Chapter I: Preface

The present volume is a short description of a great library, and forms part of a series of treatises on educational subjects which may, it is hoped, constitute some vindication of a classical and liberal education. The author trusts that this sketch of the history and contents of the Bodleian, which ranks first among the institutions of the University, may be of use to encourage the “studies of good learning,” and thereby to carry forward in some measure the ideals of Oxford. The chief difficulty has been to compress the subject within the necessary limits of the series, but the list of authorities on p. 64 will indicate sources of further information.

Permission to make use of the plan which forms the frontispiece was courteously granted by Dr. Cowley, the present Librarian of the Bodleian.

_November, 1919._

LIST OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

I. LIBRARIES AND THEIR KINDS 7

II. SIR THOMAS BODLEY AND HIS FOUNDATION, 1598-1613 14

III. THE BODLEIAN LIBRARY, 1613-1860 23

IV. THE BODLEIAN LIBRARY IN MODERN TIMES 34

V. THE MANUSCRIPT AND OTHER TREASURES OF THE LIBRARY 43

VI. METHODS AND MATERIALS OF MODERN STUDY 57

INDEX 65

ILLUSTRATION

PLAN OF BODLEIAN READING ROOMS AND PICTURE GALLERY

BODLEIAN LIBRARY

(THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD)

NOTICE TO READERS

(_All readers must at their first coming be entered in the Admission Registers and make the usual declaration._)

The Bodleian Library was founded in 1602, and for size and importance (together) ranks first among University libraries, second among English-speaking peoples, and about eighth in the world. Readers are therefore requested to use it, not for trivial purposes, but for _study_ and _research_.

The Old Reading Boom (O.R.R.) and Upper Reading Room (U.R.R.) are open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Jan. Nov. Dec.; to 4 p.m. in Feb. Mar. Aug. Sept. Oct.; to 5 p.m. in Apr. May, June, July. The Camera Reading Room is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. The Camera contains most books printed since 1883, except Bibliography, Law, Music, English Drama, British Topography and Antiquities, with a few other sections. At Bodley there is a Reference library (books marked R and Ψ), and at the Camera a large Select and Reference library (marked S).

_General Catalogue of Printed Books._ There is a copy in the U.R.R. (Bodley), and at the Camera. _Catalogues of MSS._ The official copies are in the O.R.R.: working copies are also in the O.R.R. and in the Cam. R.R. Forms for ordering Books and MSS. are in each Reading Room.

_Seats._ Any unoccupied desk may be taken by a reader, except that twelve desks at the Selden End are assigned by the Librarian. The number of seats is, in O.R.R. 63, in U.R.R. 24, in Cam. R.R. 74 (+ 12 for Music students and 12 in the Science Room).

_Reserving books._ MSS. and rare books should be used in the O.R.R. and cannot be reserved, but should be given up each time that the reader leaves. An ordinary book or an orderly pile of books, if reserved by a slip of paper bearing name and date, is left in O.R.R. 3 days at seat, 7 days more in an adjacent reserve (but at Selden End, 10 days at seat): in U.R.R. 3 days at seat, 7 in reserve: in the Cam. R.R. books to be reserved should be brought to the Assistant’s table (each work with the reserving slip), and will there be reserved for 7 days. Unreserved books and all Reference and Select books are cleared away daily. A reasonable limit for reserved books is in general twenty volumes.

_Tracing_ and _painting_ need special permission. Photography is undertaken by the Clarendon Press: order forms are supplied on application.

For further information see a _Manual for Readers_, supplied gratis on application.

THE BODLEIAN LIBRARY AT OXFORD