Library life

Peek into a few of the University’s 100+ wonderful libraries with Elizabeth Nyikos (DPhil Music) and our grad community.

This stunning library in Lincoln College is actually a converted church | Photograph by Elizabeth Nyikos (DPhil Music)

Bodleian Libraries

The Bodleian Libraries include the Bodleian Library (or ‘Bod’) as well as 27 other libraries across Oxford including major research libraries and faculty, department and institute libraries.

Duke Humfrey’s Library, part of the Bodleian Library | Photograph by Elizabeth Nyikos (DPhil Music)

“There are few greater temptations on Earth than to stay permanently at Oxford in meditation and to read all the books in the Bodleian.” — Hilaire Belloc

Before you commit to reading all 13 million printed items though, you should know that it would take roughly 600 lifetimes (and counting), and for a more average reader (~200 books/lifetime), you’d need right about 59,999 more lifetimes.

The Bodleian Libraries have been looked after by Bodley’s Librarian for just over 400 years now — we talked to Bodley’s current librarian, Richard Ovenden, about what the libraries offer to students and his favourite library story (spoiler: pirates are involved).

Bodley’s Librarian, Richard Ovenden, explores the Bod’s place in the life of Oxford’s graduate students

The Bodleian Libraries also includes subject libraries like spectacular student favourite the Taylor Institution Library, or ‘Taylorian’.

The Taylorian houses the University’s main collections for the study of Modern European languages and literature.

Details in the Taylorian | Photographs by Phil Brooks

The Taylorian features a graduate student reading room (coffee permitted) and a stunning main library with coveted mezzanine desks looking out over St Giles and a chandelier (for the library that has everything).

View from the mezzanine into the Taylorian | Photograph by Elizabeth Nyikos (DPhil Music)

College libraries

On top of the Bodleian Libraries and libraries within our academic departments, Oxford’s colleges all have at least one library of their own.

Pastel chic in the library at Brasenose College | Photograph by Elizabeth Nyikos (DPhil Music)

Many of the college libraries have fascinating and invaluable collections and archives.

For example, Magdalen College’s Old Library has an incredible collection of early printed and manuscript books, along with a petrified wig (whose twin lives in the Pitt River Museum) and items owned by its alum T. E. Lawrence (more famously, ‘Lawrence of Arabia’).

Christ Church library | Photograph by Elizabeth Nyikos (DPhil Music)

Christ Church has an incredible collection of original works and illustrations by Lewis Carroll, who was once the college’s librarian.

(You can go down that particular rabbit-hole with our guide Franziska Kohlt, DPhil student and Victorian literature expert.)

Franziska Kohlt (DPhil) explores the links between Alice in Wonderland and Victorian science

Merton College has the oldest continuously used academic library in the world, built around 1373. Today, the Old Library houses over 70,000 volumes, including one of Elizabeth I’s Welsh Bibles and a collection of over 500 items by or about the poet T S Eliot, one of Merton’s famous alumni.

DPhil graduand in Merton College’s Old Library | Photograph by Elizabeth Nyikos (DPhil Music)

Stay in and live out your bookish dreams

Read our guide to secrets of Oxford’s libraries here on Medium or take a look at our Studyspo highlight over on Instagram.

Seven things you (probably) didn’t know about Oxford’s libraries