Catalog of over 1,000,000 entries, mainly manuscripts from between the years 1600 and 1850. As of summer 2015, there are also around 100,000 entries for printed music published up to 1800 by a single composer and printed collections published between 1500 and 1550. Even though the emphasis of manuscript cataloging is on the years 1600-1850, you will find both older and newer sources in the online catalog.

It is the most comprehensive annotated index and guide to music manuscripts produced after 1600. Every musical source includes its precise location (library and shelfmark) and in some cases, a link to a digital copy of the source is even provided. Contact information, with which you can easily ask about the source at the holding library, music archive, or private collection, is available by clicking on the library siglum (abbreviation). Viewing or obtaining reproductions of the originals is arranged in accordance with the holding institution's policies and in consideration of technical and legal options. 

The online catalog contains all of series A/I, A/II, and years 1500-1550 of B/I of the print RISM volumes. Series B/IV is searchable online in DIAMM (Digital Image Archive of Medieval Music).

The International Inventory of Musical Sources (RISM) is an international, non-profit joint venture documenting the world's musical sources of manuscripts or printed music, works on music theory and librettos stored in libraries, archives, monasteries, schools and private collections.

Mainly 1600-1800; updated regularly at around 30,000 records per year.

RISM [International Inventory of Musical Sources]
Music Library Reference: ML113.I6