Monthly Archives: June 2026

New comfy seating area in the VHL – with adjustable laptop tables!

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The Vere Harmsworth Library has introduced a new comfy seating area on the Mezzanine level, overlooking the Princess Margaret Memorial Garden.

  • Sofa and armchair with laptop tables.
  • Sofa with one laptop table.
  • Sofa with two laptop tables.
  • Sofa and two laptop tables from the side.
  • An armchair
  • Three adjustable laptop tables at different height, swivel and angle settings.
  • Three laptop tables.

The new seating includes a 3-seated sofa and an armchair, as well as three adjustable laptop tables. The tables are adjustable by height, swivel and tilt, giving readers plenty of options to rest their books, laptops, tablets or other items!

The new furniture and tables were funded via the wider Bodleian Libraries project to Improve Reader Spaces, as part of the Bodleian Libraries Strategy 2022-27.

Please note that this area will still be under Bodleian Libraries Regulations and Rules of Conduct for Readers, meaning that Readers sat in this area will not be allowed to eat or drink uncovered drinks in this area, and must maintain a quiet atmosphere to allow their fellow Readers to study.

Give us your thoughts on the new comfy seating area! – Fill in our online form

Book display: LGBTQ+ history

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To mark Pride Month, library staff have curated a book display on LGBTQ+ history.

Books displayed on shelving. A poster reads "LGBTQ+ history" and has an image of the progress pride flag.

Many of our titles this year focus on aspects of the history of the gay rights movement. These include An Angel in Sodom : Henry Gerber and the Birth of the Gay Rights Movement, Let the record show : a political history of ACT UP New York, 1987-1993 and The engagement : a quarter century of defending, defining, and expanding marriage in America.

Meanwhile, Coming out Republican : a history of the gay right and Communists in closets : queering the history 1930s-1990s examine the history of queer identities within specific political movements, and Aberrations in black : toward a queer of color critique discusses the intersection between race and sexuality in the field of sociology. The Politicization of Trans Identity: An Analysis of Backlash, Scapegoating, and Dog-Whistling from Obergefell to Bostock and American teenager : how trans kids are surviving hate and finding joy in a turbulent era examine the current landscape of trans rights in the United States.

Other titles on display include:

Readers may also be interested in the following online resources:

  • The Library of Congress’s LGBTQ+ Studies Web Archive collects and preserves online content which documents LGBTQ+ history, scholarship, and culture in the United States and around the world.
  • The Bodleian’s LGBTQ+ History Resources LibGuide directs users to a wide range of information resources, mostly freely available online, grouped by topic, period and format.
  • The LGBTQIA+ Archives are a free, searchable digital archive of LGBTQIA+ historical resources. The “Archives & Resources” link at the bottom of the homepage also provides links to many other websites, archives and projects.

The display can be found on the ground floor of the library, near the staircase. Many of the books on display are loanable, and some are available as ebooks.

If you have any questions about working in the Vere Harmsworth Library, please email vhl@bodleian.ox.ac.uk.