Minimum for the Study Room
Minimum for users of the Study Room of the Department of Manuscripts and Old Printed Books
Manuscripts, incunabula and old prints (not books from the reference library) must be ordered in advance (electronically or by using the printed form in the Study Room); email or telephone orders are excluded.
Prints and incunabula should be searched in the STT database or in the General Catalogue I (for the years 1501-1950) here. Read about the ordering of the catalogue there. The catalogue can be consulted on the computer in the Study Room (as well as from any computer connected to the internet). Manuscripts can be found in the Manuscriptorium digital library and ordered separately here.
The most important information for the order is the signature. A signature is a code of letters and numbers that uniquely identifies a book within a library collection. For manuscripts it usually begins with a Roman number (e.g. IV A 1), for prints with an Arabic number (e.g. 4 A 1). It is not possible to order a book without knowing the signature. The signature can be found in the catalogues (see below).
You can order for the next expedition (at least one hour in advance) or for a later date. Expeditions run from Monday to Thursday at 9.00 and 14.00. A maximum of 5 volumes (not signatures) can be ordered per expedition. Only 1 volume can be studied in the Study Room. No books can be borrowed for home or taken out of the Study Room.
There are 6 places in the Study Room for the study of historical collections (tables 1, 2 for the study of manuscripts; tables 3, 4, 5, 6 for the study of old prints). The user working with historical collections is obliged to study at these places. The supervising staff member may designate a place to study, taking into account the occupancy of the Study Room and the nature of the documents borrowed.
It is not part of the duties of the Study Room Supervisor to provide assistance in reading and translating texts.
A manuscript is a handwritten book (rarely a typescript), a print is a book published by a printer. An incunabula is a print printed before 1500. An old press is a press printed before 1800.
Books from the reference library (if not available in the Study Room) will be delivered by the Supervisor waiting. The department's reference library is labelled BMMS, signatures can be found in the NCC database.
Copying of library items from the ORST reference library collection can be done by the user - after consultation with the Supervisor - using a photographic device. The user must only dispose of the image taken in accordance with the copyright law, i.e. for personal/study use. The use of intense light and the use of a tripod are excluded when taking photographs. In order to protect the collection, the Supervisor will determine the use of appropriate aids (mats, paperweights, etc.).
Copying of library items from the historical collection can be done by the user - after consultation with the Supervisor - using a photographic device. The user must dispose of the image only in accordance with copyright law, i.e. for personal/study use. The use of intense light and the use of a tripod are excluded when taking photographs. In order to protect the collection, the Supervisor will determine the use of appropriate aids (mats, paperweights, etc.).
The conditions for ordering xerox copies from the historical collection/replacement media will be explained by the study room service on request.
The use of reproductions from the historical collection is subject to approval and conditions communicated by the appropriate staff member.
The staff member in the study room may decide to make another copy due to the poor physical condition of the document.
When studying manuscripts and prints (including newspapers), it is necessary to use foam cutters and paperweights, for writing only ordinary pencils of reasonable hardness (2, HB, etc.), and for folding pages tabs of non-acidic paper.
In accordance with Rules for the borrowing, priority is given to so-called alternative media, i.e. microfilms and digital copies (Manuscriptorium, CD). If a manuscript or print is in poor physical condition, it may not be lent to the user. (Other copies of prints are available from the Prague libraries of the National Museum Library, Strahov Premonstratensian Library, Library of the Academy of Sciences, Library of the Prague Metropolitan Chapter, Municipal Library, etc.)
Selected documents from the historical collection may be borrowed for one day only and studied for a limited period of time. They cannot be reserved. The user will be informed of this in advance.
We will be glad to receive your comments and opinions that would help to improve the services in the Study Room of the Department of Manuscripts and Early Printed Books. If you have any suggestions, please contact Mgr. Tereza Paličková, email: Tereza.Palickova@nkp.cz.
