In addition to the Pontifical Institute library, other university libraries provide resources in varying degrees depending on the role that each institution envisions for the discipline of medieval studies, the number of researchers based at the university, and especially on the involvement of private collectors and/or donors, who are primarily responsible for the presence of medieval manuscripts in North American libaries and museums.
The largest general collection is, without a doubt, that of the University of Toronto. Nonetheless, some significant specialized collections, such as that on the history of medicine at McGill University, Montreal, are held in university libraries. These materials are usually catalogued as “Rare books and special collections.” Some tools, such the “Repository of Special Collections” created in 2002 by Library and Archives Canada, are useful for identifying pertinent collections.
Manuscripts
Directory
Rare books and special collections in university libraries, from East to West