Holiday access. Your mobile library

Featured

Posted on 19 June 2026 by kharris

Library opening times

From Monday June 22nd, the Radcliffe Science Library (RSL) will move to a vacation timetable for the summer. The library will remain open in line with these revised hours until the start of Michaelmas term.

Summer Lending

Books borrowed during this period have an extended loan and are not due back for the whole summer! They will not be due for renewal or return until the start of the Michaelmas term (exclusions may apply).

Readers whose time at Oxford will come to an end over the course of the summer will continue to be able to borrow books, the expiry date for such loans will be set in line with the validity of your Bodleian Libraries card.

Accessing Library Services from home (or the beach!)

Not being at the library no longer means not having any access to the library. Using your Oxford University Single Sign On (SSO) you will be able to access a huge variety of the library’s resources from home or wherever you should find yourself over the long summer months.

A girl in a sun hat is on the phone. Her hand is clasped over her face like she has just remembered something she forgot to do. She is kneeling on that sand with her lap top in her lap and a large suitcase to the left of her. The background is an expanse of sea meeting the sky — Forgot to download that journal? No problem

SOLO

Search for the books you need and apply filters to access those titles that are available online. As you will have seen in the RSL’s ‘New Resource’ promotions this year, we have been securing extensive new eBook collections, across our subjects, to support convenient access to the titles you need.

ORLO

Oxford Reading Lists Online (ORLO) brings together reading lists from all subjects and can be accessed and searched at anytime using your SSO.

Journals

You can access journals electronically through SOLO and Browzine. Browzine provides access to all electronic journals that the Oxford University subscribes to, from 2005 onwards. From Astronomy to Zoology we have you covered.

Databases

Database access is also available through SOLO. You can filter your resources to Databases in your search or use the Database A-Z function on the home page. Overall there are almost 2000 accessible Databases.

Subject & Research guides

The A-Z Subject guides provide a summary of the tools to support your work in each area including details of key journals and Databases.

Guidance for researchers provides insights on services, materials and tools for researchers in all disciplines.

Screen shot from the SOLO system showing a search for accessible online material on Summer Holidays — Available wherever the Green online access sign shows

A Screenshot showing the landing page of the Browzine system. Subject titles appear on the left to refine sources, the middle of the screen is an image created using the covers of several different journals — Available wherever the Green online access sign shows

Help & Assistance

Reader Services remain available to support you either in person or virtually throughout the holiday season when the library is open. The desks will be staffed as usual and, whether you are physically in the library or now working remotely, you can address any queries via e-mail enquiries.rsl@bodleian.ox.ac.uk or use the Live Chat function between 9am – 5pm on weekdays. You can access Live Chat via SOLO or on the RSL homepage

Our specialist Subject Librarians will continue to be be available to support those readers who remain in Oxford over the summer, annual leave excepted.

Whether your research will continue uninterrupted, you’re enjoying the vacation away from college or your time at Oxford is coming to an end, we hope that you and your families enjoy a wonderful summer and thank you for choosing the RSL in 25/26. We’ll look forward to continuing to welcome readers in person throughout the summer months and supporting those whose work goes on remotely.

Screen shot showing the Bodleian Live Chat system on the SOLO homepage — Live chat from 9am-5pm weekdays

The top half of a woman's face is hidden behind sunglasses. Blurred in the foreground are her knees and the laptop she has propped up . The background shows palm trees and a structure that illustrate a beach setting — Live chat from 9am-5pm weekdays

New Trial: Coherent Digital Applied Science Modules

Posted on 22 April 2026 by kharris

New resource trial at the Radcliffe Science Library

The library is currently trialling a new resource to help researchers locate grey literature across a range of scientific disciplines. Grey literature refers to materials produced by organisations such as charities, governments, and businesses, outside of traditional academic publishing. It includes works such as reports, technical papers, blogs, theses, pamphlets, white papers and clinical guideline documents. Grey literature is often difficult to locate. It is not usually indexed in major databases, is scattered across organisational websites, and can disappear from the web without warning. It can contain valuable data and evidence not published elsewhere that can inform research. Grey literature is often required in systematic reviews and similar comprehensive literature review projects. To address these challenges, the library is trialling several Coherent Digital Applied Science Commons modules.

Coherent Digital Applied Science Modules

Until the 30^th of May, all Oxford members have access to Coherent Digital Applied Science Commons modules in ‘Environmental Sciences’, ‘Psychology’, and ‘Computer Science, Data, and AI’. The modules make it easier to search for grey literature by –

Consolidating documents from hundreds of organisations.

Archiving full-text documents at risk of deletion.

Creating stable, permanent links for citing grey literature.

Providing a sophisticated search interface to help pinpoint relevant material efficiently.

We encourage researchers to explore these resources during the trial and provide feedback. This will help inform our decision on subscribing to one or more modules.

