The items included range from an  to the earliest portion of any New Testament writing ever found, the . 

3D models

The 3D models were created by the Rylands’ Senior Photographer Tony Richards using an advanced imaging technique called photogrammetry and allow ‘digital handling’ of some of our rarest items to support teaching and research. 

More 3D models will be added as part of our continuing digitisation programme. 

Find out more

The Italian medieval author Dante Alighieri (1265-1321) is known for his fantastical reimagining of the worlds of the Christian afterlife, the Commedia (Divine Comedy). The poem is a fictional eyewitness account of his journey through Inferno, Purgatory and Paradise, an evocative and multi-sensory account of the torment of the damned and rapture of the blessed.

This exhibition explores both Dante’s design of his afterlife, and the ways the poem itself has been designed and presented in manuscript, print, visual images, media and sound in the 700 years since his death. The Rylands holds one of the greatest collections of Dante books in the world, many of which feature in this exhibition for the first time.

The exhibition is curated by Italian medieval specialist and book historian Dr Guyda Armstrong, Senior Lecturer in Italian Studies, in collaboration with the John Rylands Research Institute and Library.

What’s in the exhibition?

The exhibition includes some of the most iconic rare books and manuscripts from the Rylands Dante Collection, including the three earliest Italian printed editions (all 1472), Spanish, French, Latin, English, and Japanese translations of the poem, important commentaries from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, and Dante Gabriel Rossetti’s translation of Dante’s Vita Nova. 

It also features many different illustrated editions, including the first editions to contain printed images (1481 and 1487), Gustave Doré’s iconic 19th century illustrations, and an interactive digitization of Enriqueta Rylands’ own gigantic 20th century manuscript of the poem.

Where can I find out more?

Visit the Rylands website to find out more about the exhibition:

155 letters associated with one of the most influential figures of the Victorian era, English writer, philosopher and art critic John Ruskin (1819-1900), are now available on 91ֱ�� Digital Collections with enhanced descriptions and ultra-high quality images.

Numerous correspondents are represented in this new digital collection, in particular the Scottish writer and editor Peter Bayne and American artist and writer William James Stillman.

The letters form part of a rich and extensive collection of material relating to Ruskin held by The John Rylands Research Institute and Library, which sheds light on Ruskin himself and his works, his personal affairs and his domestic and financial problems. 

• View

Nancy Cunard Correspondence

The John Rylands Research Institute and Library’s exceptional 91ֱ�� Guardian Archive holds an important collection of correspondence between Nancy Cunard (1896-1965), former heiress, activist, and journalist, and the Cross Street office of the 91ֱ�� Guardian newspaper. 

This collection, now available on 91ֱ�� Digital Collections for the first time, offers a fascinating insight into Cunard’s work on behalf of the 91ֱ�� Guardian around the period 1938-9 when she reported on the final stages of the Spanish Civil War from Perpignan. She writes eloquently and movingly on the humanitarian impact of the conflict and the plight of refugees and fleeing republican soldiers.

• View the collection

During the pandemic, the John Rylands Research Institute and Library has developed a vast range of online resources including , enabling everyone to explore our collections in amazing detail. 

However, due to limitations within our Grade 1 listed building we’ve only been physically open to researchers, by appointment only.

Reopening to visitors

We have been working hard to prepare the Rylands for the next phase of reopening and we are looking forward to reopening our doors to welcome visitors on 24 June. Initially we will be open Thursdays to Saturdays only, but we plan to scale up our opening times over the summer. 

You will be able to explore and enjoy our amazing building and collections once more, on a timed-ticketed basis. Further details on how to book places will be shared very soon.

91ֱ��'s Guardian exhibition

Our major exhibition to celebrate the bicentenary of the Guardian newspaper, founded in 91ֱ�� in 1821 will also open on 24 June 2021. In the meantime, you can visit an .

Find out more

For further information on our welcome back plans, keep checking our  and follow us on social media, @TheJohnRylands.

Uncover the stories behind the headlines and meet the journalists chasing the next scoop. See the document that founded the 91ֱ�� Guardian and learn how the paper’s history and values reflect the city it was born in.

