Digital Projects

"Digital Projects" have been defined (by the Department of Special Collections) as online representations of materials which are complete presentation all such items, or which are ongoing projects but intended to eventually be complete presentations. Digital projects are thus distinct from "Exhibits" (below), which are typically related to physical exhibitions of materials and highlight collections or aspects thereof, but do not attempt to represent the collection completely.

Inventory-Catalogue of the Drawings in the Biblioteca Ambrosiana, Milan

An ongoing project to create a computerized cataloguing system for the drawings of the Biblioteca Ambrosiana, directed by art historian Robert R. Coleman. Of the 12,000 drawings in the Biblioteca Ambrosiana, descriptions for over half are currently available for online searching.

Medieval Seals: A Collection of Facsimiles at Medieval Institute

The Medieval Institute is proud to own a collection of over 200 medieval seals in facsimile. These images, mostly French, display the wide range of styles, sizes, and types of seals and seal owners in the Middle Ages. The seals in this exhibit are organized in three ways: according to their user, according to their geographic origin, and according to the insignia displayed on the seal.

Exhibits

Access to the Middle Ages: Medieval Manuscripts in Facsimile [June – December 1997]

This exhibit highlighted the historical development of facsimile technology, as well as the central place of facsimiles in the study of the Middle Ages. Medieval manuscripts that survive to this day are precious because of the mere fact of being old; they are witnesses to a culture which prevailed a long time ago and strongly influenced the world in which we now live. Because of the rarity, expense, and importance of preservation, libraries must often restrict the access of scholars to these precious artifacts. Much of the work that needs to be done — studying the layout, comparing scripts, etc. — can be done with an accurate facsimile without the risk of damage to the original. And, of course, facsimiles also appeal to those who love beautiful books for their own sake.