DigiVatLib – Digitized collections of the Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana: Manuscripts, Incunabula, Archival Materials and Inventories, Graphic Materials, Coins and Medals, and Printed Materials (Note – Compare resources above for copies of BAV manuscripts also reproduced in microfilm or digital format held in VFL collections.)
- OVL: OPACVatLib – Online catalog of the Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana: Archives, Manuscripts, Coins and Medals, Printed Materials, Special Catalogs (Incunabula, Visual Materials), and the General Catalog
Other Guides to the Collections
- Francesco D’Aiuto and Paolo Vian. Guida ai fondi manoscritti, numismatici, a stampa della Biblioteca vaticana, 2 vols., Studi e testi 466–467 (Vatican City: Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, 2011) – Comprehensive guide to contents and history of Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana collections, as well as published catalogs describing the collections
- Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana Manuscript Department
- Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana Overview of Manuscript Collections
- Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana Conspectus of Manuscript Collections
- Vatican Film Library Topical Research Bibliography: A Guide to Source Material on MicrofilmedManuscripts from the Vatican Library‘s Collections Located in the Vatican Film Library at Saint Louis University
- Vatican Film Library Research Guide to Non-Vatican Manuscripts-on-Microfilm at the Vatican Film Library
- Vatican Film Library Research Guide