Tag Archives: Book Display

Exam Support Pop-Up Book Display

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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!

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.

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

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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.

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.

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

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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

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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.

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.

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

Women’s History Month 2026

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Purple banner with text reading International Women's Day and a white circular arrow logo

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

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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:

Climate change

Sustainable living

Nature

LGBT+ History Month 2026

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It’s February already! In the UK, this means that it’s LGBT+ History Month, which offers the opportunity to celebrate and reflect on the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and queer people throughout the ages. This year’s theme, Science and Innovation, fits perfectly with the LGBT+ related items in the Social Science Library’s collections. To learn more about LGBT+ History Month and this year’s theme, visit the LGBT+ History Month website.

At the Social Science Library, we’ve created a book display showcasing the contributions made by LGBT+ scientists, inventors, and innovators across the social science subjects. We’ve also selected material in our 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.

Image shows LGBT+ History Month book display featuring 4 shelves of relevant titles from across the social science subjects.

Alongside titles from the SSL’s own collection, we’ve included works from the Collections Storage Facility that explore LGBT+ history more widely. Some of these books are available to borrow, while others are for use in the library only — please ask a member of staff if you’re unsure.

In addition to our physical display, Oxford University staff and students can access eBooks from the display through SOLO. For an even broader selection of texts exploring LGBT+ History across the Bodleian Libraries, take a look at the LGBTQ+ History Resources LibGuide.

Happy New Year! Find a hobby for 2026 in our Reading Resolutions book display

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The first daffodils are now in the shops, and the days are just beginning to get longer. Despite the sprinkling of snow in Oxford, we are starting to look forward to the start of spring and Hilary term at the SSL. The change of the year marks the perfect time to try something new or just get outside more – why not come by the SSL to explore our new Pop-Up Book Display: Reading Resolutions.

Reading Resolutions book display. Grey bookcase with 4 shelves of books on new hobbies, recipe books, and self-help. 21 books are on the display and there is a yellow poster advertising the display.

Feeling adventurous? Pick up a book on Wild Swimming or Rock Climbing. Need some calm in the chaos of Hilary term? Check out our books on Yoga and Meditation. New year’s resolutions are notoriously hard to keep; so, we’ve made sure to include books on how to make lifestyle changes that last.

Perhaps after all the feasting of Christmas, you’d like to eat more plant-based foods or try Veganuary? The production of food accounts for a staggering 25% of our global greenhouse gas emissions and can have serious biodiversity impacts.  Veganuary is a campaign to encourage people to move to a plant-based diet that has lower environmental impacts, prevents animal suffering, and improves our health.  For plant-based recipes, see our book Plant Academy: the cookbook: plant-based techniques & recipes for creative cooking.  If you prefer a more gradual change of diet, take a look at The flexitarian cookbook: adaptable recipes for part-time vegetarians. See also the University’s Environmental Sustainability Team’s Sustainable Recipe Collection.

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.

UK Disability History Month 2025

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From 20th November through December, we’re marking Disability History Month here at the SSL. The 2025 theme, “Disability, Life and Death,” addresses concerns about the Assisted Suicide legislation currently making its way through Parliament, and the risks it poses for disabled people. The Disability History Month website situates this legislation within a longer history of threats to disabled people’s right to life; from eugenics and lifelong institutionalisation to the mass murder campaigns of the Nazis. In an increasingly hostile environment for disabled people in the UK, this year’s theme invites reflection on the “value of disabled people’s lives”.

At the Social Science Library, we’ve created a book display exploring this theme in books across the Social Science subjects. This selection highlights both the historical and contemporary challenges disabled people have faced, including discrimination, persecution, and state violence, while also honouring their lives, agency, and contributions in activism, academia, and the arts. Alongside titles from the SSL’s own collections, we’ve included works from the Collections Storage Facility. Some items can be borrowed, while others are for use in the library only; please ask a member of staff if you’re unsure.

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

In addition to our physical display, Oxford University staff and students can access ebooks from the display through SOLO. For more material on disability history, take a look at the Disability History LibGuide here: Home – Disability History Resources – Oxford LibGuides at Oxford University

Winter Wellbeing Book Display November 2025

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Image shows the Winter Wellbeing Book Display case. The grey display unit holds 4 shelves of books on Winter wellbeing, along with a pile of leaflets on local walks and a poster advertising the display

Winter’s setting in here in Oxford as we enter the second half of Michaelmas term. Why not take a break from studying and explore our array of Winter Wellbeing books on our new pop-up book display? From winter recipes and wellbeing books to short stories and The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, we have books for all your winter wellbeing needs.

As the nights draw in and it gets harder to get enough sunlight in the winter, pick up one of our local walking leaflets for ideas on where to go during your study break.

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.

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