The Pre-1600 Single Leaf Registry (SLR) is a fully-searchable database of images and descriptions of manuscript leaves detached from codices produced before 1600. The Registry accepts leaves in any language as long as they were produced on the continent of Europe. The Pre-1600 SLR is generously hosted by the UCR Libraries of the University of California at Riverside.

The project is the offshoot of a scholarly initiative to update two previous manuscript censuses: the 1932-35 Census of Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in the United States and Canada by Seymour de Ricci and W. J. Wilson, and its 1962 Supplement by C.U. Faye and W.H. Bond. That project, recently completed, was co-directed by Melissa Conway, Ph.D., and Lisa Fagin Davis, Ph.D. (Click here for information on the original project) Dr. Conway and Dr. Davis are also co-directing the SLR.

Presently there are more than 6,000 single leaves in North American repositories, more than half of which are uncatalogued. Not only are uncatalogued leaves inaccessible to scholars and students, but they are also at most risk for theft. Since many of these leaves have not been described in detail, institutions would have difficulty identifying and recovering any stolen materials. It is thus the goal of this project to provide enhanced security and bibliographic access to the institutions in North America with uncatalogued—or minimally catalogued—pre-1600 manuscript leaves. An additional outcome of this project will be the “virtual reconstruction” of many disbanded manuscripts.

Any North American institution is invited to contribute to this project. There is no cost to participating institutions beyond the submission of scans which should include the recto and verso of manuscript leaves. For scanning specifications and imaging standards write to Melissa Conway.