Monthly Archives: December 2019

RSL Decant: Planned closure of the VHL on Saturday 18th January

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The Vere Harmsworth Library will be closed on Saturday 18th January, 2020. This is to allow for unavoidable work on the Ground Floor of the Library.

As part of the RSL Decant to VHL Project 2020-21, works will need to be carried out by the ground floor entrance of the Vere Harmsworth Library. This will mainly be focused on the installation and set up of the new access control gates.

The RSL Decant Project Team and construction workers have advised the Vere Harmsworth Librarian that access into the Vere Harmsworth Library Ground Floor entrance will be blocked whilst this work is in progress. It will also be disruptive to Library services, and include a significant amount of noise and mess.

After careful consideration of the above information, and of alternative methods of entry into the Library, the Vere Harmsworth Librarian has agreed to close the Library on the 18th of January, to ensure that work can be completed as swiftly as possible.

The Library will re-open on Sunday 19th January (11 am – 5pm), subject to the completion of the works. The Librarian will aim to update Readers on the progress of the works as soon as possible.

We will aim to provide information on any further works in the Library via this blog, the Twitter (@vhllib) and Facebook (@vereharmsworthlibrary) accounts, and by email.

We apologise for any disruption or inconvenience caused to Readers at this time.

Further information on the proposed book moves and a title list of relegated journals and reference titles can be found in the RSL Decant Consultation documents on the VHL website. 

If you have any further questions about working in the Vere Harmsworth Library, please ask at the Information Desk, or email vhl@bodleian.ox.ac.uk. For further information about the RSL Decant, email Bethan Davies, VHL Librarian at bethan.davies@bodleian.ox.ac.uk.

RSL Decant: Planned works on Thursday 9th January, some disruption expected – UPDATED

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UPDATE: (15/01/2020) The enquiry desk has now been installed and set up for use. Both RSL and VHL library staff are manning the desk, ready to answer your queries, alongside RAI related enquiries. Some minor works will still be occurring at the desk area as we settle in.

PREVIOUS UPDATE (10/01/2020): Work on the enquiry desk has continued into Friday morning (10th January). The works are expected to continue for the rest of today. The temporary Enquiry Desk (located on the right as you enter the Ground Floor) will remain in use for the rest of the day.

As part of the RSL Decant to VHL Project 2020-21, works will need to be carried out by the ground floor entrance of the Vere Harmsworth Library, to install and set up the new Enquiry Desk.

The RSL Decant Project Team and construction workers will be moving and installing the new desk on the morning of Thursday, 9th January, 2020.

The Librarian has been advised that the majority of the physical moving, and noisiest part of the works, will aim to be completed by 9 am, when the Library is expected to open. By this point, the entrance to the Vere Harmsworth Library Ground Floor should be clear for readers to enter.

Work on the newly installed desk, however, would continue, including setting up electronic and internet points. Therefore, in the interim, library staff will be based on a temporary enquiry desk, which will be set up on the Ground Floor. This will allow for readers to check out books, and for staff to respond to any further enquiries.

Readers are advised that whilst the most disruptive part of the planned works will be occurring before the Library opens, there will be some noise on the Ground Floor of the Library whilst during the morning.

The newly installed desk should be completed and ready to use from the Thursday afternoon.[UPDATE: The desk has now been installed and is in use. See first Update above at the top of the page.]

The Librarian will aim to update readers on the progress of the works as soon as possible. We will aim to provide information on any further works in the Library via this blog, the Twitter (@vhllib) and Facebook (@vereharmsworthlibrary) accounts, and by email.

We apologise for any disruption or inconvenience caused to readers at this time.

Further information on the proposed book moves and a title list of relegated journals and reference titles can be found in the RSL Decant Consultation documents on the VHL website. 

If you have any further questions about working in the Vere Harmsworth Library, please ask at the Information Desk, or email vhl@bodleian.ox.ac.uk. For further information about the RSL Decant, email Bethan Davies, VHL Librarian at bethan.davies@bodleian.ox.ac.uk.

New in Oxford: Presidential Recordings Digital Addition

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I am pleased to announce that the Vere Harmsworth Library, in partnership with the Social Science Library, have purchased online access to the Presidential Recordings Digital Edition for the University.

The Presidential Recordings Programme (PRP), was established by The Miller Center in 1998. Its aim was to make the previously secret taped conversations of six consecutive American Presidents (FDR to Richard Nixon) available for researchers. Covering historical events such as the Civil Rights Movement, the Kennedy Assassination, Vietnam and Watergate, the tapes offer “a unique and irreplaceable source for the study of U.S. history and American government.”

