Please note that this Guide is under Construction. While all cataloged early manuscripts appear in the LibGuide in the "View All Manuscripts" tab above, not all have been sorted into general categories. We advise that you click on View All Manuscripts first if you are not quite sure what you're looking to find!
Understanding this Guide
This guide was created as a supplement to the Iowa Digital Library Early Manuscript Collection and as an enhancement for the Medieval Manuscript (MsC0542) and Asian Manuscript Collection (MsC0913) finding aids. As the digitization and description process for the manuscripts is ongoing, the guide will constantly evolve. Some manuscripts have more complete descriptions than others.
Manuscript materials are discoverable by geographical place of origin, date, and material type/substrate using the menu above. If the precise location of origin or date is uncertain, the manuscript is listed under the most likely country or century.
To search the entire collection by keyword, go to the tab for "View All Manuscripts", and use Ctrl+F or Command + F on your keyboard to begin.
Continue Exploring Early Manuscripts at Iowa
- Early Manuscripts in the Iowa Digital Library
The Iowa Digital Library Collection contains the bulk of descriptive metadata for the collection. Use this interface to search for specific terminology and find like characteristics. - DIY History
Transcribe and translate early manuscripts through Iowa's DIY History interface. - Medieval Manuscripts Finding Aid
The collection finding aid contains a brief overview of the manuscripts in MsC0542, Medieval Manuscripts. Information regarding specific manuscripts in this finding aid may be outdated. - Asian Manuscripts Finding Aid
The collection finding aid contains a brief overview of the manuscripts in MsC0913, Asian Manuscripts. Information regarding specific manuscripts in this finding aid may be outdated and/or superseded by information in InfoHawk+. - Youtube: If Books Could Talk
Visit our Youtube channel to view the series If Books Could Talk. Videos feature scholars, librarians, and archivists discussing manuscripts held in Special Collections. - Medieval Posts on tumblr
Many early manuscripts have been featured on our tumblr. Not all of those featured are at Iowa.
Find something interesting? Let us know!
Email our reference account at lib-spec@uiowa.edu if you spot anything in our descriptions that you think could be improved upon.