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.
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.
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.
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
If you are an Oxford University student or staff member and need to access library resources while you are away from Oxford, follow our tips below:
Remote access via SOLO
Access e-books, e-journals and databases remotely by logging in to SOLO with your Single Sign On (SSO) Take a look at the Bodleian Libraries SOLO Guide for further information.
Live Chat
For help with finding and using items on SOLO, you can also get immediate assistance via SOLO Live Chat during working hours (outside of the Bodleian Libraries Easter closure period – see below)
Look for the chat box to the right of the SOLO webpage.
Most postgraduate reading lists are available on Oxford Reading Lists Online ORLO and scans, online articles and e-books can be accessed there. Take a look at the ORLO reading lists webpage for further information.
Scan & Deliver
Scan & Deliver is a free electronic document delivery service which enables you to obtain scans of book chapters or journal articles via email from the Bodleian Libraries’ print collections. Note that this service will closed for the Bodleian Libraries Easter Closure Period – see below.
Online Subject Guides
Browse our online Subject Guides to find subject librarians’ specialist support and resources for your research and studies.
Oxford researchers are warmly invited to trial Notable Individuals of British Communism, 1886-1997 via SOLO. This collection is drawn from the personal papers of a multitude of Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB) activists throughout the twentieth century. This includes those at the heart of party (such as full-time “national organisers”), “full-time” CPGB activists such as Mariam Ramelson and Jack Dunman, and peripheral figures who supported the communist cause (such as Labour MP Dennis Nowell Pritt).
The works of trade unionists are featured extensively, and the papers of Peter Kerrigan and Arthur Horner shed light on the activities and campaigns of the Amalgamated Engineering Union and the Welsh Miners Federation, respectively.
The collection houses material from regions ranging from colonial Africa to war-torn Northeast Asia. The collection also hosts material related to militant activism, with biographical material concerning British volunteers in the Spanish Civil War, as well as accounts of those who fought against fascism in the Second World War.
Each month, one of our Subject Librarians chooses an electronic resource which they feel will be of interest to you.
March’s Resource of the Month has been selected by Andy Kernot, Subject Consultant for Geography, Social Policy and Intervention, Public Policy, and Internet Studies.
Andy’s choice is Foreign Policy. It was chosen as an influential US news publication on global affairs, current events, and domestic and international policy. It produces content daily on its website, blending daily reporting with long-form analysis and commentary.
News and breaking developments in global politics and diplomacy.
Analytical essays and commentary by journalists, scholars, and practitioners.
Features on international security, trade, economics, energy, technology, and culture.
Reports from conflicts and diplomatic negotiations worldwide.
Its reach is both U.S. focused and global in perspective.
The publication is widely respected in policy, academic, and media communities. It has received multiple National Magazine Awards for both its print and online journalism, reflecting quality in reporting and analysis.
Join us this March as we celebrate Women’s History Month in the Social Science Library (SSL) and markInternational 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.
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
The SSL ‘Book of the Month’ feature highlights a book in our collection that has been chosen by one of our Subject Consultants. This may be a recent addition to our stock or an existing item that we would like to share with you.
March’s Book of the Month was selected by Andy Kernot, Subject Consultant for Geography, Social Policy & Intervention, Public Policy, and Internet Studies.
Following the Bend: how to read a river and understand its nature
When we look at a river, either up close or while flying over a river valley, what are we really seeing? Following the Bend takes readers on a majestic journey by water to find answers, along the way shedding light on the key concepts of modern river science, from hydrology and water chemistry to stream and wetland ecology.
Book Overview
In this accessible and uniquely personal book, Ellen Wohl explains how to “read” a river, blending the latest science with her own personal experiences as a geologist and naturalist who has worked on rivers for more than three decades. She charts how water travels through the hydrologic cycle around the globe and downstream to distribute energy, move sediment, and shape river channels, and how living organisms adapt to life in flowing water to create vibrant river ecosystems. Wohl looks at the role of disturbances such as floods and droughts and discusses how geologists interpret the sedimentary records of past river processes. She illustrates how river networks interact with Earth’s surface and considers issues for rivers in the future, such as progressive drying, river restoration, and advocating for the legal personhood of a river to maintain its distinctive spirit, identity, and integrity.
