Supported by a grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, these summer institutes provide intense practical training in reading late medieval and Renaissance manuscripts in European vernacular hands: English, French, Italian, and Spanish. The institutes emphasize the skills needed for the accurate reading and transcription of vernacular texts, but attention may also be given to the instruments of research, codicology, analytical bibliography, and textual editing, depending on the expertise of the instructors and the nature of the documents under consideration.

The institutes are hosted by the Newberry Library Center for Renaissance Studies, the Folger Institute at the Folger Shakespeare Library, the Getty Research Institute, the Huntington Library and the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas at Austin.

Each institute will enroll 15 participants. First consideration will be given to advanced graduate students and junior faculty at U.S. colleges and universities, but applications will also be accepted from professional staff of U.S. libraries and museums, and from qualified independent scholars. Advanced language skills are required. Applicants selected for admission will receive a stipend to help defray the cost of attending the institute. Additionally, the Medieval Academy’s Committee on Centers and Regional Associates (CARA) will offer one $660.00 stipend to assist a graduate student with the cost of housing and/or research expenses while attending the 2005 Italian Paleography institute. (Only students who are members of the Medieval Academy will be eligible.)

The scheduled institutes for Summer 2005:

Italian Paleography: 18 July-12 August, 2005, Newberry Library Center for Renaissance Studies, with Armando Petrucci and Franca Petrucci Nardelli.
Applications available in January at the web address provided below, and are due by March 1st.

Spanish Paleography: 11 July- 5 August 2005, Huntington Library, with Carla Rahn Phillips. Applications available in January at www.huntington.org and are due by March 1st.

Future institutes (instructor and dates TBA)

Summer 2006:
English Paleography: Folger Shakespeare Library, Washington D.C.
French Paleography: Newberry Library Center for Renaissance Studies, Chicago

Summer 2007:
Italian Paleography: Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles
Spanish Paleography: Harry Ransom Center, University of Texas at Austin

Summer 2008:
English Paleography: Huntington Library
French Paleography: Newberry Library