Katalog der Handschriften der Univ. Bibliothek Innsbruck

With ist 1067 (700 medieval) manuscripts the University Library (UB) Innsbruck possesses a precious stock of documents that disclose medieval bookarts. Since these manuscripts had been recorded inadequately, a printed catalogue that complies with modern demands was beeing desired for a long time. After extensive preliminary work, and within the scope of the Kommission für Schrift- und Buchwesen des Mittelalters der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, a scientific catalogue got startet, that maintains the Commission`s instructions. Up to now, four volumes (Vol. 1 and 2: 1987 and 1991, processed by the manuscript department of the UB Innsbruck; Vol. 3: 1999, Cod. 201-300, Vol. 4: 2005, Cod. 301-400, sponsored by the FWF, just as the fifth volume, that is now at hand) have been published. In conformity with the Commission`s guidelines, all aspects of a manuscript were considered, formal aspects as well as textual ones. The catalogues are arranged according to signatures, thus they unveil a variegated picture. The description of a manuscript`s appearance lists exact information about the structure of the manuscript, the material on which was written, the writing itself, artistic decoration and the binding. What comes to any manuscripts, primordially anonymous texts could be ascribed to an author by the use of relevant bibliography, and many texts are presented for the very first time. All in all, the catalogue is rather important for the source research of many disciplines. Corresponding to the manuscripts`s origins (most of them are descending from Tyrolean monasteries), theology is in the foreground. In addition to it, the stock of manuscripts enfolds selected works of the history of law, classical and medieval philology, German studies, history of science and, furthermore, some precious illuminated manuscripts (e. g. Cod. 469, a illuminated bible of French origin, Cod. 484, a illuminated gospel of the 10th century, Cod. 471, Vergil with Italian pictures). Apart from that, manuscripts for common use of the 13th and 14th centuries are predominant, whose subject matter is theological, such as anonymous collections of sermons, scholastic works and excerpts. Noteworthy are also grammatical texts, a collection of letters between French monasteries (Cod. 404) and a hitherto unknown collection of legends and miracles (Cod. 494). This fifth volume of the catalogue too attaches great importance to the history of each manuscript, since there was a variety of previous owners. This will help to reconstruct the outstanding history of Tyrolean libraries, Two registers (index of incipits, index of authors, titles and subjects), pictures and appendices do make it easier to handle the catalogue. At the moment, the sixth and seventh volume of the catalogue are at work, out of probably ten, that will be necessary to embrace the 1067 manuscripts.