Frequently Asked Questions
Using the Digital Library
Q: Is access to the platform MediManus free of charge?
A: Yes, access to the platform MediManus is free.
Q: Where do the images come from?
A: All images are produced by the libraries that own the manuscripts and are available on the Website of the libraries.
Q: Why MediManus, since all manuscripts are available in digital format on the Website of the library where they are preserved?
A: The platform MediManus offers access to a list of manuscripts containing medical texts that have been identified through original scientific research, resulting in a unique collection. Furthermore, MediManus provides metadata allowing for focused research that complement the metadata provided by the libraries that own the manuscripts. Both the selection of manuscripts and related metadata constitute a unique instrument for original scientific research.
Q: What is the source of the list of manuscripts?
A: The manuscripts have been identified from available relevant literature (such as the early-20th century catalog of Greek medical century and more recent scientific publications), personal browsing of entire collections in libraries worldwide, and inquiries to curators of libraries.
Q: What is the source of the metada related to each manuscript?
A: Just like the list of manuscripts, metadata come from two different, yet complementary sources: available literature and original research made on the manuscripts in situ.
Q: May I use the images in publications or for commercial purposes, or should I request permission to the library that owns the manuscript?
A: The platform MediManus does not have rights on any manuscript on the platform and therefore cannot grant or deny permission for the use of the images. Permission should be requested directly from the libraries that own the manuscript, as each library has its own rules and regulations, in terms of copyright and fees.
Q: Can I request that a manuscript not yet available be digitized?
A: The platform MediManus has no say in the selection of manuscripts to be digitized by each library. However, most libraries welcome specific requests from scholars and readers and, in most cases, are available to include an item in their pipeline.
Q: Do accents, all caps/small caps, spaces, and punctuation matter when searching for a specific title, author or shelfmark?
A: Quick and Advanced Search require entering the first letters of an author’s name, a title, a city, a library name or a subject in English, or clicking on an item in the English drop-down lists. Free search allows for search on the basis of city names, terms and other elements in the metadata that are in other languages. If such terms are present on the platform (like Firenze for Florence) or in the metadata offered by the libraries that own the manuscripts, these manuscripts will appear among the results of the search.
Q: Can I search the platform MediManus using a non-Latin alphabet? For example: De Materia Medica/Περὶ ὕλης ἰατρικῆς)
A: In the current state, only Latin alphabet is used.
Q: How can I find out when new content is added to the platform MediManus ?
A: New developments of MediManus, including new additions of manuscripts on the platform, will be announced under “News”.
Q: Why can't I find all the manuscripts preserved in a library, but only some of them?
A: Libraries digitize manuscripts according to their own priorities, but also according to the conditions of conservation of the manuscripts: if a manuscript is in need of restoration and rebinding, for example, it will not be immediately selected for digitization.
Q: Can I save or print a page?
A: After clicking on a specific page, users can right-click and select the options “Save as” or “Print”.
Q: Can I send the whole file of a manuscript via email?
A: After opening “View details” in a list of manuscripts, users can copy the URL in their browser.
Q: How do I cite an item?
A: Any manuscript has to be identified as per standardized catalographic rules with the following four elements: city, library, collection if any, and shelfmark. Images cited on the basis of the platform MediManus should include a reference to the library that owns the manuscript.
Q: What is IIIF?
A: IIIF (International Image Interoperability Framework) is a set of open standards for delivering high-quality, attributed digital objects online at scale. It allows for deep zoom, comparison, and annotation of digitized materials.
Q: What is IIIF Manifest?
A: A IIIF Manifest is the package that contains all the information related to a particular digital object, including the image itself as well as the metadata.