Previously, Oxford researchers could only access the curated transcripts hosted on the Miller Centre’s website. Now, through the Bodleian Libraries, Oxford researchers can access the Presidential Recordings Digital Edition (PRDE), the online portal for annotated transcripts of the White House tapes from the Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon era. This includes a searchable database that allows full text searches for specific phrases and terms. It also includes options to filter search results based on dates, participants and topics. The PRDE is continually being updated with new transcripts and recordings, as they become available.

Similar Resources:

If you would like any advice on using our databases or resources, please contact the Vere Harmsworth Librarian, Bethan Davies bethan.davies@bodleian.ox.ac.uk.

 

 

RSL Decant: Shelf access and book moves update

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[Update 24/01/2020] Access has now been restored to the first row of book shelves on the Western side of the VHL on the 1st and 2nd Floor. Readers will be able to collect  their own books from these shelves. We thank everyone for their patience during this time]

 

Work is continuing in the Vere Harmsworth Library to prepare for the RSL Decant. This includes works on the First and Second Floor and internal book moves, which will allow for the RSL titles to be shelved on the Second Floor (see the RSL Decant Project 2020-21 for more details).

The following blogpost covers updates from 12/12/2019.

Access on western side of the 1st and 2nd Floor and Staff Collection Service [Updated 16/12/2019]

Due to works on the western side of the 1st and 2nd Floor (the sides facing Love’s Lane), the first row of book shelves immediately facing the Western sides have been covered, to protect our collections. From 16/12/2019 these books on the 1st and 2nd Floor shelves are not accessible to Readers, either to browse, or to collect titles. The VHL will be operating a staff fetching service for this area, in liaison with the contractors.

If you require books within the Call Number ranges:

AC 5 .G615 –BR 555 . M  

or

F1 – F152 .L85 1957 

 please ask at the Enquiry Desk, or email vhl@bodleian.ox.ac.uk, and our staff will collect the title for you to consult. If you are unsure if the books you wish to consult will be affected, please ask library staff.

Please note that this does not include titles on the other side of the shelf, (BR 555 . N onward or F13 onward), and the rest of the 1st and 2nd Floor titles will still be accessible to Readers.

Second Floor Book Moves – F Sequence

As part of the internal book moves, titles which are part of the F Classification, are in the process of being split across the Second and First Floor. This work will be occurring over the next few days. The VHL Librarian will update Readers once this work has been complete. Please see above regarding titles from the F Sequence which are currently only available through our staff fetching service.

If Readers require any titles from the F Sequence, or are unsure of where their book might be, please ask the Library staff at the Enquiry Desk.

Other Book Move Updates

As of 12/12/2019, the following moves are ongoing:

Basement

  • Work has started on moving Radcliffe Science Library books to the VHL Stack on Monday 9 December. A fetching service for books will be provided for RSL Readers whilst the transfer is taking place. See here for more information. 

First and Second Floor 

  • Work has started on moving Radcliffe Science Library books to the VHL Second Floor on the eastern side (facing the car park). A fetching service for books will be provided for RSL Readers whilst the transfer is taking place. See here for more information. 
  • The rest of the titles on the First and Second Floor have been moved along the shelves to fill up empty shelf space, and create room for the RSL collection. Readers may notice that some titles have been moved a few shelves along, but should still be available and on the same floor, except for the F Sequence (please see above).

As of 12/12/2019, the following planned book moves have been completed:

Basement

  • New York Times and Washington Post Newspapers have been moved to the BSF for the duration of the RSL Decant.

Ground Floor 

  • The Congressional Record has been moved into the VHL Stack, and is available by request (please include details such as the Congress/Volume that you require.) Please note that the Bodleian Library also provides online access to the Congressional Record.
  • A number of primary sources have been moved to the Ground Floor. They are currently housed along the row of shelves where the Congressional Record was, and on the recently installed metal shelving on the wall of the Godfrey Hodgson Study Room. Please check our previous blogpost on the Ground Floor book moves for more information. 
  • Items from the Microfilm collection have been moved to the BSF. Collections which have been moved are either collections where we have complete, stable online access, or other collections within the Bodleian Libraries. Microfilm cards can still be requested by Readers to be viewed in certain Bodleian Libraries.
  • Because of this, several Microfilm cabinets have been removed. The remaining cabinets have been reorganised.
  • The Microfilm guides have been moved to the recently installed metal shelving on the wall of the Godfrey Hodgson Study Room.
  • The Reference collection has been relegated in line with Appendix C in the RSL Decant History Addendum, as part of the Consultation Process. Please refer to the Information Desk if you are having trouble finding any specific titles.
  • The remaining Reference Collection is now located on the  recently installed metal shelving on the wall of the Godfrey Hodgson Study Room, and the end island cases.

