Durham University Library (collector)

Many more of the manuscript and printed books formerly owned by Durham Cathedral Priory have survived than those of any other medieval English institution. Over 300 manuscripts remain in the Cathedral Library, and 12 more are in Durham University Library, but many others have passed to libraries elsewhere - over 170 have so far been identified. This collection of microfilms has been formed by Durham University Library with the objective of bringing together, for study purposes in Durham, films of all known Durham Priory manuscripts which are now located outside Durham, other than those which are available in published facsimiles. The collection now lacks films of only about four of the known manuscripts.

This artificial collection is used to locate miscellaneous small accessions of manuscripts and papers of oriental (Middle and Far East) interest received by the Library, and not preserved as separate collections. It is the equivalent category, for material of oriental interest, to the Library's Additional MSS.

This artificial collection comprises many miscellaneous small accessions of manuscripts and papers received by the University Library from about 1930 onwards, and not preserved as separate collections. Similar small accessions received prior to 1930 are largely located in the Old University MSS, but a few miscellaneous manuscripts acquired before 1930 and not known by Old University MSS citation numbers have been absorbed into the the Add. MSS class. Small accessions of manuscripts of oriental interest are located in the Oriental MSS class. Small accessions of papers received by the University's Department of Palaeography and Diplomatic (from 1990 merged in the University Library's Archives & Special Collections department) were placed in its SGD (Small Gifts and Deposits) class, and that class continues to be used for small archival accessions, whereas the emphasis in making additions to the Add. MSS class is now more distinctly on manuscripts and single documents. In some cases material placed in this sequence has subsequently been removed to a more appropriate collection: this is recorded in the catalogue.