The Poole mss. are a collection of 137 ancient, medieval and renaissance manuscripts and single leaves ranging from the 3rd to the 16th century. The collection was formed by George Amos Poole, 1907- , printer, of Chicago, whose interest was in the development of scripts which have had a direct influence on the design of Western printing types, rather than in illumination and decoration. Most of this material relates to religious matters.
The German mss., ca. 16th century-2004, consist of individually acquired letters, documents, and historical and literary manuscripts written in German, relating to the history, culture, and life of Germany.
The Philippine mss. II, 1594-1908, consists of accounts of the lives and deaths of various saints and other religious figures, copies of royal decrees, correspondence, government and military reports, historical accounts, maps, wills and inventories of estates, and a water-color painting.
The Latin American mss. --Venezuela, 1581-1880, consists of individual items acquired separately either as a gift, purchase, transfer, or removal from a variety of sources, relating to Venezuela. Additions continue to be made.