Lisez-vous Français?: the library at the Maison Française d’Oxford

Posted on 13 March 2026 by catherinebirch — No Comments ↓

by Catherine Birch

The Maison Française d’Oxford (MFO) is a bit of a hidden gem – you might walk right past without knowing it’s there. It’s only twenty minutes’ walk from the city centre, and a short distance away from various university buildings, but most people aren’t aware it exists. I certainly wasn’t, until our trainee cohort got in contact with the librarian, who was kind enough to offer us all a tour.

We met Janet (the librarian) in the lobby, where she began our tour by giving us a brief overview of the MFO’s history and purpose. The Maison Française is a residential research institute at the heart of the university’s inclusive culture. It hosts an ever-changing cohort of international students and external academics, whose stays might last anything from six months to three years. It’s also open as a public library, and it frequently hosts exhibitions, conferences, and other events. It’s governed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in collaboration with the Universities of Paris and Oxford, making it a unique space among the rest of the university’s facilities. Notably, the Maison Française is not a Bodleian library, and it’s not associated with any particular college; it’s something all its own.

A wide shot of the interior of the library. The shelves are filled with french-language books on a variety of topics. There are sofas and tables for reading on. A portion of the new books table is visible. — *Books, old and new!*

A closer photo of the new books table and the shelves behind it. Books on a variety of topics have been arranged face-up on the table to display the title and cover. A sign says "New books Michaelmas 2025 and Hilary 2026", with the french translation above it. — *Books, old and new!*

Initial plans for a French cultural centre in Oxford date back to the start of the twentieth century, but it was only following WW2 that the project actually became feasible, and the MFO was founded in 1946 to consolidate British-French relations and to promote research collaborations across the Channel. These were humble beginnings: the original building was a tiny house rented from a college, there was only one British resident, and the library only had seventeen books in the collection! The project persisted, though, and a cohort of long-term residents and loyal readers slowly built up. The space slowly took on a unique role as a small French enclave in the middle of England, designed to emulate a Parisian bookshop in its atmosphere and its holdings. The early collections were mostly contemporary French literature, newspapers, and journals, although this began to diversify over time. This modern collection was very carefully curated to avoid overlapping heavily with the Taylor Institution, as the Maison Française wasn’t designed to be a subject library or teaching space, but a cultural hub. After two decades the collection had grown to over 17,000 items and the MFO moved to its current purpose-built location at 2-10 Norham Road.

Even having outgrown its unusual origins, the library is still a small operation, staffed by one librarian part-time. It’s far from the chaos of a college during term! Despite this, the main reading room has a friendly and comfortable vibe, full of quiet chatter. The little ‘open’ sign outside reminded us all of a bookshop, and that energy moves inside with you as you spot the new book display by the entrance and see what’s come in recently. Janet introduced us to the collections, showing us some examples of the original collection and highlighting how the range of material has evolved and shifted over time. While it’s a foreign language library, the collections aren’t limited to language and literary studies, and there’s books on just about every subject under the sun. This includes children’s fiction, and a few trainees were delighted to spot some of the Asterix books in the collection!

Janet then took us to the basement, where some of the lower-use items are kept. These include back issues of journals and newspapers, fragile books, and oversized items. There’s also a small archive collection tucked away in the basement, which mostly consists of institutional records and documents related to the institute’s past, but also some more unconventional objects. As part of its role as a cultural centre, the Maison Française holds a few patrimonial items on permanent loan, helping preserve aspects of Anglo-French culture and heritage. These items aren’t often brought out but can make for some very fun displays when they are – this death mask of Napoleon Bonaparte caught our attention. It’s not every day you come across an old French emperor behind the enquiry desk!

A death mask of Napoleon Bonaparte in a glass cabinet built into the wall. It is facing upwards (as though the person were lying on their back), and has a letter behind it in the case. A black and white architectural photo has been placed above the case as part of the exhibition on brutalism.

As mentioned, the Maison Française operates as a public lending library. It’s open to all readers equally, differentiating it from college and subject libraries, with a threefold user base of university members, external researchers, and the general public. Contending with the different needs of these groups is a careful balance, and the library really makes the most of the space and resources it has to keep readers coming back.

The MFO does have a collections development budget, and pretty much all the books they buy are ones that readers have specifically asked for (the list of requests gets longer every year!). In addition to this, a lot of their new material is also donated by academics, benefactors, or members of the public, which has really diversified the collection from its original focus on contemporary news and fiction. On average the library currently receives somewhere between 300-500 acquisitions a year – an impressive amount to process for such a small institute.

Janet also took us through some of their ongoing projects. Alongside the regular events, exhibitions, and seminars run by the wider MFO, the library is working to build links with schools and organisations around Oxford, to encourage language learning for children. The library has a wealth of children’s books and DVDs available to borrow, and they’re enthusiastic to share these resources more widely with the community. There’s also a long-term reclassification process happening, designed to rationalise at least six outdated in-house shelfmarks into one cohesive system (Dewey decimal, for anyone curious). This is a tricky process as there’s a lot of books to get through, and some items need their catalogue records amended during the process. The perils of accepting those large donations…

Speaking of donations, there’s good and bad news. The bad news is… some donated items never make it to the open shelves. In a small library like this one space is a constant issue, so weeding and careful stock intake is really important, because it ensures the open shelves are kept accessible and stocked with books readers actually use. While librarians would love to keep everything given to them, a lot of the time it’s just not feasible, and donated items might not enter the collection. (This applies to pretty much every academic library, not just the Maison Française.) The good news is… they’re free to a good home! The library has put together a free book table stocked with all the books removed from the collection, so that these items can find a new life somewhere else. According to Janet, it’s a very popular feature of the library, and even the most niche books end up being claimed.

With our tour finished and our libraries calling us back to work, the only thing left for the trainees to do was thank Janet for showing us around, register as readers ourselves, and pick out some books to borrow. Reading in French can be a bit of a challenge, but with a dictionary, a translate app, and a lot of determination, we’ll make it work.

The MFO’s collections are searchable on SOLO (although if you want to borrow anything, you’ll have to register specially), and they’re always ready to welcome new readers. For more information about the library and the institute in general, you can have a look at the Maison Française d’Oxford website, or head to Norham Road and take a look for yourself.

A photo of the outside of the MFO. It is a small grey brick building in a brutalist style, with a small front garden. The French flag and the EU flag are being flown from flagpoles on the roof.

A close-up shot of the front of the building where the words "Maison Française" are fixed to the brick.

P.S.