What’s in the exhibition?

Explore letters from Nazi Germany and accounts from the Spanish Civil War revealing the risks that journalists took to report difficult truths. Read letters from Guardian readers challenging the paper’s stance, and be inspired by legendary editor CP Scott’s principles of journalism outlined in his essay to mark the paper’s centenary in 1921. 

Where can I find out more?

The John Rylands Library was founded in 1900 and since 1972 it has been the home of The University of Manchester Library’s astonishingly rich and diverse special collections of rare books, manuscripts, archives and visual materials. It is truly one of the great libraries of the world. The John Rylands Research Institute was established in 2013 as a partnership between the Library and the Faculty of Humanities to encourage research using the Library’s unique collections.

This partnership is now moving to another level, led by Professor Hannah Barker, Director of the John Rylands Research Institute, and Professor Christopher Pressler, John Rylands University Librarian.

The John Rylands Research Institute and Library (Rylands for short) will be a dynamic community of world-leading researchers, librarians, curators, archivists, conservators and imaging specialists, all dedicated to working together to open the collections up to innovative and multidisciplinary research and engaging wider audiences in that research. Its mission is to define the human experience over five millennia and up to the current day. 

The Rylands acts as a catalyst and focus for the world-leading research of the University, with the aim of drawing the best minds to 91ֱ�� and establishing it as one of the great centres for the study of textual, material and visual cultures. The research incorporates new approaches in digital humanities and curation, as well as scientific techniques in the study and conservation of heritage materials.

Professor Christopher Pressler, John Rylands University Librarian and Director of The University of Manchester Library, said: “The Rylands is one of the undisputed great libraries of the world. The John Rylands Research Institute and Library is well positioned to realise the tremendous potential of the special collections to support world-class research, learning and public engagement with research, throughout the University.”

Professor Hannah Barker, Director of the John Rylands Research Institute, said: “Thanks to the combined efforts of the Institute and the Library we are revitalising the Rylands as a catalyst for outstanding research across the humanities and sciences.”

Following the shocking murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis in May 2020 and the worldwide protests that it provoked, we have taken time to reflect on the implications for us and the steps that we need to take at The University of Manchester Library to dismantle racism and hateful ideologies wherever we encounter them in our practice as information professionals.

This statement is the product of extensive discussions across the Library, who naturally have a range of perspectives and opinions. It is not intended to be the final word on the subject, but the first: it reflects our initial thinking, which will no doubt change as we continue to learn and to act. Our commitment to counter historic and contemporary racism and other injustices must be demonstrated not only in words, but in a series of long overdue actions, which are outlined below.

We recognise that racial inequality is only one of many inequalities which permeate our collections and our work, but we believe that this is the moment to commit to permanent changes which will increase diversity in the sector and the representation and contributions of communities previously obscured within the collections we curate.

Our University is committed to challenging racism and becoming proactively inclusive, reflecting the diverse communities whom we serve and work with. As professionals within a largely white sector of librarians and archivists, we acknowledge the racial inequalities in our sector, in our practices and in the collections we care for, share and promote. We will deepen our understanding of the challenges of curating this material, while also seizing the opportunities found in our commitment to active reflection and change. We will engage in respectful discussion and take specific actions to improve racial equality both in our sector and in the wider world which we influence.

There are particular resonances at The John Rylands Library, which was created and developed within a particular historical context which benefited from enslavement and the slave trade. The materials that have accrued over its 120-year history have largely been collected by individuals and groups from privileged white backgrounds, and many are directly linked to British imperialism. The same is true of many other collections held by The University of Manchester Library.

We can and will situate these materials in their appropriate historical contexts; engage with communities reflected in this material; encourage critical reflection and reinterpretation of our collections to reveal neglected histories; develop the collections to more faithfully represent Britain’s diverse society; and use the collections to promote meaningful dialogue to counter interpersonal, structural and institutional racism.

