Welcome to Oxford

By | 1 October 2021

Welcome to Oxford for those new to the University and welcome back to those that have returned.  We hope to see you all in the Law Library throughout this term.

Picture of the Law Library entrance gates

Depending on whether you have visited us recently, a few things have changed and a few things have returned to the pre-pandemic situation and so we thought we would run through our current services for newcomers and returnees alike.

Using the Library

We are open to readers with University cards and you are all welcome to come in to use the collections and space here.  If you have visited us over the past year you may be pleased to know that there is now no need to book; just turn up.  Opening hours are available on the website here  https://www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/libraries/law (scroll down). These are currently our vacation hours but from Sat 9th October we will be on our term time hours which are 9-10pm Monday to Friday, 10-7pm on Saturday and Sunday.

Covid safety

Your safety is important to us and so we have kept some of the procedures that help stop the spread of the virus.  We strongly encourage the use of face coverings during your visit (unless exempt) and there is a track and trace QR code to scan at the entrance.  We have made more seats available (in comparison to last year) but there are still a few seats that have been cordoned off to give readers space.  These are marked clearly with red and white tape.  We also have cleaning stations around the library and we recommend that you clean the desk and seat before and after use. We are also opening all windows around the Library to allow for better ventilation. Please do not close the windows, they can be kept on the catch, or, if you are cold, please find a seat away from the windows .  If you have any concerns about using the library, please do contact us at law.library@bodleian.ox.ac.uk.

Picture of the Large IT Room in the Law Library with a number of desks and computers

The Large IT Room

Seats and Spaces

As mentioned above, there are more seats available this year and you are welcome to sit in any that are not marked with a red and white tape.  All the seating across all four floors is open to any reader and there are a variety of seating and spaces available.  As well as seats within the main reading room, there are seats around the edge of the library, these have windows that can be opened for fresh air.  There are also carrels and rooms available, doors must be kept open for ventilation purposes and there is a limit on how many people use these at the same time.  We also have a number of Library PC’s available for use around the Library, including an IT room on the ground floor that has machines well spaced for use.  All seats are on a first come, first served basis and at the moment we are not offering booking of any of our spaces.

Photocopying, Scanning and Printing

We have these facilities within the Library, you can ask at the Library for further information or there is a guide to how the Bodleian system works available here https://libguides.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/enquiry-services/photocopying .  There are charges for photocopying and printing but scanning is now free.

Library classes

We are in full swing with our induction sessions over the next few weeks but from week 2 onwards, we are offering a number of classes on different resources and databases.  A list can be found on the Law Lecture List here https://www.law.ox.ac.uk/current-students/lecture-list .  Classes will be in person but may switch to online if necessary but please contact us with any questions.  We also offer a Book a Librarian service if you have particular research needs that cannot be met by the classes.  These may be in person or online.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us @ law.library@bodleian.ox.ac.uk