We’re aware that trainee interviews are coming up next week, and some of you might be last-minute prepping by looking through the blog. We hope this post gives you a good idea of the sort of opportunities you can arrange for yourself as a graduate trainee in Oxford! For more insight into the training, shadowing, and tours you have access to through a library traineeship, have a look at our ‘Training Sessions’ page. If you want to know more about what you’ll be doing day-to-day as a trainee, look at our archive of ‘Day in the Life’ posts from over the years. Finally, if you want some guidance on how the interview might go, look at this post on Library Interview Tips and Techniques from a few years ago. Good luck!

LGBT+ History Month 2026

Posted on 3 March 2026 by catherinebirch — No Comments ↓

A photograph of the towers of Exeter College and Lincoln College. Both colleges are flying the progress pride flag from their flagpoles.

Exeter and Lincoln College, taken on Turl Street.

A photograph of the entrance to Hertford College where the classic rainbow pride flag is being flown from the flagpole.

Hertford College, taken from Upper Reading Room.

February was LGBT+ History Month in the UK, and across the Bodleian we marked the occasion in style. This year’s theme was Science & Innovation, looking at the lives and contributions of past queer pioneers, as well as how science has impacted the LGBT+ community both positively and negatively throughout history. In this post we’ve gone through our libraries’ collections to pull out some key resources on queer history from the shelves.

LGBT+ History Month is a great opportunity to learn more about queer history and culture, but the learning doesn’t have to stop after four weeks. Visit your local library and check out some of the books we’ve highlighted, or do your own deep dive into the LGBT innovators of the past – after all, who doesn’t love going down a research rabbit hole? You can also visit the official Schools OUT website where they’ve prepared some resources, useful links, and an events calendar to get you started. Finally, we’ve signposted some Oxford events and resources at the end of the post, so keep reading!

History Faculty Library – Catherine

The trainees in the Old Bod & Rad Cam aren’t responsible for putting together our themed book displays, but our libraries still marked LGBT+ history month with a host of interesting books and e-resources.

The HFL’s open shelves are well-stocked with books on the history of sexuality and the history of science; finding the overlap between these subjects can be more challenging, but if you look out for them, you’ll find some fascinating stories. This year’s display focused particularly on biographies and studies of LGBT innovators, looking closely at the lesser-known parts of their lives and identities. As well as shining a light on queer historical figures and authors, our display looked at queer communities’ relationships with health and medicine over time. I’ve highlighted a few select works below, but for a full list of books on the display and topical e-books, check out the History Faculty Library blog and pick one out for yourself.

A copy of 'The New Negro: The Life of Alain Locke' by Jeffrey C. Stewart. The cover features a portrait of Alain Locke against a white background - he is an African American man with short cropped hair dressed in a white suit.

A copy of 'Before AIDS: gay health politics in the 1970s' by Katie Batza. The cover is a pink-and-purple toned photograph of drag queen Nurse Wanda Lust, with an inset of the performer Stephen Jones.

The New Negro: the life of Alain Locke by Jeffrey C. Stewart

Alain Locke (1885-1954) was a philosopher, author, and academic, best known for being the first African American Rhodes Scholar and for publishing an anthology on race, culture, and politics titled ‘The New Negro’. Locke was an intellectual activist and a strong proponent of racial equality but was not outspoken about his homosexuality in the same manner during his life, viewing it as a point of unique vulnerability. In this biography, Jeffrey C. Stewart provides a full overview of Locke’s experiences as a gay black man at the forefront of an intellectual movement, exploring his personal relationships and his long search for a life partner.

Leonardo: the artist and the man by Serge Bramly

Originally published in 1988, this translated biography attempts to reconstruct the mysterious life of one of the most famous innovators of all time. Everyone has heard of Leonardo da Vinci: the original Renaissance Man was a painter, an engineer, an inventor, an anatomist, a theorist, and more. However, a lot of knowledge about his personal life is speculative, second-hand, and subjective, including theories about his sexuality and his alleged trial for sodomy. This book explores Leonardo as an artist, looking at his astonishing scientific career, and as a man, musing on his relationships and his identity.

Before AIDS: gay health politics in the 1970s by Katie Batza

Many LGBT studies into the history of medicine focus on HIV/AIDS, and for good reason, but this book looks past that to find another significant story. It explores the well-established ‘self-sufficient gay medical systems’ which existed across America long before AIDS emerged. Born from fears of being outed or having their sexuality pathologised in mainstream institutions, gay health centres provided advocacy, advice, and treatment for queer men. Katie Batza follows these clinics from their foundation to the beginning of the AIDS epidemic, revealing how they helped shape the politics of health and sexuality in modern America.

Bodleian Old Library – Rebecca

While we didn’t have a dedicated display in the Old Library, there are plenty of hidden gems on our shelves. In-keeping with the theme for the 22^nd UK LGBT+ History Month, I’ve picked out some titles from and about LGBT+ scientists and innovators.

A copy of 'Berlin's Third Sex' by Magnus Hirschfield. The cover features two similar-looking people dressed in conventionally masculine and feminine outfits respectively.

A recent addition to the History New Books Display in the Upper Reading Room is a 2025 re-issue of Magnus Hirschfeld’s ‘Berlin’s Third Sex’. Hirschfeld established the Scientific Humanitarian Committee, the first gay rights organisation and advocacy group, as well as the Institute for Sexual Science. As a doctor, he employed scientific principles in the fight against homophobia and transphobia, even advocating for gender-affirming care.

Just to the right of the display, in the history of science section, you’ll find ‘The Very Idea of Modern Science: Francis Bacon and Robert Boyle’. Natural philosophers Bacon and Boyle were both instrumental in the development of the scientific method. There’s also evidence to suggest both men were gay, with the latter being one of LGBT+ History Month 2026’s featured historical figures.

A copy of 'Uncle Tungsten: memories of a chemical boyhood' by Oliver Sacks. The cover features a black and white photo of a middle-aged man and a young boy (presumably Sacks himself).

Oliver Sacks’ (first) autobiography, ‘Uncle Tungsten: Memories of a Chemical Boyhood’, can also be found here. It wasn’t until he published his second autobiography, towards the end of his life, that he spoke openly about being gay. Sacks was a Queen’s College alumnus and neurologist by trade. While perhaps best known for his polarising writings, he nonetheless led a successful medical career and co-founded the Institute for Music and Neurologic Function at the Beth Abraham Hospital.