We will:

• Provide space and support for staff to deepen their personal and professional understanding of racism and discuss its implication in our practices.
• Collaboratively review the ways we describe the material in our collections and work to identify and address racial bias through initiatives such as content warnings and contextualising or amending historic metadata.
• Advocate and act to decolonise the curriculum through increased understanding and the sharing of relevant resources with colleagues directly involved in teaching.
• Review our content development policies to give greater priority to material reflecting stories and voices of traditionally marginalised groups and subjects.
• Engage meaningfully with BAME communities to support the reinterpretation of collections materials and their research.
• Support the sharing of lived experiences, where this is appropriate, and listen with respect.
• Work to embed the stories and voices of diverse groups/histories in the way we interpret the Library and its collections to visitors at The John Rylands Library, through exhibitions and public programmes.
• Support research and professional posts aimed at diversifying the workforce and improving diversity in the interpretation of collections.
• Express our views with empathy and respect and engage in meaningful debate where appropriate.

These actions will form a key strand of the Library’s operational plans and priorities, where they will be developed in greater detail and with measurable outcomes. We will regularly review and report back on progress towards diversifying our collections and practices.

Professor Christopher Pressler

John Rylands University Librarian and Director of The University of Manchester Library

Professor of Collecting Practices, School of Arts, Languages and Cultures, Faculty of Humanities

The keyworkers of their time, the women photographed by Reavil are depicted in both urban and rural settings. They are documented performing critical roles such as repairing roads, working in factories and driving buses. They worked as mechanics, foresters and police. Many of these jobs were previously the sole preserve of male workers and would be closed to women in the period immediately after the war as servicemen returned to their jobs.

These images are a testament to a time when ordinary people stood up to ensure that life could continue as best as possible. The work that women undertook for the country was instrumental in the acceleration of women’s rights to the forefront of the popular imagination.

We invite you to explore the collection and draw parallels from then and now. In the image “Bus Conductress” (pictured) we see adverts and safety messages that echo today’s "stay safe" and "stay alert".

The album is available to view now via

For more insight into the album, visit

Research opportunities

91ֱ�� Digital Collections allows University of Manchester academics to curate digital editions of important items from the collections, contextualising them and bringing their research on the collections to a wider audience.

91ֱ�� Digital Collections is launching today with the following collections:

A cross-institutional collaboration

The image viewer has been led by Dr Guyda Armstrong, Faculty Lead for Digital Humanities, in close collaboration with:

• Cambridge University Library,
• The University of Manchester Library,
• The John Rylands Research Institute,
• IT Services,
• The School of Arts, Languages and Cultures,
• 91ֱ�� Museum, and
• The Whitworth.

Following months of improvement works, our newly refurbished Special Collections Reading Room has now reopened.

The renovated Reading Room, on the fourth floor of The John Rylands Library, features a fully redesigned workspace, improved security and enhanced care of our precious collections.

Readers can now benefit from newly-installed lockers within the reception area for storing belongings, chairs adapted for enhanced reader comfort and changes to the reception desk and exterior to reduce the noise from other areas of the building.

The works also mean that we’ve been able to increase the capacity of the Reading Room from 22 to 26 study spaces.

More details about how you can access the Reading Room can be found on . We look forward to welcoming you.

Curated by Professor Peter E. Pormann and Dr Natalia Smelova in collaboration with The John Rylands Library, the exhibition is based on ground-breaking research resulting from the AHRC-funded project ‘The Syriac Galen Palimpsest: Galen's On Simple Drugs and the Recovery of Lost Texts through Sophisticated Imaging Techniques.’ The international team of scholars working on this project has revealed how medieval Syriac Christians in the Middle East shaped medical knowledge.

What’s in the exhibition?

Visitors can view the Syriac Galen Palimpsest and cutting edge multi-spectral images of its hidden undertext side by side. Other items on display trace the surprising roots of modern medicine, from mysterious occult books and talismanic objects through to medical textbooks from Renaissance Europe.

What is a palimpsest?

Around 900 years ago, Syriac creators erased some of their predecessors’ original writing, recycled the materials and overwrote the manuscript with a new text, creating a palimpsest – a multi-layered manuscript with a visible overtext and an undertext, mostly invisible to the naked eye.

