Hill Museum & Manuscript Library facts for kids

Hill Museum & Manuscript Library

Former name	Monastic Manuscript Microfilm Library (1964-1975); Hill Monastic Manuscript Library (1975-2005)
Established	1965
Location	Collegeville, Minnesota
Type	Museum and library
Key holdings	Manuscripts
Collection size	413,000
Architect	Marcel Breuer

The Hill Museum & Manuscript Library (HMML) is a special organization that works to save old handwritten books, called manuscripts. They take pictures of these books and make them available for free online. HMML works with libraries all over the world to do this.

HMML focuses on manuscripts in places where they might be in danger. This includes areas facing war, political problems, or other threats. They are currently photographing manuscripts in many countries, like Egypt, India, Iraq, Mali, and Yemen. HMML's main goal is to keep the world's handwritten past safe. They want to share it so everyone can learn more about history.

As of 2025, HMML has saved digital or microfilm copies of about 486,000 manuscripts. They have partnered with more than 1,500 libraries worldwide. HMML also has a large collection of about 50,000 books about manuscripts, art, and old texts. Their special collections include over 11,000 rare books and 7,000 art pieces. Once photographed and organized, these manuscripts and artworks can be seen for free online in HMML's Reading Room and Museum.

Saving History: The Story of HMML

HMML started in 1964 at Saint John's Abbey and University in Collegeville, Minnesota. It was created because many old books and manuscripts were lost in European libraries during World War I and World War II. Also, the Cold War made people worry about future losses. HMML wanted to make copies to keep these important texts safe.

How HMML Began

The idea for HMML came from Father Colman Barry, who was the president of Saint John's University. Father Oliver Kapsner, a librarian and language expert, led the new organization. Both were monks at Saint John's Abbey. Monks have a long history of copying manuscripts by hand, so this work was very important to them.

Early Projects and Growth

HMML's first projects began in 1965 at Benedictine monasteries in Austria. Over seven years, HMML staff and local helpers made microfilm copies of more than 30,000 manuscripts. Microfilm is like a tiny photograph of each page.

In the 1970s, HMML started working in Africa for the first time. They also expanded their work in Europe, including projects in Germany, Spain, and Malta. In 1973, the Malta Study Center was created at HMML. This center focuses on saving the handwritten culture of Malta.

Saving Manuscripts in Ethiopia

HMML began its first project with Eastern Christian manuscripts in Ethiopia in 1974. This work continued through the 1980s and early 1990s. Cameras kept working even when the country faced political problems and civil war. More than 9,000 manuscripts were microfilmed there. These became known as the Ethiopian Manuscript Microfilm Library (EMML).

By the end of the 1900s, HMML had created a huge archive. It had more than 90,000 reels of microfilm. Some of these reels held images of many different manuscripts.

Switch to Digital Technology

In 2003, digital cameras became much better and easier to use. HMML stopped using microfilm and started taking high-quality color digital pictures of manuscript pages. Old microfilm images are now scanned digitally so they can be seen online. All digital images and information are available online in HMML's Reading Room and Museum.

Columba Stewart became HMML's leader in 2003. HMML then started its first digital projects in the Middle East. They began in Lebanon and quickly moved to Iraq and Syria. Over the next few years, HMML also expanded its projects in Africa and started new ones in Asia.

The Mali Project

Mali is home to HMML's biggest project so far. They have collected about 3.6 million unique image files. These represent more than 249,000 manuscripts. This project focuses on the West African Islamic traditions found in libraries in Timbuktu and other places. HMML worked with groups like SAVAMA-DCI. This group helped digitize hundreds of thousands of manuscripts that were moved from Timbuktu to Bamako before a rebel takeover in 2012.

Since it started, HMML and its partners have photographed about 450,000 manuscripts. More than 145,000 of these have been organized and put online in HMML's Reading Room.

Working Around the World

HMML saves, organizes, and shares manuscript collections from all over the world. They give special attention to manuscripts in places that are in danger. This includes areas with war, political problems, or other threats.

