Introduction

Welcome to the third and final term of the academic year! Trinity term can often be intense, with exams and deadlines and for some of you, finishing up your time in Oxford. Please rest assured that the library is here to help, whether you need resources, study space, or even just somewhere peaceful to sit and read – and our friendly team is ready to assist you however we can. To help you keep abreast of everything happening at this busy time of year, we’ve compiled our Library Updates into one handy blog. Read on for opening hours, library displays, and information about on our upcoming library move!

Opening Hours

From 1st Week onwards, the EFL will be open:

Monday – Friday
9am – 7pm
Saturday
10am – 1pm

Vacation Loans

Books that went out for a Vacation Loan will be due back on Tuesday 29th April. These can be renewed as per the usual Bodleian rules (if they haven’t been requested by another reader and have been out for less than 112 days).

Library Display: Looking Back/Looking Forward: The EFL and the Bodleian Humanities Library.

Curated by Sophie Lay (Senior Library Assistant, Reader Services), and Harry Whattoff (Graduate Trainee)

The English Faculty Library opened in 1914 in a property called Acland House on Broad Street, which was part of the site where the Weston Library now stands. The EFL’s first ever exhibition opened in 1952 (when the library was housed in Exam Schools). In 2025, for our final exhibition, we’ll be tracking the history of the EFL from its formation to the current day and beyond into the new realms of the upcoming Bodleian Humanities Library. Learn about the various spaces we’ve lived in and books we’ve acquired along the way, featuring characterful librarians, generous doners, scribbling students, and a few dead pigeons!

English Faculty Library Closure

In the long vacation in summer of 2025, the English Faculty Library will be moving into the Bodleian Humanities Library in the Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities.

The planned close date of the English Faculty Library is Friday 4th July 2025 (Trinity Term, end of 10th week). This will be after the end of undergraduate exams and MSt deadlines.

There will be no library access after the closure date, until the opening of the new library in late September. Books borrowed between 16 June and 4 July will be due back, to the Humanities Library, on 14 October (Tuesday of Week 1). If readers need to return books during the vacation, the best way to do this is to use the drop box at the Philosophy & Theology Faculties Library (Radcliffe Humanities).

Over the summer, readers can still ask for subject-specific library support by contacting Helen Scott, English Subject Librarian directly, or contacting the EFL Enquiries Inbox.

Requests for new books and other resources can be made by contacting Helen Scott directly or using the purchase request form.

Bodleian Humanities Library

The new library will bring together seven libraries and collections:

• English Language and Literature
• Film Studies
• History of Medicine
• Music
• Philosophy
• Theology and Religion
• Internet Studies

The library will be staffed and fully open 9am-9pm, Monday to Sunday. Part of the library will also be available for students to use 24/7 as a study space.

There will be c.340 reader seats for general use. Spaces include:

• Two large study areas with formal seating
• Five small bookable group study/consultation rooms (for up to four people)
• A larger group study room (eight seats)
• A multimedia room with music and film collections
• A digital study room
• Pockets of more informal, relaxed seating

In addition, there will also be 80 seats in dedicated graduate study spaces, including two bookable 8-seater group study/discussion rooms.

The library includes a rare materials teaching room, and items from the EFL’s special collections can be called from the offsite store to the new library for consultation and teaching.

The website for the new library is now live. If you have any questions about the new library, please don’t hesitate to get in contact using the details below.

Contact Us

If you have any questions or need help with anything, our library staff will always be available during opening hours to speak with you.

You can also contact us via:

• Telephone: 01865 271050
• Email: efl-enquiries@bodleian.ox.ac.uk
• ‘X’ (formerly known as Twitter): @EFLOxford

All our details can be found on the English Faculty Library webpage.

Introduction

Welcome to 2025! Are you a new year, new you? Whether your goals for 2025 are to knuckle down and study harder or to strike a better work/life balance, the EFL team are here to help. We’ve got plenty of study spaces, a coffee shop just next door, and a friendly face always ready to greet you at the library desk. To keep abreast of our latest developments, read on below…

Opening Hours

In 0th week, the EFL will be open:

Monday – Friday
9am – 5am
Saturday
10am – 1pm

From 1st week onwards, the EFL will be open:

Monday – Friday
9am – 7pm
Saturday
10am – 1pm

Vacation Loans

Books that went out for a Vacation Loan over the winter holidays will be due back at the library on Tuesday 21st January. These can be renewed as per the usual Bodleian rules (if they haven’t been requested by another reader and have been out for less than 112 days).