As researchers using advanced imaging techniques began deciphering traces of the original undertext, they were able to identify the medical text hidden underneath the religious writings as an early translation of an important work by the ancient Greek thinker Galen of Pergamum. In this palimpsest, the Syriac translators created a link through which the great thinkers of the medieval Arabic speaking world could access the ancient wisdom of classical Greece.

Where can I find out more?

to find out more and watch video interviews with curator Peter Pormann.

We received a screen printed handkerchief that tied together a number of Peterloo exhibition items from across the city.

The handkerchief was handed to a member of staff anonymously on the evening Maxine Peake read ‘The Masque of Anarchy’ in The John Rylands Library. It was accompanied by a letter explaining the artwork, and the finders keepers project.

In the covering letter, Mancsy explains:

The artwork was digitised so that it may be enjoyed for generations to come, and by anyone who wishes to view it online using The University’s new digital imaging platform, 91ֱ�� Digital Collections.

Janette Martin, Peterloo exhibition curator, said of the donation:

To view the Mancsy hanky, alongside other Peterloo items from our Special Collections, visit .

The exhibition examines the first two decades of European printing after Gutenberg’s invention of typography, which eventually revolutionized the world of text production and distribution.

"The outstanding collections at the John Rylands Library include many landmarks in early European printing, part of the Spencer library purchased by Enriqueta Rylands in 1892,” said Julianne Simpson, Special Collections Research Engagement Manager.

"The books on loan include one of the earliest datable examples of printing by Johannes Gutenberg, one of the earliest illustrated editions and the earliest illustrated book printed in Rome. These are all extremely rare treasures and we are pleased to be able to share them with visitors to Princeton for this exhibition."

Princeton University owns one of the world’s great collections of earliest European printing through the work of John and William Scheide. This exhibition has displayed these collections alongside contributions from other American libraries, The John Rylands Library, Cambridge University Library and the Devonshire Collections in Chatsworth House.

"The loans from England in particular include treasures of early printing that have never before been seen in America, and many of the loans from American libraries have never before gone beyond their walls," the exhibition notes.

The contribution from The John Rylands Library, which have all been digitised, are:

This 30-line indulgence was printed in 1455 and is the earliest of nine surviving examples which were authorised for the archdiocese of Cologne. It uses the same type as the Gutenberg Bible for the titling and a different text type which was modelled on a gothic hybrid script. An indulgence granted full or partial remission of the punishment of sin.

Eltville: Nicolaus Bechtermunze, 5 June 1469

The types used in this book were probably made by Gutenberg after his bankruptcy, when Johann Fust and Peter Schöffer took ownership of his first workshop. As argued in the exhibition Gutenberg continued his experiments to improve the speed and efficiency of printing in Eltville near Mainz.

Bamberg: Albert Pfister, soon after St. Walpurgis Eve 1462

Vier Historien (Four Histories) is a typographic book illustrated with woodcuts that narrates the Old Testament stories of Joseph, Daniel, Judith and Esther.

Rome: Ulrich Han, 31 December 1467

This series of woodcut scenes were created for Cardinal Juan de Torquemada, head of the Dominican order, to accompany his meditations. It is the first printed literary work of a living author. The Cardinal was one of several grandees of the Roman church who took a personal interest in the 1450s and 60s in the new discovery of typography.

The exhibition runs until December 15. More information can be found on .

The St John fragment will be on display again when the gallery reopens on Friday, 18 October 2019.

Visit the new Rylands Gallery exhibition to get up close to some of the Library’s unique treasures – from an ancient palimpsest fragment preserved for centuries in Old Cairo, to archival photos of Manchester commutes through the years.

Find out more

Called the “book of ours” it hopes to reassert the identity and individuality of people who are sometimes dismissed as “homeless” when they are so much more. This project is funded by the .

We were extremely proud to host our first research visit with the group, who came to look at some of our medieval manuscripts for inspiration.

John Hodgson, the Library’s Head of Special Collections, led the group on a tour of The John Rylands Library, followed by a close look at a 500year-old medieval Book of Hours.

A touching and heartfelt summary of their trip can be found on the .

