Oxford University has more than 100 libraries.
Read your key texts...
Whether you’re writing an essay or preparing for an experiment, you’ll be given a reading list to start from. You can find the books you need for this in your college or department, or both.
College libraries are open to everyone in your college. They stock the core materials for your course, and have generous lending arrangements. They are often open 24 hours a day, providing quiet, convenient places to study. The college librarian can help you to find what you need, and in many cases will order books in specially.
Subject libraries are open to everyone on your course. Staff in these libraries will include specialists in your subject area. They often run classes to help you make the most of what they can offer.
...or research your topic in-depth...
When you find something really interesting, Oxford makes it easy to go beyond your reading list and find out more. Most courses offer a chance to write a dissertation or carry out a research project.
Subject librarians are your guides to Oxford’s world-class research collections. They can advise on the latest publications in your field, or on the best databases to search.
The Bodleian Library is the UK’s second largest library with more than 11,000,000 volumes on 117 miles of shelves. It is a legal deposit library, meaning it can claim a copy of any book or journal published in the UK or Ireland. All Oxford students are entitled to use ‘The Bod’ for their research.