Just downstairs, in the Philosophy Room, there are several titles relating to the renowned Judith Butler, author of ‘Gender Trouble’. Their work is certainly innovative, with their impact extending beyond feminist and queer theory into several branches of social science. Most notably, they founded the International Consortium of Critical Theory Programs. Butler is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns.

A copy of 'The Sociology of the NHS' by Margaret Stacey. The cover features a pair of surgical tongs holding a length of thread.

And finally, tucked away in the Lower Gladstone Link, you’ll find a 1974 issue of The Sociological Review’s Monograph Series edited by Margaret Stacey. Stacey was a sociologist, lecturer, and researcher. She was particularly active in the field of medical sociology, helping to re-conceptualise it as ‘a sociology of health and illness’. Aged sixty, she and fellow academic Jennifer Lorch became partners.

Taylor Institution Library – Jules

The Taylor Institution Library (otherwise known as the Taylorian), is the university’s Modern European languages and literatures library. As such, a ‘Science and Innovation’ theme is not particularly in the wheelhouse of our collections! Nevertheless, I did my best to highlight the LGBTQ+ History that is present on our shelves.

Here are the books I chose:

Strangers : homosexual love in the 19th century

Sophia Parnok : the life and work of Russia’s Sappho / Diana Lewis Burgin

Gendering the Portuguese-speaking world : from the Middle Ages to the present

A little gay history of Wales / Daryl Leeworthy.

Becoming lesbian : a queer history of modern France.

In a queer time and place : transgender bodies, subcultural lives / Judith Halberstam.

Queer roots for the diaspora : ghosts in the family tree / Jarrod Hayes.

Time binds : queer temporalities, queer histories / Elizabeth Freeman.

Polari, the lost language of gay men / Paul Baker.

Courtly and queer : deconstruction, desire, and medieval French literature / Charlie Samuelson.

Social Science Library – Summer

Unlike the Taylorian, this year’s theme of ‘Science and Innovation’ paired perfectly with our collections at the Social Science Library. The SSL is well stocked on books around LGBT+ political activism, anthropological and sociological perspectives, and the history of sexuality. For this book display, I drew upon books in the SSL and CSF which highlight the contributions made by LGBT+ scientists, inventors, and innovators across the social science subjects. I also selected material in the collection that reflects how science has sometimes been used to medicalise and pathologise LGBT+ identities, reminding us how we need to continue addressing these issues today.

I have included a selection of titles from the SSL book display here, but for a full list check out the Social Science Library blog post on the subject.

Unsettling queer anthropology: foundations, reorientations, and departures

The economic case for LGBT equality

Working-class lesbian life : classed outsiders

The autobiography of a transgender scientist

Sainsbury Library – Heidi

I really concentrated on the “innovation” part of the title when compiling my display, as it aligns well with the business school’s focus. I aimed to highlight technological developments, innovative ways of thinking, and innovators in their fields, all in relation to LGBTQ+ history.

The library’s LGBTQ+ Business Resources LibGuide proved an invaluable starting point for exploring the relationship between LGBTQ+ history and the business world. My subsequent research inspired me to divide my display into four groups – Businesses, Memoirs, Technology, and Economics – based on the broad themes I saw within the Sainsbury Library’s collections.

A full description of the display can be found on my Sainsbury Library Blog post!

The LGBT+ History Month display at the Sainsbury Library. This is the 'businesses' section, featuring books on organisations and corporations.

The LGBT+ History Month display at the Sainsbury Library. This is the 'memoirs' section, featuring books on innovators and individuals.

Signposting

Every LGBT+ History Month the University of Oxford hosts a flagship lecture, panel, or speaker event. This year’s event, ‘What about queer?’ was a panel discussion on the evolving use of the word ‘queer’ and its significance in academic, political, and cultural contexts. Keep a look out for a summary or recording, which will likely go up sometime in March. In the meantime, have a look at this recording of the 2025 lecture, ‘Losing and Finding Oneself Through Queer Poetry’.

If you’re looking for more recommended reading, take a look at these nonfiction reading lists prepared by the New York Public Library and Chicago Public Library – or if fiction is more your thing, have a look at these recommendations by Essex County Council and UCL.

Finally, for more library resources on LGBTQ+ history throughout the year, check out this LibGuide made by a former HFL trainee. There’s information on Oxford researchers working on LGBTQ+ history, guides to databases and archives, and a whole host of material organised by topic, time period, and format. Pick a subject and get reading!

Green Action Week 2026

Posted on 28 February 2026 by Rebecca — No Comments ↓

23^rd to 27^th February was the University of Oxford’s Green Action Week, and this year’s theme was: ‘The top 5 things to do for the environment’. 

Recently, I was certified Carbon Literate by The Carbon Literacy Project. Over two half-day sessions attended by colleagues from across the Garden, Libraries & Museums (GLAM), we discussed the causes and consequences of climate change, and explored opportunities to effect change in the workplace. At the end of the course, we pledged to take two actions: one as an individual, one as part of a group. So, Green Action Week has arrived at a perfect time as an opportunity to turn words into action!

Green Action in Libraries

In 2022, the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP) launched the Green Libraries Campaign. Since then, hundreds of libraries—including the Bodleian Libraries—have signed the Manifesto. We have also experienced three of the warmest years on record, reflecting a warming trend that spans over a century and shows no signs of abating.

A bar graph of showing an upward trend in annual temperature anomalies from 1940 to 2025. Blue bars below zero show relatively cooler years (1940-2005) while orange bars show warmer years (2005 onwards). — *Annual temperature anomalies compared to 1991-2020 (Our World in Data, 2026).*

Institutions in the cultural sector are uniquely positioned to shape the narrative of climate change through knowledge-sharing, preservation, and storytelling. The Museum of Climate Hope, for example, is a collaborative multimedia storytelling project featuring items from across six GLAM institutions, including the Sheldon Tapestry Map of Oxfordshire and Shikshapatri in the Weston Library. Community action and partnership form core aspects of the Green Libraries Manifesto. In the spirit of this, Green Impact teams are at work across the Bodleian Libraries and the wider University to further the University’s Environmental Sustainability Strategy.

Exterior of Schwarzman Centre. A cream-coloured limestone building with archways and tall windows, with flowerbeds in the foreground — *Schwarzman Centre © OUImages / John Cairns Photography*

GLAM finalised their Net Zero Strategy in 2024. That same year, purchases, electricity, and fuels constituted the largest sources of GLAM’s carbon emissions, totalling over 9000 tCO₂e. That’s approximately 1600 times the UK’s per capita greenhouse gas emissions in 2024 (5.6 tCO₂e per person).

