This laboratory provides information, coordinates the documentation of the manuscripts, promotes and diffuses the rules and regulations concerning the manuscript materials preserved in the Italian libraries and cultural institutions. The following activities are conducted for the previous objectives:

• Defining the rules and regulations for cataloguing manuscripts.
• Collecting and diffusing the documentation concerning the national heritage of manuscripts.
• Promoting and managing the Italian bibliography of manuscripts.
• In agreement with the libraries, this laboratory coordinates census initiatives, inventory and cataloguing of manuscripts.
• Carries out the didactic activities and training concerning the distinctive fields of expertise.

In order to follow up on such institutional tasks, this laboratory has drafted rules and regulations for a uniform description of manuscript books, thus foreseeing a complete distribution throughout the country.

This laboratory coordinates the development of computerized procedures for the acquisition and management of catalogue and bibliography data: MANUS and BibMan.
 
The Laboratory for Manuscript Documentation and Cataloguing
Department Head: Massimo Menna
ICCU - Viale Castro Pretorio, 105 - 00185 Roma
tel. +39/ 06 4989361 - +39/ 06 49210441 
fax: +39/ 06 4959302
e-mail: m.menna@iccu.sbn.it