Special collections finding aids and catalogues

There are a number of catalogues for our special collections. The main catalogues are listed below. Rare books and some maps are catalogued on SOLO, the main Oxford library catalogue.

On this page, you can also find guides with more information about the different types of special collections material we hold.

Manuscripts and Archives at Oxford University

Search all online manuscript and archives catalogues from the Bodleian Libraries and selected Oxford colleges

Digital Bodleian

Discover over a million images of rare books, manuscripts, and other treasures from the Bodleian Libraries and Oxford college libraries.

Medieval Manuscripts in Oxford Libraries

Pre-1500 Western manuscripts held by the Bodleian Libraries and selected Oxford colleges.

Bodleian Archives and Manuscripts

Post-1500 Western archives and manuscripts held by the Bodleian Libraries

Charters in the Bodleian Libraries

Medieval and early modern charters held by the Bodleian Libraries

Fihrist

Manuscripts from the Islamicate world held by UK institutions, including the Bodleian Libraries.

South Asian Manuscripts

South Asian manuscripts held by the Bodleian Libraries

Hebrew Manuscripts

Hebrew and Judaica manuscripts held by the Bodleian Libraries

Genizah Fragments

Cairo Genizah fragments held by the Bodleian Libraries

Senmai

Shan Buddhist manuscripts in UK and SE Asian collections, including the Bodleian Libraries

Karchak

Manuscript and archival descriptions of the Bodleian Libraries' Tibetan collection.

East Asian Manuscripts and Rare Books

A catalogue of Chinese, Japanese and Korean rare books and manuscripts from the Bodleian Libraries and selected Oxford colleges

Manuscripts of the Ancient Near East, Caucasus and North East Africa

Search across Armenian, Georgian, Syriac, Coptic and Ancient Egyptian manuscripts

Medieval special collections

A guide to finding pre-1500 collections.

Early Modern special collections

A guide to finding Western archives and manuscripts dated 1500–1800.

Modern special collections

A guide to finding post-1800 archives and manuscripts.

Modern political papers

A guide to finding modern political manuscripts and archives

Asian and Middle Eastern special collections

A guide to finding Asian and Middle Eastern rare books and manuscripts.

Rare books

A guide to finding rare books held by the Bodleian Libraries.

Printed ephemera

Information about the John Johnson Collection of Printed Ephemera.

Maps

Information about the Bodleian Map Room and the Bodleian Libraries' collection of maps.

Music special collections

A guide to finding music special collections in the Bodleian Libraries.

Oxford University Archives

Information about Oxford University Archives.

Bodleian Libraries web archive

The Bodleian Libraries collects websites in an effort to preserve this material for future generations.

Broadside ballads

An introductory guide to searching our collection of nearly 30,000 Broadside ballads

Special collections finding aids and catalogues

Online catalogues

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