European Middle Ages Library

science library of upper lusatia in görlitz, germany

in middle ages, monastery libraries developed, such important 1 @ abbey of montecassino in italy. books chained shelves, reflecting fact manuscripts, created via labour-intensive process of hand copying, valuable possessions. hand-copying accomplished travelling monks made treks sources of knowledge , illumination sought learning or copy manuscripts held other monasteries own monastic libraries.

despite protectiveness, many libraries loaned books if provided security deposits (usually money or book of equal value). lending means books copied , spread. in 1212, council of paris condemned monasteries still forbade loaning books, reminding them lending 1 of chief works of mercy. libraries located in monastic cloisters , associated scriptoria collections of lecterns books chained them. shelves built above , between back-to-back lecterns beginning of bookpresses. chain attached @ fore-edge of book rather spine. book presses came arranged in carrels (perpendicular walls , therefore windows) in order maximize lighting, low bookcases in front of windows. stall system (i.e. fixed bookcases perpendicular exterior walls pierced closely spaced windows) characteristic of english institutional libraries. in european libraries, bookcases arranged parallel , against walls. wall system first introduced on large scale in spain s el escorial.

also, in eastern christianity monastery libraries kept important manuscripts. important of them ones in monasteries of mount athos orthodox christians, , library of saint catherine s monastery in sinai peninsula, egypt coptic church.