New Computers

In December, the English Faculty Library (along with lots of other Bodleian Libraries) had our Reader Computers and Quick Search Machines replaced with shiny new models. You can find these in our Computer Room and throughout our reading rooms. We’ve also used this as an opportunity to free up more desk space with plug sockets for the use of personal devices in the computer room. This allows us to better incorporate personal devices into both the study space and teaching!

Library Display: The Subtleties of Snow

Curated by Harry Whattoff, Graduate Trainee

Michaelmas term saw the Oxford’s first snow of the season! In step, we’ve put together a library display for you that explores eight literary depictions of snow. The display features writers from Charles Dickens to Ocean Vuong, from Emily Dickinson to Yasunari Kawabata. You can explore the display in person in our reading rooms or, if you’re not yet back in Oxford, you check out our companion blog!

Previous Display: Handle With Care, curated by Sophie Lay (Senior Library Assistant, Reader Services).
Upcoming Display: Banned Books, curated by Harry Whattoff (Graduate Trainee).

English Faculty Library Move Updates

In the long vacation in summer of 2025, the English Faculty Library will be moving into the Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities.

The planned close date of the English Faculty Library is Friday 4th July 2025 (Trinity Term, end of 10th week). This will be after the end of undergraduate exams and MSt deadlines.

There will be no library access after the closure date, until the opening of the new library in late September (exact date to be confirmed). Readers will be able to borrow books for the vacation before 4th July, and then return them to the new library the following term.

We will keep you updated on the move as it progresses. That being said, if you have any questions at all, feel free to reach out to us using the contact details below.

Contact Us

If you have any questions or need help with anything, our library staff will always be available during opening hours to speak with you.

You can also contact us via:

• Telephone: 01865 271050
• Email: efl-enquiries@bodleian.ox.ac.uk
• ‘X’ (formerly known as Twitter): @EFLOxford

All our details can be found on the English Faculty Library webpage.

Introduction

What an eventful Michaelmas term! We’d like to take a moment to congratulate you on making it through the first term of the academic year. It’s always a busy one, and the English Faculty Library has been busy too! We hope you’ll make some time to rest and relax over the vacation. For those of you loaning books or using the library over the vacation, we have a few updates below to help you out.

Opening Hours

For the vacation (starting Sunday 8th December), the English Faculty Library will be open:

OPENING HOURS:
Monday – Friday
9am – 5pm

Closure Period

The English Faculty Library will be closed from:

CLOSURE PERIOD:
Monday 23rd December – Wednesday 1st January (inclusive)

Vacation Loans

Books that are borrowed on or after Monday 2nd December are automatically on loan for the whole vacation. These will all be due for return on Tuesday 21st January (excepting members whose cards expire before this date). Aside from this, all normal loan policies apply.

Library Display: The Subtleties of Snow

Curated by Harry Whattoff, Graduate Trainee

Michaelmas term saw the Oxford’s first snow of the season! In step, we’ve put together a library display for you that explores eight literary depictions of snow. The display features writers from Charles Dickens to Ocean Vuong, from Emily Dickinson to Yasunari Kawabata! You can explore the display in person in our reading rooms or, if you’ve already gone home for the vacation, you check out our companion blog!

Previous Display: Handle With Care, curated by Sophie Lay (Senior Library Assistant, Reader Services).

English Faculty Library Move Updates

In the long vacation in summer of 2025, the English Faculty Library will be moving into the Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities.

The planned close date of the English Faculty Library is Friday 4th July 2025 (Trinity Term, end of 10th week). This will be after the end of undergraduate exams and MSt deadlines.

There will be no library access after the closure date, until the opening of the new library in late September (exact date to be confirmed). Readers will be able to borrow books for the vacation before 4th July, and then return them to the new library the following term.

We will keep you updated on the move as it progresses. That being said, if you have any questions at all, feel free to reach out to us using the contact details below.

Contact Us

If you have any questions or need help with anything, our library staff will always be available during opening hours to speak with you.

You can also contact us via:

• Telephone: 01865 271050
• Email: efl-enquiries@bodleian.ox.ac.uk
• ‘X’ (formerly known as Twitter): @EFLOxford

All our details can be found on the English Faculty Library webpage.

Introduction

The leaves are turning crisp, the morning are getting chilly , and the university is starting to see a new cohort incoming – Michaelmas term is officially about to begin! For those of you who are new to the English Faculty Library (hello! welcome!), we release these Service Updates at the beginning and end of every term to keep you abreast of what’s happening in the EFL. This will be especially important this academic year, as we’re getting prepared to move into the new Humanities Library in the Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities next summer!