Since then, we have made progress in several areas to mitigate emissions, particularly from fuels, electricity and waste. LED lighting was rolled out in museums alongside the replacement of gas humidifiers, while passive design strategies were trialled in buildings. In more recent news, the recently completed Schwarzman Centre has become the largest Passivhaus certified university building in Europe. GLAM continues to engage with the public through lectures, conferences, workshops and events.

In this post, we’ve showcased examples of green action in our libraries, along with items in our collections relating to environmental change.

Bodleian Old Library – Rebecca

Often, when we discuss climate change what we’re really referring to is anthropogenic climate change. That is, the climate forcing associated with human activities—such as fossil fuel combustion and land use change—that are collectively driving a net increase in Earth’s energy. We experience this as global warming. But the climate is inherently variable. It has been changing throughout the Earth’s history, albeit at a considerably slower rate than today.

Understanding how the climate has changed in the past is crucial to understanding how it’s changing in the present. Historical evidence exists not just in geological or biological forms, but also in proxy data (i.e. indirect observations) such as literature, art, and written records. For example, a study by Trouet et al. (2016) connected records from the 15^th to 19^th century of Spanish shipwrecks in the Caribbean to climatic changes affecting the tropical cyclone activity in the same period.

‘Greifswald in Moonlight’, 1817, one of several of *Caspar David Friedrich’s* *paintings that Zerefos et al. (2014) analysed in a study on red-to-green ratios in paintings produced following major volcanic eruptions (Caspar David Friedrich, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)*.

So, if you’re reading around climate change, don’t overlook our English Literature collection. Those of you interested in gothic literature may be familiar with the ‘Year Without a Summer’ (1816), a phenomenon that influenced contemporary works such as Mary Shelley’s ‘Frankenstein’ (1818). When Mount Tambora erupted in 1815, it ejected massive amounts of volcanic ash and aerosols into the atmosphere, resulting in global cooling. Fast-forwarding to the Industrial Revolution, Charles Dickens’ ‘Hard Times for These Times’ (1854) famously depicts the consequences of rapid industrialisation on society. Anthropogenic influences on the environment even emerges as a central theme in Virginia Woolf’s ‘Orlando’ (1928).

For a scientific perspective on climate change, there is a diverse humanities collection in the Gladstone Link, alongside a more modest history of science collection in the Upper Reading Room (e.g., ‘Historical Perspectives on Climate Change’). Meanwhile, in the Duke Humfrey’s, titles such as ‘Early Science in Oxford’ offer insight into the evolution of climate and meteorological research in Oxford.

But our penchant for preservation can be a double-edged sword. Decarbonising heritage buildings such as the Old Library and Radcliffe Camera (both Grade I listed buildings) proves troublesome owing to additional planning permissions and the risk of harm to features of historic or architectural interest. This doesn’t mean change is impossible. In 2014, the New Bodleian, a Grade II listed building, re-opened as the Weston Library following a three-year renovation project. Despite a major glow-up, 88% of the original façade was retained and key heritage features preserved. The contractors even repurposed 140 tonnes of salvaged stone from a former extension, bolstering the building’s sustainability credentials. The Weston remains a prime example, having earned several architectural awards including the Architects’ Journal 2016 Retrofit Award and the RIBA National Award 2016.

Art, Archaeology and Ancient World Library – Olly

The wide range of topics covered in the Art, Archaeology and Ancient World library means we have a lot of books about how the environment and climate crisis are portrayed in art, how historically people have interacted with their environment and how changing environmental conditions intersect with archaeological findings and the practises used in the field.

Archaeology intersects with the natural environment both by the practice of digging into the ground or searching bodies of water- and by using knowledge of climates, flora and fauna to glean information about what is found there. ‘Understanding imperiled earth: how archaeology and human history inform a sustainable future’(2024) argues that we can use archaeology to learn how humans have lived in their environment, and that this can inform how we navigate the climate crisis, changing distribution of species and biodiversity loss.

In our art and architecture collections we have plenty of eco-criticism books that interrogate how ecology and nature are used in visual art, and how interpretations can change amidst a climate and biodiversity crisis. ‘Picture ecology: art and ecocriticism in planetary perspective’(2021) and ‘The origins of the world: the invention of nature in the 19th century’ (2021) each cover eco-criticism in the art world, the former in a broad look at several disciplines, countries and time periods, and the latter with a focus on 19^th century European painting.

*S.G. Hughes / Thomas Talbot Bury – T.T. Bury (1831), ‘Coloured Views on the Liverpool and Manchester Railway’* *(Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain). ‘Architecture: From Prehistory to Climate Emergency’ (2021)* *features Liverpool as an example of industrial aesthetics.*

In our architecture collection we have literature to encourage thinking about the sustainability of our buildings- not just from a perspective of energy use and waste, but how buildings can be designed with a changing climate in mind. ‘Architecture: from prehistory to climate emergency’ (2021) tells the story of energy and architecture over the past 15,000 years, examining the energy used to construct them and how energy influenced their design. Given that the buildings and construction sector account for 37% of global greenhouse gas emissions and that the median thermal efficiency of houses in England and Wales is 68.5%, it’s vital that we think about how architecture interacts with the surrounding environment.

Managing the heating of a large building is difficult, especially when you have to consider the preservation of books. Despite this, at the Art library (thanks to efforts by our Finance and Administrator Officer Elisabet Almunia) energy use has decreased by approximately 60% from 2007 to 2025, and 2026 has had lower energy use for January and February than previous years. Changing our air handling units to work at lower capacity when occupancy is lower, reducing the number of humidifiers needed by replacing them with more efficient ones and replacing all lights in the buildings with LEDs has dramatically reduced the energy needed to keep the Art library running. We’ve also just set up a Green Team at the Art library, with one of our preliminary aims being to improve how users of the building, staff and readers alike, engage with their energy use.

Social Science Library – Summer

We’ve got an active Green Team here at the SSL, working hard this year to win a Gold Award in Green Impact, a UN award-winning environmental accreditation scheme. Green Impact is implemented across the University and GLAM (Gardens, Libraries and Museums), and provides a toolkit for staff and students to help meet the University’s mission of reaching net zero carbon and achieving biodiversity net gain by 2035.

To mark Green Action Week, we currently have a Green Action week book display up and are regularly posting sustainability tips for our readers on social media and the library’s display screens. At the moment, we’re particularly promoting plant-based eating, as food production accounts for around 25% of global greenhouse gas emissions. As staff, we’re also very good at making tasty vegan snacks for our team meetings!