How Partnerships Work

HMML works with libraries and archives to make digital images of their manuscripts. They then share these images online. Local teams do all the digitization work. HMML provides the equipment, training, and support. They also pay the local teams.

Every single item in a collection is photographed. This is because no one knows what might be important in the future. Copies of the digital photos are given to the library that owns the manuscripts. The libraries also get the rights to use these images. HMML never takes the original manuscripts away from a library.

HMML has staff in the U.S. and other countries who organize the manuscript images. They make them available for free online in HMML's Reading Room.

Where HMML Works

HMML has photographed manuscripts in many parts of the world:

• Africa: Egypt, Ethiopia, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, and South Africa.
• Asia: India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Turkey.
• Europe: Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Italy, Montenegro, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and Ukraine.
• Middle East: Gaza, Iraq, Jerusalem, Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen.
• North America: United States.

HMML's Collections

HMML has several important collections that help people study history and culture.

Manuscripts

As of 2023, about 450,000 manuscripts have been digitized or microfilmed. This was done with over 800 libraries worldwide. After HMML staff organize the manuscripts, the information and digital images are put online. You can find them in HMML's Reading Room. More than half of these manuscripts have high-quality digital images.

The manuscripts are divided into five main groups:

• Western European Manuscripts: These are manuscripts in Latin and other European languages. They come from countries like Austria, Germany, and Spain.
• Eastern Christian Manuscripts: These manuscripts come from places where Eastern Christianity first started and spread. They include important texts in languages like Armenian, Coptic, and Syriac.
• Islamic Manuscripts: These manuscripts come from communities in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. They are in languages like Arabic, Persian, and Turkish.
• Buddhist & Hindu Manuscripts: These manuscripts are from Nepal and Laos. They are in languages like Hindi, Nepali, and Sanskrit.
• Malta Manuscripts: These include manuscripts and old records about the history of Malta. They come from libraries and archives in Malta and other parts of Europe.

Art and Photographs

HMML has a collection of artwork and photographs that date from 3300 BCE to the late 20th century. This collection focuses on graphic arts, religious art, and printing. It includes over 6,000 original woodcuts, engravings, and other prints. There are also ceramics and old archaeological objects. After HMML staff organize the artwork and photos, you can see them online in HMML's Museum.

Special Collections

This collection is used for teaching and research. It has more than 11,000 printed books and hundreds of manuscripts. It includes five different collections with materials from ancient times to modern days:

• Saint John's Rare Book and Manuscript Collection
• Arca Artium Rare Book and Manuscript Collection
• HMML Rare Book and Manuscript Collection
• Malta Study Center Collection
• The Saint John's Bible

These special collections cover topics like the history of monks, European history, Bible studies, and the history of printing.

Learning and Research at HMML

HMML's office and Reading Room in Collegeville, Minnesota, are open to the public. You can access their collections, like microfilms of manuscripts, Art & Photographs, and Special Collections. You can do this by contacting HMML, applying to be a visiting scholar, or applying for an HMML Fellowship.

Fellowship Programs

Fellowships provide money for scholars to stay at HMML for a short time. They use HMML's digital or microfilm manuscript collections for their research. There are three fellowship programs:

• The Heckman Stipend started in 1991. It helps new scholars who need to use HMML's collections for their research.
• The Nicky B. Carpenter Fellowship in Manuscript Studies began in 2012. It supports experienced scholars who want to research using HMML's collections.
• The Swenson Family Fellowship in Eastern Christian Manuscript Studies for Junior Scholars also started in 2012. It helps graduate students or new scholars who are experts in Eastern Christian languages and cultures.

Summer Language School

HMML also offers Summer Language School courses each summer. These courses help people study old languages and paleography (the study of old handwriting). Dumbarton Oaks has worked with HMML since 2016 to support these courses. They have included studies in Syriac, Classical Armenian, and Coptic. Since 2021, HMML has also offered a course called "Introduction to Arabic Manuscript Studies." This course teaches about Arabic manuscripts, including their history, culture, and how they were made. It also introduces basic skills for reading old handwriting and studying texts.

HMML also has temporary exhibits of manuscripts and rare books from its collections. They host public events and offer travel opportunities for learning.