Introducing MARCO, Oxford’s new discovery tool for Manuscripts and Archives

We are delighted to report that a major new discovery tool for Oxford archives and manuscripts, MARCO, is now available. Oxford’s very own Professor Lyndal Roper, Regius Chair of History, launched the service in a ceremony on 26 October 2023.

Front page of MARCO showing searc box, with links to Help and About. Manuscripts and Archives at Oxford University (MARCO) searches descriptions of manuscripts and archives held at the Bodleian Libraries and some Oxford colleges.

It is for all users of manuscript and archive collections held at the Bodleian Libraries and Oxford colleges and is the easiest place to start your search for manuscripts and archives held in Oxford, allowing searching across all online descriptions of the collections.

The discovery tool will allow researchers to deep-dive into detail but also discover material they may not have expected to be held in Oxford.

Where there is a digital copy in Digital.Bodleian, a link will be provided.

A yellow picture of several magnifying glasses scattered around.

ELEVEN CATALOGUES = ONE SEARCH

The descriptions are drawn from eleven online catalogues, extending from Greek papyrus fragments from the 5th century BC to 21st century born-digital archives.

  1. Bodleian Archives and Manuscripts
  2. Charters in the Bodleian Libraries
  3. Medieval Manuscripts in Oxford Libraries
  4. Fihrist: Union Catalogue of Manuscripts from the Islamicate World
  5. Karchak: Tibetan Manuscripts at the Bodleian Libraries
  6. Hebrew Manuscripts at the Bodleian Libraries
  7. Genizah Fragments at the Bodleian Libraries
  8. South Asian Manuscripts at the Bodleian Libraries
  9. Armenian Manuscripts at the Bodleian Libraries
  10. Senmai: Shan Buddhist Manuscripts
  11. Georgian Manuscripts at the Bodleian Libraries

The collections include works of literature, medieval legal charters and deeds, politics, science, medicine, theology, law, music, photographic material and religious devotion, as well as many forms of documentary material produced by individuals and institutions.

The project unifies information about individuals, ensuring that whichever spelling or variation of a name you use, you will still find relevant materials:

Showing the 4 catalogues where Moses Maimonides is mentioned: Hebrew and Judaica Manuscripts at the Bodleian Libraries Hebrew and Judaica Manuscripts at the Bodleian Libraries Union Catalogue of Manuscripts from the Islamicate World Medieval manuscripts in Oxford librariesYou can also use keyword searching for find relevant materials.

What is not included?

Please note that not all manuscripts and archives are described online. Many of the catalogues are works-in-progress, and some collections are not yet described online at all. For more information, see below.

Continue to search individual catalogues

Existing users of the individual catalogues, or users who know which individual catalogue describes material they need, can still search the source catalogues directly.

About the project

The project aims to create a researcher-driven and easy to use discovery interface, MARCO, which will allow manuscript and archival materials from the Bodleian and Oxford’s colleges to be searched together. This discovery layer will enable new and existing audiences to better access the materials and will offer a fit-for-purpose environment for finding information about Oxford’s unique collections.

MARCO realizes the Bodleian Libraries’ vision of a connected, user-friendly, robust and adaptable digital environment for the University of Oxford’s manuscripts and archives.

Huge congratulations are due to the very many colleagues involved in designing and launching this project which is part of the Mellon Foundation funded FAMOUS project.

While you are here:

Access to Bodleian Libraries archives: The Bodleian Libraries’ welcome academics, students and researchers to consult special collections in person. Information on how to do so can be found on the Using Special Collections page.

Archives in Colleges: For information about consulting items held at Oxford colleges, please contact the colleges directly. For help and advice using special collections held at Oxford colleges, see Oxford College Archives and Oxford college library guides.

Guides and Finding Aids. For an overview of the special collections held at the Bodleian Libraries, see the Special Collections section of Bodleian Libraries website. This includes:

  • Subject Guides, which provide an overview of all the Libraries’ special collections, not just those catalogued online, with links to further information.
  • Detailed finding aids, which give specific information working with individual collections.

Please contact Bodleian Special Collections if you need any further information.

New: Dublin Castle Records, 1798-1926

We are delighted to report that Oxford researchers now have access to Dublin Castle Records, 1798-1922, providing access to the records of the British administration in Ireland prior to 1922.

Irish anti-recruitment poster c WWI. Text reads: Irish Traitors! Shame! shame! shame! Who are the young men of Irish race and Irish blood who take the Saxon shillingThe Dublin Castle administration in Ireland was the government of Ireland under English and later British rule, from the twelfth century until 1922, based at Dublin Castle. The records cover a crucial period which saw the rise of Parnell and the Land War in 1880 through to the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1921.

This collection comprises materials from Series CO 904, The National Archives, Kew, UK. Most of these papers relate directly or indirectly to the methods adopted by the authorities, using civil and military forces, to combat the efforts of the Nationalist organizations to secure Irish independence.

