Because medieval and Renaissance manuscripts serve as the core and the demonstration resource for a number of classes in various departments (Art History, Classics, English, French, General Studies, History, Italian, Religion), we intend to follow the pattern that responds to this demand: primarily teaching and training. When considering new acquisitions, we will first consider the items value in teaching, secondly its value to research, and in the third position its potential for exhibition. We prioritize a manuscript's physical and historical value over its textual interest (since the classes to date that have made most direct use of this material are paleography and diplomatics, as well as the codicological component of art history classes). Specifically we will look for:  as complete a book as possible, avoiding fragments unless they fill gaps that would be prohibitive financially as complete codices; interesting points of production; contemporary or otherwise significant bindings;  and, known ownership. Legal documents or other archival material will not be given priority, since the David Eugene Smith documents collection offers adequate teaching resources in that area at the moment.

Decisions about the acquisition of medieval and Renaissance manuscripts are dependent on availability and costs. Nevertheless, the main directions remain clear; we will look for texts that emphasize Paul Oskar Kristeller’s legacy on manuscripts as primary resources; texts that build upon the George Arthur Plimpton Collection and the history of learning; and texts mathematical nature as collected by David Eugene Smith; texts that illustrate the study of classics as in the Gonzalez Lodge Collection; texts that relate to teaching interests of current Columbia University faculty (canon law, hagiography, liturgy, musicology); and texts that contain vernacular languages.