​We wish everyone involved in the project the very best of luck, and we can’t wait to see the finished work.

Image copyright Lois Blackburn.

Whilst The Rylands Gallery will be closed from Monday, 1 April for the exhibition changeover and improvements, the rest of the building will remain open and the Peterloo exhibition is well worth a visit.

New content will be installed on Monday, 8 and Tuesday, 9 April and the St John Fragment (pictured) will be available again once the Rylands Gallery reopens.

Visit the Rylands Gallery when it reopens on Wednesday, 10 April to experience some of our Special Collections relating to suffrage, abolition and politics.

Those of you who or will have seen the build up to the exhibition, which marks the 200^th anniversary of this tragic and poignant event.

On 16 August 1819, people flooded into the heart of Manchester to demand political representation. Fearing revolution, the state crushed the peaceful protest without mercy. Peterloo tells the story of Manchester’s fight for freedom, as the city marks two centuries since one of the darkest moments in its history.

When crowds gathered at St Peter’s Field to attend a radical political meeting no one expected the bloody massacre that followed. The Library’s exhibition features fascinating items that bring both sides of a volatile debate to life – from the people who were brutally cut down by armed soldiers, to the magistrates who spread lies to cover up the horror.

Uncover the personal stories behind the protest that shocked Britain. Explore original handwritten records to learn the names of the ordinary Mancunians who sacrificed their lives for liberty. See the documents that show how the city authorities tried to conceal the atrocities they committed against their own citizens. Get up close to historic newspapers, and be inspired by the journalists who tirelessly sought to report truth, expose corruption and seek justice.

The Peterloo Massacre was a crucial step on Britain’s long journey to democracy. In today’s climate of heated political debate, viral media and clashing opinions, the story of these 91ֱ�� radicals resonates more than ever before. Come and consider: how different is Britain 200 years later?

Find out more

Visit The John Rylands Library section of the website to find out more:

About the Reading Room

The room, located on the fourth floor of our Deansgate site, is an air conditioned, quiet space where anyone can register to access items from our world class Special Collections.

Improvements to the space

Christie Room interim arrangement

Exact dates for the start and end of the refurbishment will be confirmed in due course.

Whilst the refurbishment is underway, the Reading Room will operate out of the Christie Room - a quiet space in the historic part of The John Rylands Library.

Services and routes throughout the building may alter at various times during the refurbishment.

Please check the Special Collections Reading Room webpages for any updates ahead of your visit.

Further details

If you would like any further details on this work, please contact: 

• Dominic Marsh - Project Co-ordinator

He said: “Joining The University of Manchester Library will be an immense privilege and I am looking forward to leading one of the acknowledged great libraries of the world in one of the world's most important and dynamic universities.

“91ֱ��'s astonishing collections and leading-edge digital presence are delivered through inspiring library spaces, innovative technologies and by a renowned and dedicated library staff.”

Christopher has also been Director of Libraries at the University of London, University Librarian and Director of E-Learning at the University of Nottingham and Dean of Libraries at Dartington College of Arts. He has contributed to many boards and collaborative programmes in the UK, Ireland and in Europe for more than fifteen years and brings to 91ֱ�� particular interests in open scholarship, digital technologies and special collections.

In recent years, Christopher has authored the UK’s National Digitisation Review for Research Libraries UK (RLUK) and for Ireland’s Consortium of National and University Libraries, the first strategy for all of Ireland’s research libraries ‘Ireland’s Memory, Ireland’s Discovery.’

At London he co-edited two monographs on rare books and special collections and for six years was the Chair of Digital Research in the Humanities and Arts. At Nottingham he established the UK’s Centre for Research Communications and recently launched DCU Press, Ireland’s first open access university press.

He launched DCU’s new Special Collections Exhibition Gallery this year and is currently working with The British Library, The National Archives and RLUK as the Society of College, National and University Libraries (SCONUL) Board representative on a new national approach to digital scholarship in special collections and archives.

Christopher is also the co-founder and co-chair of DART-Europe, the portal to over 600 European universities’ doctoral e-theses from 28 countries.