Among the contents of this archive are:

  • Police Reports. Divisional Commissioners’ and County Inspectors’ monthly confidential reports from January 1892 to December 1897.
  • Inspector General’s and County Inspectors’ monthly confidential reports from January 1898 to December 1913 and January 1914 to September 1921 respectively.
  • Files recording outrages against the police and reports from individual counties on criminal offences.
  • Public Control and Administration from 1884-1921 including the seizure and censorship of various publications and journals.
  • Judicial Proceedings
  • Enquiries and Miscellaneous Records from 1872-1926
  • Information on various petitions, court appeals and compensation claims
  • Royal Irish Constabulary Prime Special Branch files on over 440 individual Sinn Fein and Republican suspects from 1899-1921, including Eamon de Valera and Sir Roger Casement. Each file contains information on an individual suspect.

More information on the administrative background.

Dublin Castle Records 1798-1926 can be accessed via SOLO (in due course) and Databases A-Z.

While you are here, you might also be interested in…

Researching Archives training session

NEW SESSION ADDED! This session will also run Tue 25 Feb, 2-3.30pm.

Are you looking to level up your researching skills? Want to start your archival research and don’t know when to start? This session, run by Weston Library Senior Archivist Lucy McCann is for you!

Fri 28 February, 2-3.30pm

Lecture Theatre, Weston Library

This session provides an introduction to using archives for research and will cover

  • defining archives
  • archival arrangement
  • the practicalities of working with archival material
  • finding relevant archives
  • archives in the Bodleian, the University and further afield
  • web archives

No need to book. Just turn up.

Trial until 30 Sept: Wiley Digital Archive

Oxford researchers are now invited to trial the Wiley Digital Archive. The trial of this major resource contains the digital collections for Royal College of Physicians, The New York Academy of Sciences, Royal Anthropological Institute and The Royal Geographical Society. For more details about these, search for the individual resources below. The trial will end on 30 September.

The Royal Geographical Society collection provides online access to materials from the society’s library, as well as its extensive archives and maps collections. Contents of the archive include maps, charts, manuscript material, field notes, correspondence, drawings, photographs, pamphlets, atlases, gazetteers, and a range of other published and unpublished material. The society has one of the world’s most important geographical collections including one of the world’s largest collection of maps and charts from their earliest geographical delineations, dating from 1486 to the 20th century.

Feedback should be sent to Andrew Kernot (andrew.kernot@bodleian.ox.ac.uk) and/or Nick Millea (nick.millea@bodleian.ox.ac.uk).

The Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland (RAI) collection provides online access to materials from the society’s extensive archives. Contents of the archive include administrative records, correspondence, fieldwork, illustrations, manuscripts, personal papers, photographs & more. The RAI was founded in 1871, and with roots back to 1837. It’s the world’s longest-established scholarly association dedicated to the furtherance of anthropology (the study of humankind) in its broadest and most inclusive sense. Its distinguished tradition of scholarship stretching back over more than 180 years.

Feedback should be sent to Helen Worrell (helen.worrell@bodleian.ox.ac.uk).

The digitized collections of the Royal College of Physicians of London from ~1300 to 1980 and contains a range of searchable monographs, rare books, manuscripts, correspondence, reports, conference papers, medical reports, medical education textbooks, proceedings, lectures, anatomical drawings, public health surveys, photographs, drawings, data and ephemera produced by the researchers and members of the RCP. The collection includes over 100 pre-1501 printed books and content across 24 languages. The history of medicine from early origins in folklore through to the modern practice is represented in this collection, with strong connections to the medical humanities, the interactions between medicine and culture, religion, and government, the establishment of public health systems, and the policies which govern medical education and practice.

This resource will be of interest to those studying the History of Medicine, Medical Humanities, and the History of Science or History of Technology. The archive is also useful for researchers studying Anatomy, Medical Law, Medical Policy, Medical Research (Disease/Treatment), Military Medical Practices, Public Health, General History Research, Gender Studies (Women in Medicine), Health Education, Health and Human Rights, Health Economics, Tobacco-related topics, Medical and Biological Illustration, Medicine or Science and the Humanities, or Social Factors in Health. The RCP archive stands out as a remarkable resource for British history studies in general, and covers over seven centuries of events and developments across the Western world.

Feedback should be sent to Isabel Holowaty (isabel.holowaty@bodleian.ox.ac.uk).

The digitized archives of the New York Academy of Sciences from ~1803 to 2013 and contains a range of searchable manuscripts, correspondence, reports, conference papers, proceedings, maps, surveys, data and ephemera produced by the researchers and members of NYAS. The history of science and medicine in North America are represented in this collection, which also focuses on environmental history, pollution, human rights, public health and ethics.

Feedback should be sent to Isabel Holowaty (isabel.holowaty@bodleian.ox.ac.uk).

While you are here…