Manuscripts in the Netherlands Online

Medieval manuscripts in the Netherlands on the web

The Hague, September 21 - Today all medieval manuscripts in the
Netherlands are available on the website Medieval Manuscripts in Dutch
Collections (MMDC), www.mmdc.nl. The website provides a portal to a
database with short, uniform descriptions and photographs of all
medieval manuscripts in the Netherlands, about 6000 items in all. Jos
Biemans, Special Professor of Medieval Manuscript Studies launched the
website today in the Koninklijke Bibliotheek, by making the first click
on the homepage.

Medieval snapshot
Medieval manuscripts provide a fascinating snapshot of the cultural and
intellectual life of this period. Until now, information about these
manuscripts and the related knowledge and expertise was dispersed, but
MMDC brings all of this material together. MMDC has been set up by the
Koninklijke Bibliotheek, the university libraries of Leiden, Amsterdam,
Utrecht and Groningen, and the Atheneumbibliotheek Deventer and it is
partly financed by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research
(NWO).

One website for all manuscripts
MMDC is focussed on creating possibilities for progressive research
based on medieval manuscripts, by building a database with uniform
descriptions, digital images and links to facsimile editions and
subject-specific websites. This way, all the disseminated information
about medieval manuscripts in the Netherlands has been brought together
and made available through one database. To benefit international use,
all information is published in English.

Virtual platform
The website also contains more information on medieval books in the
Netherlands. This website will function as a virtual platform for
researchers and students in palaeography, art history, philology and
other fields. Visitors will find an overview of all Dutch institutions
with medieval books, along with information on the history of the
collections, contact information and procedures of requesting
manuscripts. The website also contains digital versions of several key
out-of-print books about medieval manuscripts and an illustrated
overview of medieval script.

For questions you can contact Saskia van Bergen, project coordinator
Parchment to Portal, tel.: 070-3140430, e-mail: saskia.vanbergen@kb.nl