For now though, we’re keeping things classic for the start of term. So grab your KeepCup, your Bod card, and your bookmarks – and come on down to the English Faculty Library!

Bodleian Inductions

Bodleian Libraries Induction Webinars will be running from Wednesday-Friday of 0th week (9th-11th October). These inductions will cover how to use the library service, including:

• The structure of the library service
• Finding books using the library catalogue
• Loaning and using books
• Printing, copying, scanning, computers, and WiFi
• Booking study rooms
• Support for disabled students
• Where to go for help if you need it

The webinar should be already scheduled into your induction timetables, but if you’d like a little more information you can have a nose at our Getting Started page.

English Faculty Library Tours

In addition to the central inductions, we’re also offering in-person library tours of the English Faculty Library. Each tour will last roughly 20 minutes, and will be led by a member of EFL staff. These will be offered throughout the day from Wednesday-Friday of 0th week (9th-11th October), every 30 minutes from 10am-11:30am and from 2pm-4:30pm.

These sessions are run on a drop-in basis – no booking required!

Library Displays: Handle With Care

Curated by Sophie Lay (Senior Library Assistant, Reader Services)

The Bodleian Oath is taken by all readers in the Bodleian Libraries, and it contains a promise not “to mark, deface, or injure in any way, any volume, document or other object belonging to it or in its custody”. This book display takes you on on a tour through not only some of the rule-breaking at the English Faculty Library, but some of the stories we can glean from damage in books, and how best to take care of library books as you use them.

If you’re interested in this topic, you may also want to check out the Book Marks display at the Weston Library!

Previous Display: James Baldwin, curated by Sophie Lay (Senior Library Assistant, Reader Services)

Opening Hours

We will soon be back in our term-time opening hours! As of Saturday 12th October, we will be open:

Monday – Friday: 9am – 7pm
Saturday: 10am – 1pm

Vacation Loans

All books that were borrowed for a vacation loan will be due back on Tuesday 15th October. These can be renewed as per the usual Bodleian rules (if they haven’t been requested by another reader and have been out for less than 112 days).

Contact Us

If you have any questions or need help with anything, our library staff will always be available during opening hours to speak with you.

You can also contact us via:

• Telephone: 01865 271050
• Email: efl-enquiries@bodleian.ox.ac.uk
• ‘X’ (formerly known as Twitter): @EFLOxford

All our details can be found on the English Faculty Library webpage.

Introduction

Trinity Term is always a long one, with exams and coursework and unpredictable weather. Congratulations on making it through to the end of it! Whether you’re leaving Oxford for the summer and heading away for a well-earned rest, or making the most of the quiet to get some good reading time in, the library is here to help you out. Read on for updates on information for finalists, details of vacation loans, our library closure period, and more!

Information for Finalists

Loans: If you’re completing your course this year, please return items on loan before leaving Oxford and prior to the expiration of your University card.

Print, Copy and Scan (PCAS): If you’re leaving us this summer, do use up any remaining PCAS balance as it cannot be refunded. On request, credit can be transferred to another PCAS account. Please email pcas@bodleian.ox.ac.uk if you need assistance.

Becoming an Alum? As an Oxford alum you can take advantage of a number of benefits, including free access to the Bodleian Libraries and certain eresources. Learn more at the link: Getting started: Alumni | Bodleian Libraries

Persuing Further Oxford study? Oxford students who are finishing an undergraduate/postgraduate course and continuing into further postgraduate study at Oxford may be eligible to have a Returning Students Card, which includes borrowing rights over the summer between your courses. For more information about this, please get in contact with us using the contact details listed below.

Library Displays: Dambudzo Marechera

Curated by Dr Tinashe Mushakavanhu (Junior Research Fellow in African and Comparative Literature, St Anne’s College)

This term, we’ve highlighted a display that explores the life and works of Zimbabwean writer Dambudzo Marechera, whose time in Oxford produced great literature but was undeniably difficult. The display contains a combination of items from within the Bodleian’s collections and items from Dr Mushakavanhu’s own collection.

Previous Display: Literature in Translation, curated by Leah Brown (Graduate Trainee).
Upcoming Display: English Faculty Library Open Day

Vacation Loans

Vacation Loans for the Bodleian Libraries are in effect as of Monday 10th June. This means that any English Faculty Library Loans you borrow/renew after this date will not be due back until Tuesday 15th October (unless your library membership expires sooner – in which case, the due date will be the date of expiry).

This means you can take your loans home with you over the summer, without worrying that they’ll be called back to the library!

Please note: Loanable offsite items may or may not be eligible for vacation loaning. Ask at the desk for clarification when borrowing.

