The
FranciscanInstitute Library
St. Bonaventure University
The
Franciscan
Institute Library
St. Bonaventure University
Welcome to
the Franciscan Institute Library web site. This web site was not only created to
be descriptive of the library and its holdings, but also to be a generalized
online informational resource in
relation to the Franciscan Order and its founder St. Francis of Assisi. This web
site is an ongoing endeavor, so as you browse through the various parts, please
let us know if things need to be corrected, and also if you have any suggestions
about topics for further development of the page.
The
Library of the Franciscan Institute constitutes one of the special collections
of the Friedsam Memorial Library at St. Bonaventure University.
The Institute library has over 18,000 volumes, 110 current periodical
subscriptions and 470 other periodical titles.
In its coverage of the Franciscan movement, the collection is unique in
North and South America and can only be matched by a few European libraries. The
Franciscan Institute Library supports not only a teaching program, but also
research by various scholars worldwide.
The collection is rich in its coverage of medieval scholasticism. But along with an emphasis on the Middle Ages, the collection also covers all aspects of Franciscan life from that time to the present day. There is an abundance of material for studying the constitutional history of the Franciscan Order in its various branches, both the male and female congregations, as well as that of the Secular Franciscan Order. Liturgical books of the Order are included (i.e. missals, breviaries, psalters, martyrologies, etc.). There is a wealth of material concerning Franciscan spirituality in its theoretical and practical aspects, as well as its concrete application and example in the lives of the Franciscan saints and blesseds. Other topics included are Franciscan contributions to evangelization, music, poetry, art and architecture.
The
Franciscan Institute Library brings together works not only in English, but in
all of the major European languages, with a sampling of materials in other
languages as well.
A
major aspect of the holdings of the Franciscan Institute is the rare book
collection. This collection
consists of medieval and modern manuscripts, incunabula and books published from
the 16th to the 18th centuries. There is also a large
collection of microfilmed manuscripts of various late medieval philosophers and
theologians.
The
Franciscan Institute Library had its origin in the 1940's at St. Bonaventure
University even before the Institute itself was established.
Along with new purchases, materials have been added over the years from
many other Franciscan study centers. The
first, and largest, such acquisition was the Franciscana and rare book
collections from Holy Name College (Washington, D.C.).
The rare book collections of both Duns Scotus College (Detroit, Michigan)
and St. Francis Friary (Burlington, Wisconsin) along with Franciscan materials
from Mary Immaculate Capuchin Friary (Garrison, New York) have also been added.
| St.
Bonaventure University ; Friedsam
Memorial Library Franciscan Institute Library |
Last updated: 01/03/08