METHOD OF CATALOGING AND SHELVING BOOKS
Once a manuscript was written and corrected, its title
was entered in the catalogue that listed the monastery's
holdings in books—not in alphabetical sequence, but
according to subject matter, and probably in the same
order in which the books were shelved in their wooden
cases.[101]
A splendid example of this kind of furniture is
shown in the illumination of Prophet Ezra on fol. 5R of the
famous Codex Amiatinus (fig. 105).[102]
Another one of
practically identical design is depicted on the mosaic of St.
Lawrence in the mausoleum of Galla Placidia (424-450).[103]
The books, as these works disclose, lay on their sides, and
did not stand. This is confirmed by the fact that their titles
are, in general, entered lengthwise, not crosswise, on the
back of the book.[104]
To judge by the number of volumes
listed in extant monastic catalogues, Carolingian libraries
must have been equipped with a considerable number of
such wooden "wardrobes" for the shelving of books. A
catalogue compiled by Reginbert of Reichenau enumerates
415 manuscripts.[105]
The holdings of the library of St. Gall,
according to a catalogue compiled at the time of Abbot
Grimald (841-872), lists 400 volumes.[106]
Grimald himself
had a private collection of 34 volumes that after his death
went to the general library.[107]
His follower, Hartmut (872883)
collected for himself another 28 volumes. These, too,
were bequeathed to the general library on his death.[108]
The longest title list found for any Carolingian monastery
appears to be the list of the library of the monastery of
Lorsch. It amounted to 590 titles.[109]