The combination of geography, politics and refugee studies within our collection means we hold a wide range of books examining the climate crisis and the inherent inequalities in how it is experienced around the world. In ‘Just earth : how a fairer world will save the planet’ (2025), Tony Juniper explores how inequality lies at the heart of the lack of effective global action on climate change, highlighting the intersecting relationship between affluence and environmental destruction. In 2019, the richest 1% of the world’s population produced as much carbon pollution as the five billion people who make up the poorest two-thirds. Juniper argues that only by addressing wealth inequality and promoting a fairer society can we successfully tackle the climate crisis. He sets out a ten-point plan for change, emphasising wellbeing and sustainable consumption over a narrow focus on GDP growth.

Alongside works exploring policy and economic debates around climate action, the SSL’s refugee studies collection includes significant material on the growing plight of climate refugees and migrants. ‘Climate Migration: Critical Perspectives for Law, Policy and Research’ (2014) and ‘Immigration control in a warming world : realizing the moral challenges of climate migration’ (2018) both examine concerns about the future impact of climate-driven displacement. Estimates vary widely, projecting between 50 and 500 million additional migrants by 2050. In an age of rising anti-immigrant sentiment and increasingly restrictive immigration policies in the West, Keyserlingk, in Immigration Control in a Warming World, explores potential solutions that could help mitigate this growing crisis, while also critiquing current political inaction in the face of mounting evidence.

Looking Forward

Green Action Week may have come to an end, but the climate crisis continues to mount. While a little goes a long way, ‘quick wins’ only go so far in achieving decarbonisation. To achieve sustained reductions in carbon emissions, technological solutions must be accompanied by culture change. Hopefully, this post shows how everyone can contribute to the conversation and every voice counts.

If you’re looking for opportunities to get involved in climate action, check out Reach Volunteering and environmentjob.co.uk. For groups local to Oxford, see the University of Oxford’s Community Links.

Day in the Life of a Law Library Trainee

Posted on 23 February 2026 by Rebecca — No Comments ↓

Posted on behalf of Gemma Hammond.

08:30

The buses on Cowley Road were cooperating this morning so I arrive at work slightly early and make a cup of tea (in my fancy Bodleian-branded KeepCup) in the staff room.

08:45

I go up to the Information Resources office and log in at my desk, check my emails, and generally plan out my day. At the Law Library there’s two offices, on different floors: one for the Academic Services team (who do the more reader-based tasks, such as dealing with orders from the Bodleian’s offsite storage and teaching courses on legal research) and the other for Information Resources (where cataloguing and book processing goes on). Since I’m the only grad trainee at the Law Library this year I have a bit of a hybrid role – I’m based in the IR office but do some AS tasks as well.

Bookeye scanner with an open book on the scanning bed.

09:00

One of these AS tasks is fulfilling requests from the Bodleian’s Scan and Deliver service, where scans of book chapters or journal articles are sent out to readers by email. This morning there are four requests waiting on the Ready to Scan spreadsheet. I make a note of the books and their shelfmarks and then head into the library to pick them up. Back in the office I scan the requested chapters using the Bookeye scanner, which creates a searchable pdf. One of the scan requests is for a chapter that’s over 100 pages long, so this takes a while! I edit the scans to split the images into two so that each page of the book is a separate page in the document, then do a final check of the scan and send them out. Then I update the main scanning team spreadsheet with details of the request and the file name of the scan, so it can be found in case anyone else asks for the same chapter.

10:40

Break time. I go down to the staff room and have a snack and another cup of tea.

11:00

It’s time for a 2-hour shift on the front desk. I do a few front desk shifts a week, usually at set times. There’s always two of us on the desk at a time, apart from when one of us goes to do the count at 11:30. Since it’s term time the library is pretty full (73 readers in total today). On the front desk we loan out books from the Reserve collection that we keep behind the desk (the Law Library doesn’t allow books to be taken out of the library itself but these are the high-use books that we want to keep track of) and answer any general questions about how to use the library or where to find things. It’s not too busy so I also read a blogpost from 2012 about the creation of a database of the Law Library’s collection of late 19^th century and early 20^th century foreign theses (mostly in French and German). I’m working on these for my project so it’s good to get a bit of background about them, even though no one seems sure where they came from or when they turned up in the Bodleian.

A bookshelf with a row of yellow folders labelled 'JCT Contracts'.

13:00

Lunchtime. I bring a packed lunch and try to use this time for reading or getting better at cryptic crosswords. I’m looking forward to when the weather gets warmer/less rainy and I can go across the road to Holywell Cemetery for a wander.

14:00

After lunch I spend a bit of time making and printing out labels for two folders that contain supplemental pamphlets for a series of construction contracts. Over the last month or so I’ve been editing the records for all of the pamphlets in this series, which has helped me to get some basic cataloguing practice. Now the records for all 82 of them have been updated and once the folders have been labelled I can go and shelve them.

14:30

I help Natasha from AS put up a new book display on the theme of law and freedom of speech. We’re currently planning one on law and sovereignty, and a larger one on law and AI.

A six-by-three book display titled 'Free speech and the law'.

15:00

There’s a bit more scanning to do, and while I’m replacing the books after I’ve scanned them I notice some shelving that has built up so I do that too.

A shelving trolley filled with books. The books have lilac slips sticking out the top. — *This week’s VBD books.*

15:40

Time for another tea break.

16:00

I go downstairs to pick up the VBD (Virtual Book Display) books, which have just arrived. Every week the librarians choose the law-related titles from the list of legal deposit books that have arrived at the Bodleian that week, and they then usually turn up in the library on Thursday afternoon. I tick the books off on the spreadsheet so I can see which haven’t arrived yet, process them (put tattle-tape in them and stamp them with a Bodleian Law Library stamp), count them for our statistics, scan them into Acquisitions, and then put them on the shelf for the cataloguers to pick up. After they’ve been catalogued they’ll come back to me to be labelled and scanned out of Acquisitions, and then they can go onto the open shelves.

17:00

It’s the end of the day so I sign out on Teams and head home. It’s not raining!

Day in the Life of a Bodleian Library Trainee

Posted on 16 February 2026 by Rebecca — No Comments ↓

7:30am

Bright and early, I brave the drive to Park & Ride and jump on the next bus to the city centre. I use the bus ride as an opportunity to make good on my resolution to read every day (one I’m already failing at). I’m currently reading Elizabeth Kolbert’s ‘Life on a Little-Known Planet’.

