> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.lorcandempsey.net/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# Consistent access to French archives and manuscripts
- URL: https://www.lorcandempsey.net/consistent-access-to-french-archives-and-manuscripts/
- Published: 2008-05-25T22:58:12.000Z
- Updated: 2020-10-28T09:24:28.000Z
- Author: Lorcan Dempsey
- Tags: Institutions, Systems

[Calames](https://www.calames.abes.fr/pub/?ref=lorcandempsey.net) is a recently released catalog of archives and manuscripts in French universities and national institutions. It is provided by [Abes](https://www.abes.fr/abes/page,351,labes.html?ref=lorcandempsey.net), which also provides [Sudoc](https://www.sudoc.abes.fr/LNG=FR/DB=2.1/IMPLAND=Y/CHARSET=ISO-8859-1/DB%5FSTART?ref=lorcandempsey.net) the French universities union catalog.  
Not only is there a [shared public catalog](https://www.calames.abes.fr/pub/?ref=lorcandempsey.net), but Calames supports a shared cataloging environment for the creation of finding aids.  
Why have a shared cataloging environment for materials that are unique? The rationale is straightforward: shared cataloging rules, a shared working environment, mutual assistance in a shared network, and common access to authority files and other tools, all support coherence in the union catalog.  
For a description of the cataloging environment see the article on pages 18-19 of the February-March 2008 issue \[[pdf](https://www.abes.fr/abes/DocumentsWebAbes/abes/arabesques/5884%20Arabesques%20n%C2%B0%2049.pdf?ref=lorcandempsey.net)\] of *Arabesques*, the magazine of Abes.