Montserrat’s Bible, in ePUB

Montserrat’s Library has promoted a version of Montserrat’s Bible in ePUB, one of the most popular standards for most e-book readers. Therefore, by entering http://www.bibliotecademontserrat.net/cat/html/bibliaepub.htm, anyone can download Montserrat’s Bible using this format, which is supported by most mobile devices and computers (Windows XP/Vista/7, Windows 8, Mac OS, iOS iPhone and Android).

Montserrat’s Bible is already accessible through iSilo software since 2007. Montserrat’s Bible online is now one of the most browsed texts in the virtual libraries Joan Lluís Vives and Miguel de Cervantes, and is one of the digital documents offered by Montserrat’s Library.

Montserrat’s Bible in one volume, published in 1970, is the result of a translation by Justí Bruguera, F. Guiu Camps, F. Romuald Díaz, and ten more translators, all of them monks from Montserrat, following the work F. Bonaventura Ubach started in 1926. The language chosen for this translation is standard literary Catalan, paying attention to the expressive richness of original languages.
 

The existence of manuscripts in the monastery is documented since its foundation, in the 11th century. Indeed, Montserrat had its own scriptorium in the 12th century, which was very active in the 14th and 15th centuries. In 1599 Abbot Cisneros promoted a new typography workshop in Montserrat, which ensured the monastery’s cultural diffusion.

Over the course of the 17th and 18th centuries, the library grew bigger and diversified its catalogue, up to thousands of works on its shelves. The most tragic moment in its history occurred during the Napoleonic Wars when, in 1811, the monastery was destroyed, and most of its bibliographic treasure was lost. The current Library was founded towards the end of the 19th century, and went through a period of remarkable growth during Father Antoni M. Marcet’s abbacy (1913-1946). In just a few years, the Library's catalogue grew from 15,000 volumes to approximately 150,000.

Both the Spanish Civil War and, later, World War II put a stop to further growth; yet, over the second half of the century, it was possible to double its catalogue.

Today, among the library’s contents are manuscript works and incunabula, from both the previous library –ruined during Napoleon’s Peninsular War in 1811- and the current one, formed since the mid-19th century and especially during the first half of the 20th century.

As a space for culture, the aim of the library is to provide the monks and specialists on history and theology with the necessary equipment to carry out their research, as well as to give rise to various publications. It also aims to collaborate, in different ways, in the spreading of this research, in order to build bridges for dialogue and exchange with contemporary world.

The catalogue
The sections on philosophy, theology, biblical sciences, patrology, liturgy, music and art history are worthy of particular note, as are its sections on general history, especially with regard to Medieval times, Europe, Catalonia and the territories of the Aragon Crown. There is also a collection on local history and the Spanish Civil War. Today, the Library’s catalogue includes 340,000 monographs; 6,000 periodical publications; 1,500 manuscripts; 400 incunabula; 3,700 16th century Works and 18,000 engravings.