8:30(ish)am

I usually arrive around this time, ready to start by 8:42am. I’m on the Main Enquiry Desk three mornings each week and today is one of them.

9:00am

1817 draft manuscript of Percy Bysshe Shelley's poem, 'Ozymandias'. — *1817 draft of ‘Ozymandias’ (Percy Bysshe Shelley, via Wikimedia Commons*).

Once I’m logged in, I start working through the Reader Services inbox.

Most enquiries are run-of-the-mill: how to navigate SOLO, how to join the library, finding a specific collection or resource, advance orders, donations, basic IT troubleshooting. Others, not so much. Just the other day, someone got in touch to request high-resolution images of the Shelley’s 1817 draft of ‘Ozymandias’ as a tattoo reference!

Then there’s the more technical enquiries, which we tend to refer onto teams who can provide specialist support – copyright, bibliographic maintenance, AI. Recently, I’ve updated the directory document to ensure we have up-to-date contact details and to make these easier to retrieve. Mostly for my own sake, as I inevitably find myself scrambling to find these while on the phone.

11:00am

Two hours sounds like a long time, but it flies by when you’re having fun. That is, when you’re falling down rabbit holes researching a writing desk that supposedly belonged to Charles Dickens, or speculating on the existence of ‘a blue room with a bust of Caesar’ in one of the many Oxford libraries (both actual enquiries). Now is a good time for a quick twenty-minute break before getting back to it.

11:20am

The desk is somewhat quieter than usual, leaving me with some time to work on other tasks and tidy up my personal inbox. Following a recent change to the Bodleian Libraries’ lending policies, University members are now permitted to borrow books published from the year 2000 onwards from offsite storage (with exceptions). As part of my project, I’ve been analysing fulfilment data to understand how this has impacted lending in the Bodleian Library, so I crack on with this.

Balliol College on Broad Street, Oxford. A row of old limestone buildings against a blue sky with a few clouds. — *Balliol College on Broad Street back in September.*

1:00pm

Just like that, my shift on the MED is done. I find a quiet corner in the Reader Common Room to have some lunch before heading out to stretch my legs. With the days still being short, it’s not often I get to see Oxford in daylight.

2:00pm

This afternoon, I’m on Banksperson & Delivery duty, which involves guiding the van, packing and unpacking totes, processing the delivery, and getting items to their respective reading rooms. The good news is there’s no rain. The not-so-good news it’s a small delivery, so there aren’t many interesting titles to remark on (like ‘Cooking Spinach‘ by Jane Grigson, a favourite from a past delivery).

3:00pm

As there’s nothing on my rota for the rest of the day, I head upstairs to the Upper Reading Room to catch up on odd jobs.

Recently, I attended the first of two half-day sessions of Carbon Literacy training. To obtain my accreditation, I need to submit a form demonstrating what I learned from the sessions, along with two pledges that I can action in the workplace. This is just one example of the many learning and development opportunities that trainees have access to as employees in the Garden, Libraries, & Museums (GLAM) division; there are many ways to tailor your trainee experience to your interests. I’m keen to see how my academic background aligns with ongoing work to decarbonise the GLAM division and broader heritage sector. I also use this time to work on some documentation for my main project and do some research for another side project I’m working on.

In between, I help a few readers with resetting passwords, using the printers, and finding books. Readers are still getting used to there being a circulation desk here in the Upper Reading Room, so it’s not uncommon to get confused people searching for their books.

5:00pm

And that’s my Friday finished – see you next time!

Day in the life of a History Faculty Library trainee

Posted on 9 February 2026 by catherinebirch — No Comments ↓

8:10

I dash out of the house to get the bus with my housemates, only to find it’s delayed again and there was no need to rush. One thing I’ve learned about Oxford is the buses are always late, except when you need them to be.

8:42

My workday officially begins! This morning I’m on the reception desk in the RadCam first thing, so I’m responsible for opening the Lower Camera. This mostly involves moving ladders, switching on computers, and making sure any books left over from yesterday are reshelved. Thankfully, everything is still neat and tidy from closing last night, so it’s quite a quick process.

9:00

The bells of St Mary’s toll and the library is officially open. Sometimes it takes a while for the library to fill up, but today there’s a line of readers all the way down the path as soon as we open the doors – term is definitely in full swing.

While on reception you’re responsible for answering enquiries and making sure people can access the library okay. Despite the constant flow of readers, it’s a relatively quiet shift: I help some people having issues with their university cards, direct one reader to Admissions to get a temporary access pass, and help someone looking for their lost property. In between queries, I pick out any lapsed items from the hold shelf and return them on Alma so they can go back to the CSF with the morning delivery. When we started offering offsite loans this year we had to double our holds space, and we’re still running out of room!

10:30

My desk shift has ended and it’s time for a little break, so I head to the reader common room to eat my belated breakfast and listen to a podcast. I’ve been enjoying No Such Thing as a Fish recently – I think every librarian needs a mental reserve of fun facts.

10:50

Break time is over, so it’s time to head down to the scanning area as I’ve been given fetching duty today. This involves collecting up all the books which are going to be scanned for readers this afternoon. Sometimes the list is quite small, but today it takes me to every reading room in the library! Thankfully, everything is on the shelf where it should be, so I can find it all quickly.

Having collected everything, I still have a lot of time to spare, so I mark out the requested pages in each book for the person scanning later. This helps me spot that one reader has asked for a chapter which doesn’t exist, so I email them the table of contents to clarify what they’re looking for. Copyright law restricts the amount of any given book we can send to readers, so it’s important to make sure people are getting the sections they actually want.

12:00

I’ve opted to take the later lunch slot today, which means I have some free time now. The library has really filled up with readers now and the reshelving trolley is looking quite full, so I decide to do some shelving, which takes me all the way down to the Lower Gladstone Link. Predictably, while I’m there a reader asks for help locating something in the Nicholson sequence (our complicated old shelf system), so I explain how it works and help them find their book.

12:20

I head upstairs to see if there’s any new books to process, but there’s none waiting for me. I decide to do some relegations instead – my manager has identified some books which can get moved from open shelves to storage, so I edit the item record and package them up to go offsite. The shelves in the HFL are constantly overflowing and we need all the space we can make!

1:00

Lunch time! I don’t dare face the tipping rain today, so it’s back to the reader common room with my sandwich and my water bottle. It can get quite packed in there around midday, because it’s the only space in the library where food is allowed, but luckily I’m able to find a seat.