Sharing a new understanding of how rivers function as both physical systems and ecosystems, Following the Bend enables us to observe rivers with fresh eyes and more fully appreciate the beauty, vibrancy, and complexity of our planet’s vital waterways.
Reviews
“An impassioned guide to interpreting rivers. . . . [Wohl’s] accessible scientific explanations alternate with lyrical passages that pack an emotional punch.”
Publishers Weekly
“Wohl’s passion for her subject shines through throughout. . . . A thorough primer on understanding rivers.”
Genevieve Williams, Library Journal
“Wonderfully engaging. Wohl’s storytelling is rich with the deep insights about rivers that she has cultivated over decades of research, fieldwork, and experiences.”
Joann Mossa, University of Florida
How can I access it?
We have one lending copy of this book, which is located on our New Books Display Area (around the corner from our Issue Desk). Its shelfmark is GB1203.7.WOH 2025.
It is also available as an eBook which can be accessed from a Bodleian Library computer or use it remotely, by logging on to SOLO with your SSO.
What would your SSL Book of the Month be? Do you have a favourite book in our collection? If so, we would love to know what it is. Add a comment below or email us.
Build your confidence with the Bodleian iSkills programme, a series of free workshops that empower students, researchers, and staff at the University of Oxford to develop essential skills in discovering, critically evaluating, managing, presenting and sharing information in an evolving digital and physical world.
Workshops taking place in 7th Week Hilary Term
Monday 2 March
Searching for patents and standards 🕘 13.00-14.00 | 📍 Radcliffe Science Library | Find out more about what patents and standards are, why they might be useful for your research and how to find them in specific databases.
Fundamentals of open access 🕘 10.00-11.30 | 💻 Online | Understand what open access really means – decode the jargon and explore how publishing open can benefit your research.
Thursday 5 March
EndNote for referencing 🕘 09.30-11.30 | 💻 Online | Want to effectively manage your references? Join this session to discover how EndNote can help you collect, organise, and cite your sources with ease.
Friday 6 March
Working with sensitive research data 🕘 11.00-13.00 | 📍 Social Science Library | Learn key principles for handling sensitive or restricted research data, including confidentiality, consent, cybersecurity, and data management. The session welcomes real examples from participants and highlights the support available at Oxford.
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:
Oxford Green Action Week runs from 23-27 February this year. We have put together the following top five eco-friendly tips for library readers:
Experiment with plant-based eating
Food accounts for 25% of greenhouse gas emissions with beef, lamb and dairy having the highest carbon footprint. Why not try a vegetarian or vegan lunch from the Glasshouse Café on the first floor of the Manor Road Building? (But please don’t bring any food into the library!)
Recycle right
Avoid wishcycling – check the notices above our waste and recycling bins to see what we can and can’t recycle. Coffee cups, tissues and sweet wrappers belong in the General Waste bin. If in doubt put things in the General Waste bin to avoid contaminating the recycling – this can lead to the whole load going to incineration.
Remember your reusable bottle and cup
Globally we go through 1.2 million single-use plastic bottles a minute. Commit to packing your reusable bottle in your bag every day. You can fill your bottle from the water dispenser in the Locker Room. Get a 30p discount on hot drinks if you use your refillable cup in the Glasshouse Café.
Turn off your tech
Did you know that standby power generates 1% of the world’s carbon emissions? Help reduce this by turning off your tech when you’re not using it.
Read up
Take a look at our display of books on climate change, nature and sustainability for more ideas and inspiration. You’ll find the display just around the corner from the issue desk.
Find out more
Check our Sustainability webpage to find out what actions we are taking to green the SSL and how you can help.
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