Weston Library Exhibition – ‘Wonder of Birds’ Book Display

Posted on 2 July 2026 by joannasoedring

Display of 18 books about birds with colourful covers. Topics include birdsong, nests, identification and migration.

To tie in with the Weston Library exhibition, Wonder of Birds (running until 3rd January 2027), we have created a pop-up book display located in the Social Science Library (SSL).

Inspired by The Book of Birds by Jackie Morris and Robert Macfarlane, Wonder of Birds celebrates the splendour of the birds around us at the same time as recognising the steep decline in bird populations across our skies in recent decades.

Following the ‘Seven Wonders’ of birds – nest, egg, beak, song, feather, flight, migration – the exhibition pairs the words and art from The Book of Birds with Oxford ornithological research and Bodleian collections to explore the beauty and mystery of these extraordinary creatures.

Exhibition highlights include John Gould’s Birds of Great Britain and John James Audubon’s Birds of America.

The book display in the SSL covers birdwatching, bird identification, nests, eggs, song and migration. You will find beautiful illustrations in many of the books.

The books are from the Bodleian Libraries’ Offsite Storage. They are for use in the library only and cannot be borrowed. You are welcome to remove books from the display to look at in the library and return them there afterwards.

You can find out more about this and upcoming exhibitions in the Weston Library on the Visit Bodleian website.

Celebrating the Summer Book Display

Posted on 23 June 2026 by joannasoedring

Three rows of books on the topic of summer activities, including travel, food, camping, walking and wild swimming.

Take a look at our new Summer Book Display for inspiration on making the most of the great outdoors this summer. Boost your wellbeing by spending time in nature and exploring new places. Topics covered include walking, travel, camping, wild swimming, summer crafts and seasonal vegetarian and vegan cooking. Here is a small sample of the titles available:

The books featured in the display are on loan to us from the Collections Storage Facility (CSF). They are for use in the library only and cannot be borrowed. Do feel free to remove them from the display to look at in the library and then return them there afterwards. The book display can be found around the corner from the Issue Desk in the Social Science Library.

Pride Month Book Display

Posted on 3 June 2026 by dawnyoung

Happy Pride Month from the SSL! To celebrate, our latest pop-up book display showcases the cultural movements and lived experiences of LGBT+ communities throughout the world.

We’ve included a range of books, from cultural works 100 Queer Poems and David Bowie Made me Gay, to the memoirs A Dutiful Boy and Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic, and books on activism such as Inside the circle : queer culture and activism in Northwest China and We can do better than this : 35 voices on the future of LGBTQ+ rights.

You’ll find the book display around the corner from our Issue Desk. Please feel free to browse the titles, some books are for library use only and others can be borrowed (by University card holders). All have a bookmark in them to tell you which are which.

To learn more about Pride month and the events happening around Oxford, visit the Oxford Pride website: Oxford Pride UK

Fairtrade Book Display

Posted on 19 May 2026 by joannasoedring

Photo of a display of 24 books on the topic of Fairtrade.

This week marks the launch of our new Fairtrade Book Display. In support of the University’s ambitious sustainability goals many departments are scrutinising their resource use and supply chains in pursuit of lowering carbon footprints and energy demand. Beyond just analysing these metrics, achieving sustainability also means considering the impact of resources we use on the places and people we import them from. The Fairtrade movement aims to address the economic impacts, attempting to foster fairer prices, safer working conditions, and other benefits for producers and farmers. Similar movements include the Rainforest Alliance, ETP (formerly Ethical Tea Partnership), and the Soil Association which each have their own focuses on nurturing sustainability across the world’s supply chains.

Many of the books we have chosen feature recognisable everyday Fairtrade mascots such as bananas and coffee, but we have also chosen books featuring less-obvious resources that the Fairtrade movement is concerned with like gold and diamonds.

Some books featured in the display are loanable books from the SSL’s own collection and can be borrowed as usual. Others are for use in the library only and cannot be borrowed. Do feel free to remove them from the display to look at in the library and then return them there afterwards. Each book has its own bookmark indicating whether it can be borrowed or not.

Exam Support Pop-Up Book Display

Posted on 13 May 2026 by summermainstonecotton

With Trinity Term upon us, we thought it was a good idea to compile a display of useful books on how to study effectively and support your wellbeing. We have chosen a selection of texts to help across the different assessments you might be taking; from How to handle your exam nerves: study tips and healthy habits for confidence and success to The PhD viva : how to prepare for your oral examination.

The image shows the Exam Support Book Display case. The grey display unit holds 4 shelves of books on study skills, wellbeing, and poetry, along with a poster advertising the display.

Trinity term, with the build-up to exams and deadlines, can be a very hectic and stressful time for students and staff. It’s important to take time for your own wellbeing and to schedule in regular study breaks. To help with this, we have included a number of lighter reads, including poetry anthologies and tasty recipes to provide a welcome distraction!

Image depicts wellbeing corner in the Social Science Library. There are 3 blue arm chairs with pink cushions with a coffee table in front of them. On the coffee table there is a jigsaw puzzle, mindful colouring books, coloured pencils, and 3 puzzle books. In the corner there is a large plant.

