Monasteries in the middle ages

The monks, known as Benedictines not only read every day but wrote and were employed as scribes copying texts or translating Greek words into Latin.

Benedictine scriptoria (A room in a monastery set aside for the copying, writing, or illuminating of manuscripts and records) became the most productive of the middle ages, as their scattered monasteries industriously turned out copies of important titles – at first mostly theological.  Over the centuries the monks copied thousands of manuscripts and books including scriptures, stories and works of the church founders, psalters (versions of the book of psalms), missals ( Book of prayers or devotions), the gospels and writings of church leaders.

Resources

Murray, S A.P 2009, Library: An Illustrated History, Skyhorse Pub, New York

1993, World encyclopedia of library and information services, American Library association, Chicago

Monastic Scribes and Libraries, Medieval Writing, viewed 17^th August 2010, <http://medievalwriting.50megs.com/author/monasticscribe.htm>