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Getting started with DMMapp

Welcome to DMMapp, your gateway to discovering digitized medieval manuscript collections worldwide. This guide shows you how to find the libraries you need.

What you'll do

  • Browse libraries from around the world
  • Search for specific collections by name or location
  • Filter for high-quality image resources and open licenses

Browse the directory

When you open the dashboard, you'll see a list of libraries with digitized manuscript collections.

View the list

Scroll through the directory to explore libraries. Each entry shows:

  • Library name
  • Location (city and country)
  • Link to the digitized collection
  • Available features (like IIIF support)

Library detail pages can also show verified ISIL, Wikidata, and GeoNames identifiers. These help you match the listed institution or location with other catalogues. An absent identifier means DMMapp has not confirmed one; it does not mean that no identifier exists.

Read library details

Select the Visit link next to a library to open their collection website in a new tab. You'll find manuscripts, catalogs, and research tools.

Explore nearby collections

Libraries in the same city often share similar manuscript types. If one library has what you need, check others in that area.

Search and filter

Find specific libraries quickly using the search and filter tools.

Search by name or location

Type a library name, city, or country name in the search box. The list updates instantly to show matching libraries.

Examples:

  • Type "Bodleian" to find the Bodleian Library
  • Type "Paris" to see French collections in Paris
  • Type "Italy" to see all Italian libraries

The search matches library names, project names, cities, and countries, so you'll see all relevant results no matter which one you type.

Filter by nation

Use the nation filter to view libraries from a specific country:

  1. Click the Nation dropdown
  2. Select a country from the list
  3. The directory shows only libraries from that nation

Select All Nations to view the complete directory again.

Filter by project

Some libraries are part of one or more larger aggregating projects, such as Europeana. Use the project filter to view only libraries that belong to a specific project:

  1. Click the Project dropdown
  2. Select a project from the list
  3. The directory shows only libraries that belong to that project

A library that belongs to several projects appears under each of their filters.

Select All Projects to view the complete directory again.

Filter by licence

Use the licence filter to view only libraries whose rights statement falls into a specific category, such as CC0 or All Rights Reserved:

  1. Click the More filters disclosure to reveal it
  2. Click the Licences dropdown
  3. Select a category from the list

Select All Licences to view the complete directory again.

Turn on the Working link toggle, next to the IIIF and Open toggles, to hide collections whose website was last confirmed broken. Turn it off to see every library again, including ones flagged with a broken-link badge.

Sort the results

Select the Library or Location column heading to sort the directory alphabetically; select it again to reverse the order. Open More filters and select Sort by quantity to sort libraries by their approximate number of digitized manuscripts instead.

Clear every filter

If a search turns up nothing, select Clear Filters in the empty-results message to reset the search box, every toggle, and every dropdown at once.

Combine search and filter

Use these tools together. Filter by nation, then search for a city. This helps when multiple countries have cities with the same name.

Find IIIF resources

Some libraries offer IIIF (International Image Interoperability Framework) support. This means you can view high-quality images that work across different tools and platforms.

What IIIF gives you

Libraries with IIIF support let you:

  • Zoom into manuscript details with high resolution
  • Compare images from different libraries side-by-side
  • Use images in research tools and annotation software
  • Download images in various formats

Use the IIIF toggle

Turn on the IIIF toggle to see libraries that support this standard:

  1. Find the IIIF toggle at the top of the directory
  2. Click to turn it on
  3. The list shows only IIIF-enabled libraries

Turn it off to see all libraries again.

About IIIF

IIIF is a global standard that makes digitized images more useful for research. Not all libraries support it yet, but the number grows each year.

Find openly licensed collections

Some libraries offer their collections under a Creative Commons or other open license, so you can reuse the images freely in your own work.

Use the Open toggle

Turn on the Open toggle to see libraries with an open license:

  1. Find the Open toggle at the top of the directory, next to the IIIF toggle
  2. Click to turn it on
  3. The list shows only libraries with an open license

Turn it off to see all libraries again.

Discover and share collections

Explore a random library

Select Explore a random library in the header to open a randomly chosen collection from the full directory—ignoring any filters currently applied. It's a quick way to find a collection you weren't searching for.

Browse the alphabetical index

Select Browse every library alphabetically to see every collection listed by name, without the dashboard's filters or JavaScript.

Check recently added or updated libraries

When the directory has recent additions or corrections, the dashboard shows a Recently added and updated list above the search box, linking straight to each changed library's page.

Export or share your results

Above and below the results table:

  • Select CSV or JSON to download the libraries currently shown, with your search, filters, and sort applied
  • Select Share to copy a link to the current view—including your search terms, filters, and sort order—so you can send someone else exactly what you're looking at

Tips for your research

  • Start broad, then narrow: Browse all libraries first, then use filters to focus on specific regions
  • Check multiple libraries: Different libraries may have different manuscripts from the same region or period
  • Bookmark collections: Save library websites you use frequently for quick access
  • Verify availability: Some collections may have limited access or require registration

Next steps

Ready to contribute? Here's how to help expand the directory:

Happy researching! 📚