Tips for Searching Manuscripts on Microfilm in the SLU Library Catalog

Approximately 1,000 of our manuscripts on microfilm can be found in the SLU Library Catalog; online manuscript records include physical descriptions, lists of contents, and bibliographical references for the manuscript, as well as the local microfilm roll number.

For tips on searching manuscripts in the SLU Library Catalog, select one of the following options:

 

To limit any search to our manuscripts on microfilm:,
In the Advanced Keyword Search screen, include as a “title” one of the following limiting titles:  

Vatican Film Library Manuscripts on microfilm to search all manuscripts on microfilm
Vatican Library Manuscripts on microfilm to search only Vatican Library manuscripts on microfilm

 

To find a specific manuscript when you know the shelfmark:
In the Basic Search Screen: Select "Title" from the pulldown menu, then enter “manuscript” followed by the shelfmark (punctuation and capitalization are unneccesary). EXAMPLE

 

To find a particular author or text in manuscript form:
Before searching for a particular author or text in manuscript form, it is useful to determine what form of author’s name or the title is used in our catalog, referred to as the “authorized heading.” To find this authorized heading: In the Basic Search screen, enter the author or title. If the form of the name you have entered is not the authorized heading, you will get a cross reference to the correct one. Then perform your search in the Advanced Keyword Search screen, entering one of the limiting titles. EXAMPLE

Note: If you are unable to find any entry for the author or title in the catalogue, you may contact the catalog librarian for further assistance.

 

To search or limit by manuscript attributes:
There are a number of terms used consistently in our manuscripts on microfilm records, known in the catalog as “Genre/Form headings.”  Here are the most commonly used terms:

Caroline Minuscule Illuminated initials
Coats of arms Illuminated manuscripts
Colophons Miniatures (illuminations)
Cursiva Minuscule
Dated and datable manuscripts Peciae
Gothic scripts Semitextualis
Historiated initials Textualis
Humanistic scripts Textura
Hybrida Watermarks
Illuminated borders  

 

To search only for manuscripts with certain attributes:
On the Basic Search Screen, use the dragdown menu to select “Genre/form,” then enter the term in the search box. EXAMPLE 
To add a Genre/Form term to an author or title search:
In the Advanced Keyword Search, enter the "Genre/Form" term in one of the boxes and then select “Subject” from the pulldown menu. EXAMPLE

 

To find or limit to manuscripts in a particular language:
In the Advanced Keyword Search, it is possible to limit by language.  All languages in which manuscripts on microfilm can be found are included in this list. To find all of the manuscripts on microfilm in a given language, enter one of the limiting titles then select the language in the from the pulldown menu on the right marked "Language." EXAMPLE

 

To find or limit manuscripts by country or city:
In the advanced search screen, enter one of the limiting titles, then enter the city or country in another box and select “subject.” EXAMPLE

 

To find or limit manuscripts by century:
In the advanced search screen, after entering search terms or one of the limiting titles, enter the century in the form “--th century.” EXAMPLE

 

To find a scribe, former owner, translator, etc.
All personal names and corporate names (such as the name of a monastery or a library) must be searched as an author. The search will result in a list broken down by function. All items containing works written by an individual will be grouped without a limiting function term, followed by a list of other function terms, such as former owner or scribe. EXAMPLE