Libraries Announce Launch of “Translat Library”

The Libraries have announced the launch of “Translat Library,” a new journal based at UMass and published through ScholarWorks@UMassAmherst in collaboration with the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona in Spain. The journal is devoted to the literary culture of Europe from 1300 to 1600, with an emphasis on vernacular translations, the Romance letters and the Latin tradition.

“Translat Library” stems from a long-term project led by a group of researchers based at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. The project, which has received funding from the Spanish government since 2006, culminated in 2018 with the publication of a monograph as well as a database on medieval Catalan translations. Translat is the medieval Catalan word for both “translation” and “copy.” 

Inspired by the sections of notes and manuscript excerpts that were common in 19th century journals, the journal aims to offer a venue for research based on archival and documentary work. It seeks to publish short articles documenting the identification of a manuscript or incunable; the source of a text; archival information on an author or work; the paratexts of a rare edition; the complete or excerpted edition of an unpublished text; and published but neglected text, among other topics. 

Albert Lloret, associate professor and director of Spanish and Catalan studies, serves as general editor of the journal, together with Barcelona professor Alejandro Coroleu. The editorial board is composed of a roster of scholars from the U.K., Italy, Spain and the U.S.