Access the modules online

These modules can all be accessed online:

Applied Psychology

Computer Science, Data and AI

Applied Environmental Science

Screen shot from the home page of the Applied Psychology collection — Applied Psychology

Screen shot from the home page of the Computer Science, Data & AI collection — Applied Psychology

Help & Tutorials

To get started with, and learn more about using, this new resource, you can use the following guide to Coherent Digital Applied Science modules and search tips for using the modules

Please provide your feedback

Please complete our short feedback survey for the trial to share your views. You can share your feedback until the 3^rd of June.

If you prefer to send your feedback via email or have any questions about the trial, please contact oliver.bridle@bodleian.ox.ac.uk

Holidays are coming, holidays are coming….

Posted on 10 December 2025 by kharris

Before you go

As we move past the end of the teaching term, thoughts start to turn to the holidays or, as we know many of you like to call it, working from home!

The RSL is now open in line with the vacation timetable until Sunday 18th January, this includes a Christmas break between the 24th December & 1st January (inclusive) where the library will be closed.

Books borrowed during this period are taken on extended terms and will be due for return or renewal the first week of Hilary Term (exclusions may apply).

Help & assistance

Accessing library services from home

Gone are the days when being unable to visit the library meant that you could not access the library….. Using your Oxford University Single Sign On (SSO) you are able to access a huge variety of resources from the RSL at home (or indeed wherever you may find yourself this holiday season).

Solo

Search for the books that you need and apply filters to access those titles that are available online, wherever you are.

Screenshot of a search in the SOLO system. It features a festive Santa Claus query in the search bar and three listings for books. Each has a flag highlighting that they are available online

ORLO

Oxford Reading Lists Online (ORLO) brings together almost 200 reading lists and can be accessed and searched at anytime using your SSO.

E-Journals

You can access E-Journals through SOLO and Browzine. Browzine provides access to all journals licenced by Oxford University from 2005 onwards

Screenshot of the Browzine search facility. On the left of the screen is an alphabetical list of subjects starting with Arts and humanities. The Central image is a collage of magazine covers illustrating the large collection of journals all stored in one place.

Databases

Databases are also accessible through SOLO. You can filter your resources to Databases in your search or use the Database A-Z function on the home page. Overall there are almost 2000 Databases available including our recently publicised new resources – the Global Health Archive and the Science of Synthesis.

Subject & Research guides

Like a dog, Subject & Research guides are not just for Christmas (!) but this a handy time to remind people of these resources at your disposal. The A-Z Subject guides provide a summary of the tools to support your work in each area including details of key journals and Databases.

Guidance for researchers provides insights on services, materials and tools for researchers in all disciplines.

We hope that you all have a fantastic holiday and wish you and all of your families the very best for a happy and prosperous 2026.

A cat and two dogs sat in front of a Christmas tree wearing festive headgear

ORA AI Collection

Posted on 29 February 2024 by rachelc

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning have existed as areas of research for many years but recently these areas have come to the forefront in research in many different disciplines. There are many departments and groups across the University of Oxford that are using and developing AI tools in their research. Many of these research projects have practical applications in medicine, the environment, business and many other areas of society.

Image shows many bubbles cascading out from a central, larger sphere.

Image created by Nidia Dias as part of the Visualising AI project launched by Google DeepMind. Free to use under the Unsplash License

The Bodleian Libraries have recently launched the ORA (Oxford Research Archive) collection on Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning available from the homepage of ORA (Oxford Research Archive), the institutional repository for the University of Oxford.

The ORA AI collection gathers AI-related research on many journal articles, conference papers, working papers, preprints, and more – produced by the members of the University of Oxford and mostly available in full text on ORA. The ORA AI homepage also provides links to Oxford AI-related research activities and to research information included in a range of other platforms.

Image shows the sillouette of a human head with scientific symbols.

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC 4.0

To mark the launch of the ORA AI collection, an event showcasing current research on AI and Machine Learning from DPhil students and early career researchers will be held on the 19^th March, 10 -11.30am in the Taylor Institution.

New Resource – Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science

Posted on 19 January 2024 by rachelc

New online resource

Exciting news for all those interested in the field of Biology and Experimental Psychology, we have now arranged access to a new online resource, the Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science by Shackelford and Weekes–Shackelford.

What is it?

This comprehensive, twelve volume reference work reflects the interdisciplinary influences on evolutionary psychology and serves as a major resource for its history, scientific contributors and theories. It offers the full breadth of an area that is the forefront of behavioural thinking and investigation.

Photograph of four different humanoid skulls with annotations.

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY

Who is this for?

This resource will be of interest to Students and researchers in Biology and Experimental Psychology.

How can I access it?

This book is available through SOLO. To access this off campus use the VPN or sign in to the journal platform with your Single Sign On (SSO).

Check out our Resource of the Month – IEEE Xplore

Posted on 1 December 2023 by catherinedockerty

The RSL has a huge collection of physical and electronic materials. We have so much that we wanted to shine a spotlight on some of our items whether recently added or an existing collection item. The resources are recommended by our knowledgeable subject librarians who are excited to show off parts of the collection for their subject.

This month’s selector is:

Alessandra Vetrugno

Ale has selected IEEE Xplore

Brief Description

IEEE Xplore is a digital library and online platform provided by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). It provides access to more than 5 million documents including journals articles, conference publications, standards, and other resources in the fields of electrical engineering, electronics, computer science, and related disciplines. The platform offers powerful search and discovery tools to find and access its content efficiently.

