About the Online Catalogue
Catalogue records for Durham Cathedral Library are kindly hosted by Durham University Library on their online catalogue.
The online catalogue has:
- All new and modern books, journals. They have the reference 'Sharp' or 'Chapter' for the Sharp or Chapter Libraries;
- Many other printed books and items printed in the 1800s. These will also have the shelf reference 'Sharp' or Chapter';
- Some early printed books, including Incunabula (books printed before 1501) and some 'Select' early printed books. These have the shelf references 'Inc.' and 'Sel'.
The Library is retrospectively cataloguing older books not yet online over time.
Printed Catalogues
There are many collections, both manuscript and print, not yet catalogued online that have printed or other physical catalogues available to search.
Sheaf Catalogues for Early Printed Books
Search the collection of over 23,000 titles with our A-Z printed catalogue.
Arranged alphabetically by surname, a sheaf catalogue is a typed or handwritten
catalogue entry on index-card size paper. They contain copy-specific information on each book. We also have a set of sheaf provenance catalogues. These give information on former owners of books on our shelves.
You can search the sheaf catalogues by making an appointment to view them, or asking a member of the Library team to search them for you.
Music Catalogues
The best place to start with our manuscript and printed music collections is with these two books:
- Brian Crosby, A Catalogue of Durham Cathedral Manuscripts (1986);
- R. Alec Harman, A Catalogue of the Printed Music and Books on Music in Durham Cathedral Library (1968).
Copies of both books are available to use in the Sharp Library.
You can also search some of the music collections online via RISM (Répertoire International des Sources Musicales).
