Bodleian Library @ Oxford University. 8 June 2018

8 June 2018
Bodleian Library, Oxford University
https://www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/

LIS took another relaxing journey by train to Oxford where we were given a tour of Oxford University and the Bodleian Library.

It is not known exactly when Oxford University was founded, but we were told by our guide that the first commissioned hall was built in the 1300s. Today Oxford University is made up of 37 colleges and currently enrolls more than 20,000 students. Unique to Oxford is the method of learning in which students are educated on a one-on-one basis by a faculty tutor.

The Duke Humfrey Library dates back to 1488 and is the oldest reading room at the Bodleian. We were not allowed to take photographs, but imagine an incredibly ornate space of dark wood and jewel-toned paint colors on the ceiling and walls. Sadly, as a result of the English Reformation, books from the Humfrey Library were removed and destroyed as they were deemed to be suspicious. In 1598 Thomas Bodley, a wealthy man who was the first Diplomat for Queen Elizabeth took it upon himself to refurbish the Humfrey Library. His duties required him to travel and as a result, he amassed a collection of books from around the world which were bequeathed to the library. The Bodleian Library opened in 1602 and houses treasures including Cuneiform tablets and a love letter written in papyrus. The Library was fitted with floor to ceiling bookshelves and big benches. We were told that historically, libraries were always located on the 1st (upper) floor and featured large windows because readers required daylight to read (candles were obviously not allowed). Our guide showed us how books used to be chained to prevent theft and damage. Presently, an individual sleeve is created for every single book in the collection. These items may be requested by students--upon request they are wrapped in tissue, placed in a box and delivered.

Coat of Arms for the University of Oxford.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Oxford.svg

Statue of Thomas Bodley, 

View of the windows and ceiling of the Divinity School. Scenes from Harry Potter were filmed here!

Convocation House @ Oxford University.

Our female tour guide and male guide-in-training. Fun fact, the gentleman is also an actor and was featured in the film
The Man Who Knew Infinity with Jeremy Irons about Indian mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0787524/

One of two alabaster tablets identifying the benefactors of the Bodleian Library. The tablets include the names of such notables as: Duke Humfrey, Thomas Bodley, Queen Elizabeth I, the Rockefeller Foundation, Robert Shackleton, the Andrew Mellon Foundation and the Tolkien Trust.