HOLLIS, Harvard's library catalog, is the best resource for locating manuscripts at Houghton. From the HOLLIS record, you can view digitized materials (if available) and request materials for reading room consultation.
KNOWN ITEM SEARCHING
If you already know the call number (shelfmark) of the manuscript, the fastest way to locate the record is to enter the call number without spaces (e.g., msfr495 or mssyriac62) as a general keyword search. This does not work for call numbers with special characters such as parentheses.
For any and all call number searching, go to Starts with/Browse > Browse by > Call number - Other and enter the call number as usual (including spaces and special characters).
Digitized materials
The Show Only > Online search limiter in HOLLIS will limit to those manuscripts that are fully or partially digitized. Read more about advanced searching here.
In addition, most of Houghton's digitized manuscripts are presented in the Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts digital collections page.
- Medieval & Renaissance ManuscriptsDigitized manuscripts from Houghton Library's collections
Finding aids
Finding aids are primarily used to describe archival collections. Some Houghton collections that comprise multiple medieval manuscripts--mainly fragments or documents--are also described in more detail in finding aids. If a finding aid exists for a collection, it’ll be linked out from the HOLLIS record. You can also search finding aids separately in HOLLIS for Archival Discovery.
Some examples of early manuscript collections described in a finding aid:
- Lee Max Friedman collection of early charters and documents (MS Judaica 31): Documents relating to financial transactions of Jews in medieval Europe. Compare to the briefer HOLLIS catalog record here.
- Fragments of Latin manuscripts (MS Lat 100): Manuscript fragments removed from bindings.
- Catholic Church monastic charters (MS Span 12): Eight medieval charters relating to Spanish monastaries; and a document of privileges granted by King Charles I to the Dominican monks of Granada.
- Otto Ege collection of 50 original leaves from medieval manuscripts (MS Typ 1294): Set of 50 medieval European manuscript leaves.
