July – August 2023 opening hours

During July and August, the History Medicine Library will be staffed at the following times:

  • Week 24 July: closed.
  • Week 31 July: closed.
  • Week 7 August: Tuesday & Thursday 2.15-5pm
  • Week 14 August: Tuesday & Thursday 2.15-5pm
  • Week 21 August: Tuesday & Thursday 2.15-5pm
  • Week 28 August: Thursday 2.15-5pm

Any further updates to our opening hours will be advertised on the blog and Twitter. As always, if you would like to visit please contact us to arrange your appointment.

From September onwards, we aim to resume normal opening hours  Monday to Friday 2.15-5pm.

June Opening Hours

The History of Medicine Library will be open Monday-Friday, 2-5pm, with the exception of the 7th, 14th, 27th, 28th, and 29th of June, when the library will be unstaffed.

To make an appointment please email historyofmedicine@bodleian.ox.ac.uk

 

May Opening Hours

The History of Medicine Library will be open Monday-Friday, 2-5pm, with the exception of the 1st, 4th, 8th, 17th, 18th, and 29th of May, when the library will be unstaffed.

To make an appointment please email historyofmedicine@bodleian.ox.ac.uk

April Opening Hours

The History of Medicine Library will be open Monday-Friday, 2-5pm, with the exception of Friday the 7th and Monday the 10th of April, when the library will be unstaffed.

To make an appointment please email historyofmedicine@bodleian.ox.ac.uk

 

March Opening Hours

The History of Medicine Library will be open Monday-Friday, 2-5pm, with the exception of the 13th-17th March inclusive, when the library will be unstaffed.

To make an appointment please email historyofmedicine@bodleian.ox.ac.uk

 

 

The Royal College of Physicians – Part I (Wiley Digital Archives)

Royal College of Physicians Archive

Royal College of Physicians Archive

Great news! Wiley is making the The Royal College of Physicians – Part I (Wiley Digital Archives) available to Jisc members in perpetuity as a gesture of thanks for participating in the Wiley transitional agreement in 2022. History of medicine researchers can now benefit from access to this resource.

The Royal College of Physicians – Part I (Wiley Digital Archives) will be of most interest to those studying history of Western medicine covering the 12th century to 1862. The archive is useful for researchers studying the history of anatomy, folk medicine, herbal medicine, healers and domestic medicine, medical law and policy, medical research (disease/treatment), medical and biological Illustration, and health education during the early modern and parts of the modern period.

The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) was founded so that physicians could be formally licensed to practise and those who were not qualified could be exposed and punished. There are many archive records defining the RCP’s changing role in setting standards in medical practice. RCP members have always collected manuscripts and papers on a wide range of medical and non-medical topics.

The Royal College of Physicians – Part I includes content from the 12th century to 1862, though some papers are dated later. Most of the collections are from British sources. A notable exception is the (Arthur Stanley) Tritton Oriental Manuscripts collection, which contains early Arabic medical manuscripts.

Important papers relate to William Harvey, Edward Jenner, John Latham, Thomas Lawrence, and other physicians. Papers will typically include notebooks containing medical extracts and observations, prescriptions, lecture notes, admissions tickets, diaries, correspondence, treatises, etc. Collections of 17th and 18th century polymaths may also include history of science material (e.g. John Dee on astronomy or mathematics).

The rest of Part I contains papers relating to the founding and running of the RCP itself and throw light on the history of the professionalisation of the medical profession. There are records relating to college officers & staff, education, examination, finance, events, legal status, estates records, trusts & bequests, membership, professional affairs, Regulation of Clinical Practice and Standards, and the college library.

Also of interest:

February Opening Hours

The History of Medicine Library will be open Monday-Friday, 2-5pm with the exception of Friday 3rd and Wednesday 22nd of February when the library will be unstaffed.

To make an appointment please email historyofmedicine@bodleian.ox.ac.uk

Disability History Hackathon Friday 2 December 2022, 14:00-18:15 – please join us

Snippet from Bodleian Library MS. Bodl. 264, 74v, showing a group of blind men following each other

Bodleian Library MS. Bodl. 264, fol. 74v, Bodleian Library, CC BY-NC. Click to view in Digital.Bodleian.


Calling all staff and students of Oxford University
: are you interested in disability history? Do you like locating quality research materials on the internet? Please join us and a group of volunteers at the Disability History Hackathon on Friday 2 December to find resources for a guide to Disability History resources.Cartoon image of an owl wearing headphones and working on a laptop.

After brief training on advanced Google searches, you will work individually or in small groups on identifying research resources (databases, archives, websites, etc.) on an aspect of disability history of your choice. You will create brief descriptions for each resource.

We expect to spend up to 2 hours on the Hackathon with a tea / coffee break in between and a reception at the end.

You will be able to join in person in the History Faculty, George St, or remotely. All rooms are accessible. This is event is organised for staff and students of Oxford University. Spaces are limited so early booking is recommended. Register here.

What will you get out of it?

  • Discover research materials for disability history
  • Learn advanced Google search from a professional librarian
  • Network with other researchers
  • Join a community-led project to create an online guide for disability history

What do you need?

Photo of a paralysed child strapped in a walking frame and wearing splints. From R.W. Lovett, Treatment of Infantile

Robert Williamson Lovett, Treatment of Infantile Paralysis (1916) – Wellcome Collection, United Kingdom – CC BY

An interest in, knowledge of or enthusiasm in disability resources and/or disability history.

Technical requirements:

  • Remote: computer with Teams or Zoom, camera and microphone
  • Onsite: a laptop; ideally Eduroam wifi account (wifi access can be provided)
  • Recommended: headphones or earphones

More information about the day, handouts, slides, etc. will be shared with participants in advance.

Contact library.history@bodleian.ox.ac.uk if you have any questions.