Opening Hours

The English Faculty Library will be transitioning to its Vacation Opening hours from Monday 17th June – Friday 11th October. The English Faculty Library will be open:

OPENING HOURS:
Monday – Friday
9am – 5pm

Fixed Closure Period

The English Faculty Library will be closed from:

CLOSURE PERIOD:
Monday 12th August – Monday 26th August (inclusive).

Contact Us

If you have any questions or need help with anything, our library staff will always be available during opening hours to speak with you.

You can also contact us via:

• Telephone: 01865 271050
• Email: efl-enquiries@bodleian.ox.ac.uk
• ‘X’ (formerly known as Twitter): @EFLOxford

All our details can be found on the English Faculty Library webpage.

Introduction

Who’s ready to get stuck in for the third and final term of the academic year? We at the library are ready for your arrival, so if you can make it through the April showers and find your way down to the EFL, we hope these regular service updates will to keep you in the know. Read on for collection updates, library displays, and more…

Collection Updates

Did you know that there are a lot of borrowable items in the Offsite Store? We’re in the process of sending some of our lesser-used books to the offsite storage, but fear not, you’ll still be able to call them up and take them home with you the very next day (usually)!

When requesting an item from the offsite storage, you have to select a delivery location. Use in Library only materials can be ordered to ‘Read at’ locations (which are coloured orange) – these allow you to read a book within a variety of different reading rooms. However, if you see lots green ‘Borrow from’ locations, you’ll be able to borrow the items – select one of these, and you’ll be able to take the item home with you!

Please note: Sometimes, only one green ‘borrow from’ location will appear. When you see this, this refers to an EFL copy which is currently out on loan. If you need the book in a hurry, this may not be your best option! If it’s ever unclear about what you’re ordering, please feel free to get in contact with us and we’ll do our best to help and explain. Our contact details are listed below.

‘Read at’ locations are shown in orange, and allow you to order in an offsite book to be read in the library.

‘Borrow from’ locations are shown in green, and allow you to order a book in from offsite to be borrowed at the library desk

Library Displays: Dambudzo Marechera

Curated by Dr Tinashe Mushakavanhu (Junior Research Fellow in African and Comparative Literature, St Anne’s College)

This display explores the life and works of Zimbabwean writer Dambudzo Marechera, whose time in Oxford produced great literature but was undeniably difficult. The display contains a combination of items from within the Bodleian’s collections and items from Dr Mushakavanhu’s own collection. The timing also coincides with the unveiling of a new portrait of Marechera at New College; Dr Mushakavanhu will also speak at its unveiling.

Previous Display: Literature in Translation, curated by Leah Brown (Graduate Trainee).
Upcoming Display: Women in Science Fiction, curated by Leah Brown (Graduate Trainee).

Opening Hours

With the new academic term, the library will be transitioning to its term-time opening hours. From Saturday 20th April – Saturday 15th June, the English Faculty Library will be open:

Monday – Friday
9am – 7pm

Saturday
10am – 1pm

Contact Us

If you have any questions or need help with anything, our library staff will always be available during opening hours to speak with you.

You can also contact us via:

• Telephone: 01865 271050
• Email: efl-enquiries@bodleian.ox.ac.uk
• ‘X’ (formerly known as Twitter): @EFLOxford

All our details can be found on the English Faculty Library webpage.

Final Words

Trinity Term is often rife with exams, deadlines, and the usual end-of-year stresses. If there’s anything that we can do at the library to make your studying, research, or reading any easier, please don’t hesitate to ask. If nothing else – we’ve always got desk space and free WiFi!

Introduction

Congratulations on making it through Hilary Term! Isn’t it nice to see the sun still up in the early evening? We hope you’ll be taking some well-earned rest this vacation – yes, even if you’re sticking around in Oxford. For those of you who will be making use of the libraries this vacation, we’ve got a few service updates to help you keep abreast of what’s changing in the library. Read on for collection updates, library displays, opening hours, and more!

Collection Updates: Catalogue Stand & Oversize Items

In preparation for our move the Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities in 2025, we’re reorganising and reclassifying some parts of our collections. At the moment, these reorganisations are mainly happening in the Catalogue Stand and the Oversize section. E.g. What’s ‘oversize’ for the shelves here in the EFL, might not necessarily be ‘oversize’ for the new shelves in the new library!

While these sections are being reorganised, you may not find everything exactly where you’d expect to. If you’re struggling to find anything, don’t be afraid to ask a member of staff.

