Searching the Scripture collection

You can have access to thousands of fascinating items at Bible Society's collection and archives.

Bible Society's library is housed at Cambridge University Library and contains printed Scriptures, manuscripts, archives and reference books.

Printed Scriptures – details of more than 39,000 printed items in more than 2,000 languages can be accessed at www.lib.cam.ac.uk.

Manuscripts – a catalogue of more than 500 manuscripts in 184 languages is held at Cambridge University Library.

The Archives – a catalogue of Bible Society archives is available online at www.janus.lib.cam.ac.uk and contains committee minutes, action group materials, financial records and important correspondence. Missionary archives can be viewed at www.mundus.ac.uk.

Reference Books – reference books on subjects such as the histories of translation, linguistics, biographies and the Bible as an artefact can be found at the library. They are in the process of being catalogued online.

Access to the collection – Bible Society library is housed in the Bradshaw Room, off the Anderson Room, in the South Pavilion of Cambridge University Library. Opening times are from 9.30 am to 12.45 pm and from 2.00 pm to 5.00 pm Mondays to Fridays, though unscheduled closures may occasionally occur. For this reason readers are strongly advised to make an appointment to use the collection.

CUL is not a public library, and is accessible for academic research only to those holding a CUL reader's ticket. Arrangements can sometimes be made for other visitors to the Bible Society collection.

Please contact bslib@lib.cam.ac.uk for further information.

This guide will help you search the collection.
 

• Suitable for researchers.
• Contains a wealth of material from the earliest days of hand printing in the 15th century to the latest printed and electronic versions.
• Items available in a range of languages, especially English, Hebrew, Greek and Latin.
• Many of the items are catalogued online for easy browsing.
• Downloadable guide to searching the collection.