2:00

This afternoon I’m scheduled to help with the book delivery in the Radcliffe Camera. The Old Bodleian and Radcliffe Camera combined get the most offsite requests by far, so we get our daily book deliveries direct from the CSF, and delivery duty involves transferring items from the van to the delivery room to the collection points. I help unload the crates of new books, scan them into Alma, sort them into loanable and self-collect piles, and move them to their appropriate shelves. Then, I collect any items to go back to storage, scan them out, and package them up for when the van comes tomorrow! The best part about this shift is spotting the different books people have called up – today the highlight is this collection of love spells.

3:15

After all that heavy lifting it’s time for another break – the rain has stopped, so I head across the road to Blackwells to have a quick look at what’s new.

3:35

To finish off the day I get on with some trainee project work. I’m currently working on improving accessibility for a grey literature collection which was housed in the History of Medicine library before it closed last year. Forty archive boxes of material ended up being sent offsite: my project involves designing a LibGuide to promote the collection, as well as creating a physical handlist for each box. For now, I’m calling up boxes from storage so I can inventory the contents, note any cataloguing errors, and digitise any particularly valuable items. It’s interesting work, especially when the collection throws surprises at you. For instance, the box I’m currently working on is entirely in German… which I can’t read.

4:30

Having finished going through one box quicker than I expected, I put my project away for the time being and start working on this blog post.

5:00

The evening staff arrive to take over, and it’s time to head home. As usual, I hurry to the bus stop outside the library, and manage to just miss my bus. Like I said, always late except when you need them to be…

Bones, Bugs, and Books: our foray into museum collections

Posted on 2 February 2026 by catherinebirch — No Comments ↓

by Catherine Birch

Did you know there’s (part of) a real dodo hidden in an Oxford library? How about the oldest pinned butterfly in the world? Or the first illustrated life cycle of an insect?

As we’ve said before, one of the great advantages of the traineeship is the training itself. As well as our scheduled sessions we’re encouraged to explore different aspects of library work, and there are loads of great opportunities for shadowing across the university. So, as a few of us wanted to learn more about other GLAM¹ careers, we decided to arrange a group visit to the Oxford University Museum of Natural History to see what goes on in a museum library. During a rare training-free week, we braved the winter chill to gather at the entrance and meet Danielle, the museum’s lead Librarian and Archivist, for a tour.

An external view of the Oxford University Museum of Natural History. It is a large Victorian building built in brown stone with a small grassy area in the courtyard.

Our intrepid tour guide took us to the site of the original library to start with, as she gave us a brief overview of the museum’s history. OUMNH was founded in 1860 with the intent to modernise and promote natural philosophy at Oxford. Previously, science faculties had been scattered across different colleges and institutions, usually without suitable teaching and research space. The museum was designed to house all these departments (and their collections) in one purpose-built location, with a 500-seat lecture theatre, specialised laboratories, and a large library.

The library in particular was designed as a grand intellectual space unifying art and science, in line with contemporary ideas about natural theology. The interior design was crafted to be educational as well as decorative, and while the layout has been altered significantly over time, parts of the original structure remain. This library wasn’t just for private study: it was used for teaching and hosting events too, and many famous feet trod the boards of the museum. Some actually visited before it was fully opened! The museum library was the site of Wilberforce and Huxley’s famous ‘Great Debate’ on natural selection, held before the collections were even installed.

Unfortunately, the lack of light and climate controls in this grandiose Victorian building meant it wasn’t the best space for preserving collections. The library was eventually moved to more suitable rooms on the other side of the building, and this space now holds the museum’s sizeable insect collection – the second largest in the country, with an estimated five million specimens! The Hope Entomological Collections (named for their founder F. W. Hope) particularly focus on historic material, and the museum even holds the world’s oldest pinned entomological specimen: a Bath white butterfly from 1702. We also learned about other gems of the collection such as the world’s largest known bee, Charles Darwin’s beetles, and an individual collection of 140,000 flies. These are all stored safely in their cabinets, protected from harsh sunlight and fluctuating temperatures which could damage them long-term. The perils of beautiful old buildings…

These insects aren’t managed by the library or archives staff as they need more specialist care, but they are available for viewing and study by appointment. Apparently, they’re a very popular topic!

Once we’d finished staring at drawers full of bugs, we left this room behind and headed to the new library. The bookstacks hold information on all the collections areas in the museum: zoology, entomology, geology, general natural history, and more! However, one unusual feature of the library is a total lack of plant biology. OUMNH doesn’t cover any botanical science, as they try to avoid significant collections overlaps with other university institutions. They coordinate their collection development with the Botanical Gardens and Herbaria (which hold all the university’s plant specimens and literature) and the Radcliffe Science Library (Oxford’s main science library), although a lot of their new material is donated rather than actively sought out. Danielle explained that this means a lot of the collection is highly specific and niche material produced by subject experts. The library also contains a lot of small-scale periodicals and amateur publications – in some cases, it holds the only publicly available copy of an item! While a lot of this content isn’t in high demand, it’s incredibly useful for in-depth research, and people travel from all over to consult the collections.

The upstairs shelves in the new library, filled with books and grey archive boxes.

More shelves downstairs in the new library, broadly identical to the upper level.

After this overview we learned about some of the ongoing projects within the library – mostly to do with organising the collection. As previously mentioned, the museum was originally designed to host all the non-medical sciences in one space. As each of these faculties gradually moved out, they left behind some of their books and papers, which got quietly absorbed into the wider library. While this was useful for expanding the collection, most of these items weren’t re-labelled or updated. This means the library now has a huge variety of shelfmarks and classification systems to contend with, which can make finding certain things a real challenge if you don’t know where to look! The library is in the process of a massive stock inventory and re-classification process to try and alleviate the issue but given the scale of the collection, it’s definitely going to take a while. Thankfully, the collection is fully catalogued, so all these items are traceable online. As trainees, it’s always interesting to see how other libraries manage their collections and what projects get prioritised; there’s always a million jobs to be done in a library, and never the time to do them all…

A metal, dome-shaped helmet with a brim. The letters OUM are painted on the front. It rests on top of a display cabinet containing a plaster cast of a human face).

After that, we moved into the next room to see the archive. Anything which isn’t a book or a specimen goes here, including historical photographs, research notes, old journals, and other relevant ephemera, as well as all the artwork on display in the galleries. If a specimen is in the museum, accompanying field notes are almost certainly held in the archive. The museum also has a smaller institutional archive for important documents and items related to the building’s history. We saw a photo of the museum when it opened, and a picture of the original bird display which featured the remains of an actual Dodo! These remains are still held within the collection (although not on public display), making it the only place in the world to still have a soft tissue Dodo specimen. The nature of archives means that all these items are rare or unique, and the collection is full of unusual gems like a (mildly creepy) cast of a face and an old professor’s shoes.