Library Display: Literature in Translation

Feel free to stop by the library and have a look at our latest display on Literature in Translation, curated by our very own Graduate Trainee, Leah Brown! This display follows a timeline of translations: from the Trojan War and its wide variety of classic and modern retellings, through to 21st Century writer Han Kang, whose Korean works have been translated into English and have resonated internationally.

Previous Display: LGBTQ+ History Month 2024, curated by Sophie Lay (Senior Library Assistant for Reader Services) in collaboration with the Oxford SU LGBTQ+ Campaign
Upcoming Display: Dambudzo Marechera, curated by Dr Tinashe Mushakavanhu (Junior Research Fellow in African and Comparative Literature, St Anne’s College)

Opening Hours

From Monday 11th March, we’ll be transitioning back to our vacation opening hours. The EFL will be open:

OPENING HOURS
Monday – Friday
9am – 5pm

Library Closure

The English Faculty Library will be closed for the duration of the Easter Bank Holiday weekend, from:

CLOSURE PERIOD
Friday 29th March – Monday 1st April (inclusive)

Vacation Loans

Vacation Loans have come into effect from Monday 4th March. This means that anything you borrow or renew on or after this date will be due for return in the first week of Trinity Term (starting 22nd April). These can then be renewed as per the usual Bodleian rules (unless they’ve been requested by another reader, or have been on loan for 112 days).

Contact Us

If you have any questions or need help with anything, our library staff will always be available during opening hours to speak with you.

You can also contact us via:

• Telephone: 01865 271050
• Email: efl-enquiries@bodleian.ox.ac.uk
• ‘X’ (formerly known as Twitter): @EFLOxford

All our details can be found on the English Faculty Library webpage.

Final Words

Whatever you’re needing this spring vacation – whether that’s the quiet study space to knuckle down or just a peaceful break – we hope you find it. And if there’s anything that we can do to make your studies or your research easier, don’t hesitate to get in contact.

Introduction

Dear readers, we’re slowly making our way back to term-time Oxford! The students are back, the Missing Bean will soon be open, and the EFL is ready and waiting to support you in all your research needs. We’ve compiled this short blog post of service updates to keep you informed about changes in the library. Happy reading!

Opening Hours

Late nights and Saturdays are back! From Saturday 13th January we are open:

Monday – Friday: 9am-7pm
Saturday: 10am-1pm

Vacation Loans

All books that were borrowed for a vacation loan will be due back on Tuesday 16th January. These can be renewed as per the usual Bodleian rules (if they haven’t been requested by another reader and have been out for less than 112 days).

Contact Us

If you have any questions or need help with anything, our library staff will always be available during opening hours to speak with you.

You can also contact us via:

• Telephone: 01865 271050
• Email: efl-enquiries@bodleian.ox.ac.uk
• Twitter: @EFLOxford

All our details can be found on the English Faculty Library webpage.

Final Words

Hilary Term has a sneaky habit of racing by. If you find yourself getting caught up in the swell of the term, don’t panic. Your friendly library team are always around to help out – pop by and see us or get in contact via one of the methods above. We look forward to seeing you back in the library soon!

Introduction

Congratulations on finishing the first term of the academic year! The vacation is upon us, and it’s once again a good time for hot drinks, hunkering down, and hibernating (or, y’know, hiding at home/in a quiet corner of the library and reading).

For those of you who are new to Oxford this year, you may notice a couple of seasonal changes in library operations throughout the year. We’ll always outline them in these service updates. So kick back, get cosy, and happy reading.

Opening Hours

We’re changing back to our vacation opening hours for the duration of the winter vacation. From Monday 4th December – Friday 12th January, the English Faculty Library will be open 9am-5pm, Monday to Friday – except for the closed period (see below).

Closure Period

The English Faculty Library will be closed from Friday 22nd December – Monday 1st January (inclusive).

During this time, our phones and email inbox will not be monitored. You’re welcome to leave us email queries which we will endeavour to respond to promptly upon reopening on Tuesday 2nd January. No loans will be due for return during this period.

Vacation Loans

Books that are borrowed on or after Monday 27th November are automatically on loan for the whole vacation. These will all be due for return on Tuesday 16th January (excepting members whose cards expire before this date). Aside from this, all normal loan policies apply.

Contact Us

If you have any questions or need help with anything, our library staff will always be available during opening hours to speak with you.

You can also contact us via:

• Telephone: 01865 271050
• Email: efl-enquiries@bodleian.ox.ac.uk
• Twitter: @EFLOxford

All our details can be found on the English Faculty Library webpage.

Final Words

We know you’re all busy, but we do hope you find some time to relax a little over the holidays. Take care of yourselves – we look forward to seeing you again in the new year!