Trial: Black Authors, 1556-1922

We now have trial access to Readex’s Black Authors: Imprints from the Library Company of Philadelphia (1556-1922).

This collection offers more than 550 fully catalogued and searchable works by black authors from the Americas, Europe and Africa, expertly compiled by the curators of Afro-Americana Imprints collection, the largest existing collection of its kind. Found within are wide-ranging genres, including personal narratives, autobiographies, histories, expedition reports, military reports, novels, essays, poems and musical compositions.

Major subject areas addressed in Black Authors include Literature, Ethnic History, Colonialism, Gender Studies, Slavery, Diaspora Studies and related fields. As a whole, this collection reveals how the creative efforts of black authors evolved over three centuries. The earliest published works of authors of African descent are largely travel narratives and historical works treating the exploration of the African continent and the collision between European powers with the peoples of Africa.

Access is available via OxLIP+ until 5th February 2016 (use single sign-on for remote access). Please send comments or feedback to jane.rawson@bodleian.ox.ac.uk.

Christmas closure

VHL Christmas treeThe library will close for Christmas at 5pm on Wednesday 23rd December, and reopen at 9am on Monday 4th January.

We’d like to wish all our readers a very happy Christmas and New Year! See you all in 2016!

Mezzanine closures: Wednesday 9th, Tuesday 15th December

Library mezzanineDue to essential maintenance work, the mezzanine area of the library will be closed to readers on two separate days this December: Wednesday 9th and Tuesday 15th.

Access to the upper floors will be maintained on both days, where there is plenty of alternative seating. Apologies in advance for any inconvenience or disruption.