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Who is this useful for?

The platform is primarily useful for students, researchers, and academics the fields of electrical engineering, electronics, computer science, biotechnology, power and energy, and other technologies. It is also relevant for researchers in other areas with an interest for technology-related research and education.

How can I access it?

The IEEE Xplore platform is available through the Oxford Libraries catalogue SOLO. To access it off campus use the University VPN or sign into the platform via SOLO with your Single Sign On (SSO).

While you’re away from Oxford – summer vacation 2023

Posted on 14 June 2023 by catherinedockerty

Radcliffe Science Library staff would like to wish you a great summer vacation, and look forward to welcoming you back to the newly refurbished RSL in Michaelmas term.

While you’re away from Oxford, we have a wealth of online resources to enable you to continue your studies remotely.

SOLO

You can access the full text of many resources via SOLO when logged in with your Single Sign-On (SSO) ID – look for the green Online access icon to find these.

E-books

The Bodleian Libraries have a large number of e-books which can be accessed via SOLO as detailed above.

If a book you need is not available as an e-book, then we may be able to purchase one – complete the book recommendation form to put in your request.

Oxford Reading Lists Online (ORLO)

ORLO provides 24/7 access to reading lists from a range of devices via your Oxford Single Sign-On ID.

E-journals

All e-journals can be found on SOLO.
BrowZine provides access to journals licensed by the Bodleian Libraries from compatible publishers from 2005 onwards.

Databases

All of Oxford’s databases are accessible via SOLO (filter by Databases under Resource Type) and also via Databases A-Z.

LibGuides

LibGuides list key subject-specific resources, including e-books, e-journals, databases and other resources available online.

Key LibGuides for science and medicine:

BrowZine for Research

Posted on 11 May 2023 by rachelscanlon

BrowZine is a tool that brings together online journals from multiple publishers and platforms. It allows seamless access to content licensed by the Bodleian Libraries including 1000s of articles and 100s of platforms. It has been integrated with SOLO so with one click you can

Download a PDF of the article
Go to the article on the web
View the contents page of the journal issue

BrowZine is very convenient for browsing as it breaks down journals into familiar subjects. When you click on one of those subjects you will see a list of categories within that subject. So you can look at all the journals under Engineering and Technology or you can select a category like Chemical Engineering. There are more subcategories within that if you are researching in a specific area.

Screenshot of the Browzine Homepage showing a a list of subjects down the left side. "Engineering and Technology" has been highlighted. Most of the screen is full of covers of well known academic journals.

There’s a list of subjects on the BrowZine homepage such as Engineering and Technology.

Screenshot of Browzine Showing the subject "Engineering and Technology". Beneath that text is a list of categories related to engineering. On the right hand side is a grid of Engineering journals showing the journal cover and title.

Within Engineering and Technology there are subcategories including Chemical Engineering

Additional Features

But wait there’s more… If you set up a personal account on BrowZine you gain access to additional features. My Bookshelf can be used to track your favourite journals and you can save your favourite article in My Articles.

BrowZine has access to the electronic journals that University of Oxford subscribes to since 2005. For older articles and journals you can browse SOLO or just click on See All in BrowZine and it will open that journal in SOLO.

BrowZine

Posted on 14 March 2023 by rachelscanlon

Download a PDF of the article
Go to the article on the web
View the contents page of the that journal issue

: Download PDF of the article

: View article on the web

: View Contents of Journal Issue

If you prefer to access content on your phone or tablet you may prefer to use the BrowZine app. This can be downloaded from the Android and Apple App Stores and can be used on All iPads, iPhones and iPod Touches with iOS v8.x+ ; Android Tablets and Smartphones with OS v4.1+ and on Kindle Fire HD Tablets.

Try the App

Getting the app is very easy. Simply,

Download the BrowZine App from the app store for your device
Choose Library (select University of Oxford)
Login with your Single Sign On (SSO)
And start browsing 100s of journals

Additional Features

New Journal – Science Robotics

Posted on 23 January 2023 by rachelscanlon

New Journal

Exciting news for all those interested in the field of robotics we have now arranged access to a new journal Science Robotics.

What is it?

Science Robotics publishes original, peer-reviewed, science- or engineering-based research articles that advance the field of robotics. This multidisciplinary journal covers emerging trends such as bio-robotics and the use of advanced materials as well as the traditional areas of robotics. It covers micro and nano robots to large scale systems and everything in between. Theoretical and practical research are both covered and it promotes reproducibility, facilitated by online supplementary materials and design/code repositories. It covers many sub disciplines including Bioinspired Robots, Robotics for Human Augmentation, Nanorobotics and Robotics and Medicine.

Who is this for?

This journal will be of interest to anyone researching robotics, potential use for robotics in medicine or anyone who uses robotics in their research projects.

How can I access it?

This journal is available through SOLO Science Robotics. To access them off campus use the VPN or sign in to the journal platform with your Single Sign On (SSO).