Catalogues and Research Tools

A guide to Magdalene College Libraries Catalogues and research tools.

The Pepys Library provides a range of catalogues and research tools to support scholars consulting the collections of the Pepys Library. Many of these resources are available online, offering valuable access to printed books, manuscripts, and archival materials.

A large portion of the Pepys Library's holdings can be explored through established catalogues:

• British Library's English Short Title Catalogue (ESTC): Covers printed books from before 1801.
• Incunabula Short Title Catalogue (ISTC): Lists early printed books (pre-1501).
• Material Evidence in Incunabula Database: Contains provenance details for incunabula in the collection.

• Bodleian Library's Medieval Libraries of Great Britain (MLGB3): Descriptions of some Pepys Library medieval manuscripts.
• Universal Short Title Catalogue (USTC): Lists pre-18th century books printed outside the British Isles.

The Guide to Catalogues and Research Tools provides detailed information on:

• Printed catalogues of the Pepys Library.
• Resources for studying the Broadside Ballads Collection.
• Access to Naval Manuscripts and State Papers.
• Research on Pepys’ diaries.

For a broad overview of resources related to Samuel Pepys, visit the Catalogue of English Literary Manuscripts.

Several key items from the Pepys Library have been digitised and made available online:

• The Pepys Library's Medieval Music Manuscripts (PL 1236, PL 1594, PL 1760) – Available via the Digital Image Archive of Medieval Music. Free access requires registration.
• Broadside Ballads Collection – Digitised by the University of California's English Broadside Ballad Archive.
• Medieval manuscript and early printed book fragments from Pepys 'Calligraphicall Collection' album – Accessible on Fragmentarium.ms.

The Pepys Scholars’ Library, a modern reference collection covering Pepys, his diary, and his library, is fully catalogued on iDiscover, the University of Cambridge’s online catalogue.

• Samuel Pepys’ Will – Available at The National Archives.
• Pepys' Papers and Correspondence – A comprehensive list of Pepys's documents held outside the Pepys Library, compiled by The National Archives.