The changing face of the Bodleian Library

In November 2007 it was revealed that the Bodleian Library holds 4 of the 17 surviving copies of Magna Carta. The Magna Carta – or 'Great Charter of English Liberties' – is considered one of the most important legal documents in the history of democracy. The Bodleian holds three of the 1217 issue and one from 1225. 'Only in Oxford can scholars bring such a number of these charters together for comparative study and research', says the Bodleian's Librarian, Dr Sarah Thomas.

But the Magna Carta and other medieval charters form only part of the Bodleian's impressive collection. Scholars using the library for research are fortunate to have access to a variety of unique materials, such as autograph manuscripts of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and a copy of the Gutenberg Bible. 'The Bodleian contains these and other iconic works but it lacks appropriate space to display them', says Dr Thomas. 'We know people want to look at them because when they go on exhibit for even a day, hundreds queue in the cold to see them.'

Richard Ovenden, Keeper of Special Collections and Associate Director at the Bodleian, says: 'The Bodleian Library was founded in 1602 after a time of turmoil in the world of learning during the Reformation. A key part of its role was to provide a safe home for classic, irreplaceable manuscripts such as these; the Bodleian was the de facto national library for 150 years. This is a task to which we continue to be devoted.' The Frankenstein acquisition in 2004 is one he calls 'outstanding' for the Bodleian.

It is, in part, in order to maintain these collections under the best conditions that the University is so keen to improve the facilities at the Bodleian. Three substantial donations received by the library this year will make a significant difference to this. These are, first, a gift of £25 million pledged to the development of the New Bodleian Library by the Garfield Weston Foundation, the largest gift ever made by the Foundation; second, the Oxford University Press has made a matching £25 million contribution; and, finally, Julian Blackwell has donated £5 million – one of the largest single cash donations ever made by an individual to a university library in the UK.

The renovation will transform the housing of the Bodleian's priceless collections and open up its treasures to the public. Instead of the outmoded book warehouse it currently is, the New Bodleian Library will become a major part of Oxford's infrastructure and a significant new cultural centre, where scholars, citizens of Oxford and visitors to the city can view some of the University's greatest treasures and gain insights into the research activities of the University. It will have exhibition galleries, archival storage, reading rooms, a lecture theatre and conservation laboratories.

'The beauty of the extraordinary gifts of the Garfield Weston Foundation and Julian Blackwell is that they will allow the Bodleian to open its collections for viewing by a much wider public', says Dr Thomas.

'Schoolchildren, lifelong learners and members of the local community will be able to enjoy and learn from books and manuscripts that are part of our common heritage in a way never before possible at Oxford. Today's exhibitions draw more than 100,000 visitors annually, an astounding number, considering the cramped quarters improvised in the Old Bodleian. With two galleries and copious gathering space, we expect double or triple that number.'

However, to bring this dream to a reality, more than 3.5 million books, maps, manuscripts and pieces of music need to be moved out of the New Bodleian. In the meantime, access to the collections still needs to be available. 'If you have ever had to feed a family while your kitchen is being remodelled, you'll recognise the challenge', says Dr Thomas.

The University had planned to offer continuous service by decanting the New Bodleian's holdings into a new depository and delivering requested items from this state-of-the-art storage facility. However, at the close of the 2008 academic year, there was some disappointing news for the Bodleian. The University's appeal against plans blocking the building of a depository on a site at Osney Mead was dismissed. The depository is needed to help house the Bodleian's stock, which is expanding at a rate of 170,000 new books a year, creating a great deal of pressure on space. The decision means that the renovation of the New Bodleian will be delayed by approximately a year. However, the library staff are determined to make the best of the situation and to ensure that the project is not affected any more than this.

'This was obviously a great disappointment, but the pragmatic approach is to move on', says Dr Thomas. 'We need to be creative about rethinking our management of collections and our service strategy. Tough decisions will have to be taken as we absorb the implications of this decision. The library has suffered from over-congestion in unsafe conditions for years because of our inadequate storage. I know, however, that, despite this adverse decision, staff will meet the challenge. They are dedicated both to the provision of an outstanding service to the research community and to the protection of the collections they steward. We now have to review the situation and present creative solutions in due course.'