Visit our webpage for a textual and/or graphic history of the origins of the Hilandar Research Library (HRL) as well as on-line versions of our newsletter, Cyrillic Manuscript Heritage, especially volume #1. FAQ's may be found in volume #5. For the latest newsletter volume, go to Newsletter; for earlier volumes, go to Archives.
Manuscripts: The HRL houses microform (predominately microfilm) collections of Slavic, primarily Cyrillic, manuscripts from numerous repositories in dozens of countries. Various other languages, scripts and cultures are also represented, with several hundred Greek manuscripts on microfilm (especially from Hilandar Monastery) representing the second largest group of materials.
Resources in the HRL come from individual collections as well as those from national libraries and archives, monasteries, universities, and other institutions of Slavic scholarship, with thousands of manuscripts and millions of folia available. The provenance is fairly equally divided between South and East Slavic resources. Key collections are those representing approximately 80% of the known extant Slavic manuscript material found in monasteries of Mount Athos, Greece. Microfilm collections of Hilandar Monastery are complete and represent the majority of such material. Also included are portions of the Slavic manuscript collections of Zograf, St. Panteliemon, Iveron and the Great Lavra monasteries.
Some of the HRL’s microform holdings include:
Printed Books: Hundreds of early Cyrillic printed books are available on microform, including early Moscow imprints and numerous Kievan and Ukrainian editions. Generally, where printed books were part of a library (usually monastic) manuscript collection, they were also microfilmed. The HRL also has several rare printed books dating to the 16th-19th centuries, many of which were donated.
Original Manuscripts: Actual Cyrillic manuscripts and early printed books: for teaching purposes, selective purchases of actual imprints or Cyrillic manuscripts have been made. The HRL has access to dozens of Cyrillic manuscripts, primarily East Slavic, stored off-site. Generous donors have also given us Slavic manuscripts.
Reference collections: a specialized reference collection is available in the HRL. The library also contains numerous facsimiles of manuscripts and early Cyrillic imprints. Other necessary secondary sources are available in the numerous collections of the OSU Libraries.
Equipment: On-site equipment available for use includes several microfilm readers, reader-printers, a reprographic machine, and computers.
All materials of the HRL, including those generally kept off-site for preservation purposes, are physically accessible at the HRL. We encourage research visits and support for such visits may be provided through the Resource Center for Medieval Slavic Studies. Hours: We suggest you contact us for an appointment. The HRL is generally open 9-5, EST, Monday-Friday. Closed on legal and university holidays. Hours between quarters are subject to reduction and by appointment only. By special arrangement, the HRL may be open at other times.
Finding Aids: Finding aids, in print, manuscript or locally on-line, are available for all collections of the HRL. New acquisitions, as a rule and when feasible, are accompanied by finding aids provided by qualified personnel of the holders of the original manuscripts. The HRL and RCMSS work with scholars all over the world to develop finding aids for the HRL collections.
On-line access: Approximately half of the manuscripts on microform have been cataloged on-line. They may be accessed through The Ohio State University's On-Line Catalog.
For access to The Ohio State University's on-line catalog:
COPYING
Please contact us directly regarding permissioin and conditions to have materials copied, rather than contacting Interlibrary Loan. Some of our materials are restricted to read-only at the HRL. Others may be copied for scholarly purposes. Manuscript materials on microform are subject to contractual restrictions determined by the institution holding the original manuscript. Reference materials are subject to copyright restrictions and "fair use."
PUBLICATION OF IMAGES
Subject to copyright and agreements with holders of the original manuscripts. Further information is available as required by specific intended use.
REFERENCE
Provided in-house and via mail, internet, and phone. We encourage questions and answer as quickly as possible.
LOANS
The loan of materials for exhibit purposes is encouraged. However, such loans are subject to the condition of the materials, proof of adequate security and environmental considerations at proposed site, length of time required, anticipated OSU use of materials and other restrictions.