Did you know that we have a Wellbeing Corner in the SSL? Located behind the reader PC area is a space where readers can take some time to relax while visiting the library. In our Wellbeing Corner you will find:

Mindful colouring books and colouring pencils
Puzzle books
Origami material and instructions guides and books
Jigsaw puzzle

Oxford Books Pop-Up Book Display

Posted on 31 March 2026 by summermainstonecotton

Here at the SSL, we’ve been inspired by the Oxford Literary Festival to explore the many books based in the city or written by Oxford alumni. As we near the Easter weekend, why not pop by the SSL and browse our new pop-up book display to get inspiration for a bank holiday read?

Image shows the Oxford Books Book Display case. The grey display unit holds 4 shelves of books either based in Oxford or by authors who attended Oxford University, on top of the cabinet is a poster advertising the display.

From J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit to Helen Fielding’s Bridget Jones’s Diary, Oxford alumni have published a wide array of fiction. If you’d prefer to get lost in the fictional streets of Oxford, why not check out Philip Pullman’s Lyra’s Oxford or Deborah Harkness’s A Discovery of Witches.

Weston Library Exhibition – ‘Pets & their People’ Book Display

Posted on 17 March 2026 by summermainstonecotton

To tie in with the Weston Library exhibition titled Pets & their People (running until 27th September 2026), we have created a pop-up book display located in the Social Science Library (SSL).

Image shows the Weston Library Exhibition Display case. The grey display unit holds 4 shelves of books on animals and pets. The exhibition poster is on top of the case with the image of a cat wearing a red bonnet and the title 'Pets & their People'.

The exhibition in the Weston Library explores how the relationship between humans and their pets has evolved over 10,000 years of domestication. It asks: how has the special bond between owners and pets changed, and what does this reveal about who we are?

People & their Pets invites you to explore depictions of pets and human/animal companionship in stories, imagery, and poetry in the Bodleian’s collections. From the letters that inspired The Wind in the Willows and a rare first edition of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, to one of the earliest recorded depictions of an assistance dog for the blind, the Bodleian is filled with animal treasures. The book display in the SSL highlights the wide array of animal literature and non-fiction books in the Bodleian’s collections, from Roald Dahl’s Esio Trot to Helen Macdonald’s H is for Hawk.

The book display contains books from the Collections Storage Facility (CSF). The items from the CSF are for use in the library only and cannot be borrowed. You are welcome to remove books from the display to look at in the library and return them there afterwards.

You can find out more about this and upcoming exhibitions in the Weston Library on the Visit Bodleian website.

Spring Wellbeing Book Display March 2026

Posted on 13 March 2026 by summermainstonecotton

Daffodils are out, Bees are buzzing, and Cadbury’s Creme Eggs are being eaten (outside the library of course), which must mean it’s time for the Spring Wellbeing Book Display.

Image shows the Spring Wellbeing Book Display case. The grey display unit holds 4 shelves of books on nature, recipes, and exploring Oxford and a poster advertising the display. The display is decorated with yellow origami daffodils, butterflies, and Easter chicks.

Why not take a break from studying and explore our array of spring and nature books on our new pop-up book display? From spring recipes and gardening books to The Secret Garden and a poetic ode to The Nightingale, we have books for all your springtime wellbeing needs.

Mindful colouring books and colouring pencils
Puzzle books
Origami material and instructions guides and books
Jigsaw puzzle

Women’s History Month 2026

Posted on 3 March 2026 by summermainstonecotton

Join us this March as we celebrate Women’s History Month in the Social Science Library (SSL) and mark International Women’s Day on 8 March.

Women’s History Month aims to celebrate the achievements and contributions of women across the world, while also recognising the ongoing fight for gender equality. Despite extraordinary progress in the 116 years since International Women’s Day was first marked, significant inequalities remain.

As of March 2025, 122 million girls are still out of school globally, and women hold just 64 per cent of the legal rights that men have worldwide. These figures remind us why continued activism remains essential.

Image shows Women's History Month book display featuring 4 shelves of relevant titles from across the social science subjects.

At the SSL, we have curated a book display that highlight the triumphs and achievements of women across the social sciences and beyond – from works on early pioneering female anthropologists to studies books exploring the writings of medieval women.

Alongside titles from the SSL’s own collection, we have included works from the Collections Storage Facility (CSF) that explore Women’s history more widely. Some of the books on display are available to borrow, while others are for use in the library only — please ask a member of staff if you are unsure

Green Action Week Book Display

Posted on 24 February 2026 by joannasoedring

A collage of colourful book covers with the titles 'Climate change: what everyone needs to know', '123 seriously smart things you need to know about the climate', 'Mend it, wear it. love it!', '365 ways to save the planet', 'Living plantfully', 'Wilding' 'The hidden world', 'How to repair everything' and 'How bad are bananas?

To celebrate Oxford University’s Green Action Week from 23-27 February 2026 we have put together a display of books covering climate change, nature and sustainable living. You can find the book display around the corner from the Issue Desk and it will be in place until 8 March.

Some of the books are from the SSL’s collection and can be borrowed. Most of them are on loan to us from the Collections Storage Facility (CSF). They are for use in the library only and cannot be borrowed. Do feel free to remove them from the display to look at in the library and then return them there afterwards.

If you can’t make it to the library the books on display are listed here:

Social Science Library

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Category Archives: Pop-Up Book Display