As Director of The John Rylands Library he will be responsible for one of the UK’s most historic and beautiful libraries, which contains one of the world’s finest collections of rare books and manuscripts. As one of the University’s cultural institutions more than 250,000 people visit and engage with the Library each year.

Chris added: “I am very pleased to become part of The University of Manchester and look forward to working with colleagues across the whole University and beyond.”

The John Rylands Library opened its doors to the public almost 120 years ago and while the Library’s name is familiar to most, not many know that the founder was actually John’s wife, Enriqueta Rylands. She created the Library in memory of her husband and gifted it to the city of Manchester; an act described at the time as the most significant single act of Library philanthropy the country had seen.

On the day the Library was inaugurated in October 1899, Enriqueta was awarded the Freedom of the City of Manchester, becoming the first woman to receive this honour. You will find a marble statue of her in the Historic Reading Room, but it does not bear her name. So, by naming the new cafe space after her, and featuring her in the Library’s , we’re putting a much deserved spotlight on a most remarkable and generous woman.

The reels of black and white footage capture key moments during Operation Dynamo, the rescue from Dunkirk of over 300,000 British and allied troops trapped by advancing German forces.

The films were shot by Lieutenant Philip Roderick Hall who was serving aboard the destroyer HMS Whitehall, one of hundreds of naval vessels, merchant ships and small boats that took part in the rescue.

The films, which have never been broadcast and have been seen by only a handful of people, were digitised by the North West Film Archive at 91ֱ�� Metropolitan University. The films can now be viewed on YouTube, while the original reels have been donated to the Imperial War Museum in London for specialist preservation.

Kay Gladstone, Curator at the Imperial War Museum, said:

Lieutenant Philip Roderick Hall shot the films while he was serving on HMS Whitehall during the evacuation from Dunkirk. There is also footage of him training as a Fleet Air Arm pilot prior to being killed in action on 14 June 1942.

One hair-raising scene shows planes attempting to land on the aircraft carrier HMS Argus during a storm. There are also scenes of Lieutenant Hall relaxing off-duty in England during the summer of 1941.

The two film reels were discovered at the University’s John Rylands Library by a member of the Heald-Hall family whose remarkable archive of correspondence, letter-books and diaries, spanning from 1866 to 1987, is one of hundreds of outstanding collections of rare books, manuscripts, archives, maps and visual materials housed in the Library.

John Hodgson, Manuscripts and Archives Manager, said:

Stills from the videos:

The project, which is being funded by the National Cataloguing Grants Programme for Archives, aims to produce a detailed catalogue of Scott’s Editorial Correspondence. This comprises around 13,000 letters exchanged with 1,300 individuals including leading statesmen and politicians such as Herbert Asquith, David Lloyd George, Winston Churchill and Ramsay MacDonald.

Scott was an influential figure in Liberal circles, through a consistent left-of-centre stance in his editorship of the Guardian as well as holding the post of president of the 91ֱ�� Liberal Foundation and serving as a Liberal MP for 11 years. His interest in causes such as British policy in South Africa, women’s suffrage, Irish nationalism and the establishment of a Jewish homeland is illuminated in correspondence with figures like suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst, Irish nationalist Sir Roger Casement, and Zionist Chaim Weizmann. Significant literary figures also feature, among them George Bernard Shaw and Arthur Ransome (the newspaper’s Russian correspondent for a time).

Alan Rusbridger, former editor of the Guardian, wrote in his letter of support for the project: 

Fran Baker, who curates the archive, said:

The Guardian Archive was donated to The University of Manchester Library in 1971 and is housed in The John Rylands Library. It dates from the newspaper’s establishment in 1821 to the early 1970s and also includes material relating to the Guardian’s sister newspaper, the 91ֱ�� Evening News.

This is the second award the Library has won to enhance the catalogue for the Guardian Archive this year, following success in  for ‘Behind the headlines: documenting the people in the Guardian Archive’ back in August.

The archive is of huge significance for 91ֱ��. Founded two years after the momentous Peterloo Massacre, the Guardian has a key place in the city’s rich history of radicalism, protest, and campaigns for social and political reform.