As a rule, every archive does have at least one item that nobody can quite explain, and this one was no different: Danielle showed us this unidentified old helmet which was allegedly pulled out of a taxidermized camel’s hump!

Now it was time for the really fun part: the treasures of the collection. Every librarian loves to talk about their favourite books, and we loved listening to it! We got to look through a lot of really interesting items, like a handwritten letter from Charles Darwin, the engraved trowel used to lay the museum’s foundations, a handmade eighteenth-century book of botanical and entomological art (left), and a book of butterflies which helped inform Linnaeas’ taxonomy (right).

An example page of entomological art, featuring a selection of different species of spider in a tree. — *Not your average library books!*

A page from 'the History of Four Footed Beasts and Serpents', containing an illustration of a unicorn and explanatory text. — *Not your average library books!*

My personal favourite was the first book on natural history written in English: ‘The History of Four-Footed Beasts and Serpents’ (centre).

Produced in London in 1658, the author Edward Topsell had actually never left England, and was working mostly from the descriptions of other naturalists. This meant he had never seen most of the animals he was drawing and describing… and it shows. The book features cats and hedgehogs alongside unicorns and lamiae, each with pages of detailed description. While the animals might not all be real, and some of the drawings are certainly questionable, the fact it’s written in English is historically significant, and it represents an admirable effort to compile and share scientific information.

Another particularly interesting find was the first nationwide geological map of Britain (or any country, actually). The map was produced by William ‘Strata’ Smith, a canal surveyor looking to make some extra money. Smith began noticing consistencies in the strata he saw while working: they were always arranged in a predictable pattern, and usually followed the chronological succession of fossil groups. In search of a way to represent his findings, he developed a detailed geological map of the area around Bath, which he later extrapolated into a map of the entirety of England and part of Scotland. He didn’t find much success or fame during his lifetime unfortunately, but he’s now recognised as the father of English geology and his work is still famous today. Fun fact: he produced each map individually and numbered them, so you can identify where he corrected his own work over time if you look through them in order.

Having seen all there was to see, we said our goodbyes and left, though not without a last glance at the galleries and a few photos of our favourite items. After all, is it even a natural history museum if you don’t see a dinosaur?

Two different dinosaur skeletons in the centre of the museum's main display gallery.

The real stars of the show

Oxford Museum of Natural History is a fascinating place, with over 150 years’ worth of collections and a rich institutional history. If you want to learn more about the items mentioned in this blog post, why not see them for yourself! The library covers a huge range of subjects, and the entire collection is searchable via the university catalogue and the museum website, with access open to anyone by appointment.

Gardens/Galleries, Libraries, Archives, and Museums ↩︎

Day in the life of a Sainsbury Library trainee

Posted on 26 January 2026 by crufth — No Comments ↓

8:00-8:40

On my journey to work, I start to think about how I’m going to organise my day. I usually try to split it into four parts, with a different project or goal for each section. It works well by keeping me busy and my work varied!

8:40-10:50

I’m not on the desk this morning, so I settle into the office and get started on my current favourite task: updating our LibGuides! The Business and Management LibGuide has information on databases and journals (which only occasionally changes), but our Hot Topics need more frequent attention.

A Screenshot of the Business of Arts LibGuide, with database and consulting firm links

The one I am currently refreshing is the Business of Arts, Culture, & Entertainment, which involves scouring the internet for books, news sources, and consulting firm insights to ensure MBA students taking this elective have up-to-date information.

10:50-11:10

I reach a natural stopping point and, deciding it’s time for a coffee, head downstairs to the café with my latest book in hand. Being able to order virtually any book from Offsite Storage has revived my love of reading after university, and I enjoy squeezing in a few pages whenever I can.

11:10-12:00

Back upstairs, I turn my attention to exploring a new database that the library staff have been given trial access to. The goal is to compare it with some of the databases we already subscribe to, to see whether it offers anything different or complementary. I spend the next hour clicking through its features, keeping it open in one tab while some of our most-used databases sit open in others, and jotting down notes as I go.

Photograph of a plate of food and a muffin

12:00-1:00

Lunchtime! Today I have roast pepper chicken with jollof rice, and a muffin for dessert. Thanks to staff discounts at the Business School, the whole lunch costs under £3 – a definite perk.

1:00-3:30

I’m on the enquiry desk for the afternoon, one of my three half-day desk shifts each week. I begin by bringing five Oxford Futures Library boxes upstairs and scanning them in on ALMA using our dummy patron ID. Part of my trainee project is working towards producing standardised catalogues for these collections, which means creating a record for every individual item.

Assortment of archive items including folders and cassette tapes.

I enjoy doing this task on the desk, as it’s easy to pause while helping readers, and there’s much more space to lay materials out than at my office desk. However, some archive boxes contain more than 30 items, so it can be a very time-consuming process.

3:30-3:50

Time for an afternoon break! I grab a green tea and take a short walk, passing the many statues that have recently appeared around the Business School.

3:50-5:00

The final part of the day is busy with enquiries, both by email and in person. Most questions we get on the desk relate to setting up accounts for databases and news sites, but there are always a few more unusual – and often very niche – data requests that come in by email. Between enquiries, I also set up our Personal Development library display, designed to support students with research skills, mindfulness, and productivity during Hilary term. Closing up is straightforward, as the library remains open for as long as the building does, so it’s just a case of tidying the desk and office before heading home.

Day in the life of an Art, Archaeology and Ancient World Library trainee

Posted on 22 January 2026 by Olly Marshall — No Comments ↓

08:30

Leave for work. I’m lucky to live walking distance from the Art library and don’t have to rely on public transport- the only things that slow me down are my own legs or crowds on Cornmarket Street!

08:45

Arrive at work. I pop up to the staff room to put my lunch away, probably get distracted talking to everyone else doing the same, then head to the front desk. At the Art library, desk shifts are usually 3 hours long, either in the morning or afternoon, and two people sit at the desk together.

An image of the front desks at the Art library. The walls of the room are yellow and are lined with wooden shelves.

Today I’m on desk in the morning, so I turn on the self-issue machine and login to a PC. Our Reader Services Teams chat is named after an animal and changes most days- and today I change it to Pleasing Fungus Beetle.