First and Second Floor

  • A number of journal titles have been relegated in line with Appendix B in the RSL Decant History Addendum, as part of the Consultation Process. Please refer to the Information Desk if you are looking for specific titles.
  • The New Journal Display has been moved from the First Floor, and will be reinstalled on the Ground Floor as part of the New Books Display.
  • All Oversize titles are now located on the First Floor on the east side (the side facing the car park). Oversize materials have an x at the front of their Call numbers (for example xA 124 .B45 2000). If you are unsure if the book you are searching for is oversize or not, ask at the enquiry desk.

If you are struggling to find any specific titles, please ask at the Information Desk, or email vhl@bodleian.ox.ac.uk. We apologise for any disruption or inconvenience caused at this time.

VHL Update: Library to reopen at 1 pm

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Following the planned closure of the Vere Harmsworth Library this morning (Monday 9th December, 2019), I am pleased to announce that the Library will reopen at 1 pm, on schedule.

As part of the RSL Decant to VHL Project 2020-21, works were carried out by the ground floor entrance of the Vere Harmsworth Library.

The following changes have been made on the Ground Floor:

  • Part of the VHL Enquiry Desk has been removed off-site, and a temporary desk has been set up.
  • Some of our services have been moved to the first island of shelves, opposite the Enquiry Desk. This includes the Reserve shelf, the Reader Comments book and stationary supplies.
  • Comfy seating area has been moved to the Ground Floor.

The morning book delivery has been cancelled, but the afternoon delivery will be still be occurring. Deliveries expected for the morning should be made available for the afternoon. Readers can return any items expected on the 9th in the afternoon. If you have any concerns about your hold requests or loans, please contact us (details below.)

We will aim to provide information on any further works in the Library via this blog, the Twitter (@vhllib) and Facebook (@vereharmsworthlibrary) accounts, and by email.

We apologise for any disruption or inconvenience caused to Readers at this time.

Further information on the proposed book moves and a title list of relegated journals and reference titles can be found in the RSL Decant Consultation documents on the VHL website. 

If you have any further questions about working in the Vere Harmsworth Library, please ask at the Information Desk, or email vhl@bodleian.ox.ac.uk. For further information about the RSL Decant, email Bethan Davies, VHL Librarian at bethan.davies@bodleian.ox.ac.uk.

RSL Decant 2020-21: Planned Library closure on morning of Monday 9th December

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The Vere Harmsworth Library will be closed, 9 am-1 pm, Monday 9th December, 2019. This is to allow for unavoidable work on the Ground Floor of the Library.

As part of the RSL Decant to VHL Project 2020-21, works will need to be carried out by the ground floor entrance of the Vere Harmsworth Library. This will include the temporary removal of the Enquiry Desk.

The RSL Decant Project Team and construction workers have advised the Vere Harmsworth Librarian that access into the Vere Harmsworth Library Ground Floor entrance cannot be maintained whilst this unavoidable work is in progress. It will also be disruptive to Library services, and include a significant amount of noise.

After careful consideration of the above information, and of alternative methods of entry into the Library, the Vere Harmsworth Librarian has agreed to close the Library for the morning of the 9th December, to ensure that work can be completed as swiftly as possible.

The Library will re-open in the afternoon at 1 pm, subject to the completion of the works. The Librarian will aim to update Readers on the progress of the works as soon as possible.

The morning book delivery has been cancelled, but the afternoon delivery will be still be occurring. Deliveries expected for the morning should be made available for the afternoon. Readers can return any items expected on the 9th in the afternoon. If you have any concerns about your hold requests or loans, please contact us (details below.)

We will aim to provide information on any further works in the Library via this blog, the Twitter (@vhllib) and Facebook (@vereharmsworthlibrary) accounts, and by email.

We apologise for any disruption or inconvenience caused to Readers at this time. Any VHL readers wishing to speak to library staff, please ring 01865 (2)77162 (Main Enquiry Desk, Bodleian).

Further information on the proposed book moves and a title list of relegated journals and reference titles can be found in the RSL Decant Consultation documents on the VHL website. 

If you have any further questions about working in the Vere Harmsworth Library, please ask at the Information Desk, or email vhl@bodleian.ox.ac.uk. For further information about the RSL Decant, email Bethan Davies, VHL Librarian at bethan.davies@bodleian.ox.ac.uk.