The Duke Humfrey's Reading Room contains rare books, some are which are very old and are still chained to their shelves, as they were originally.

Bicester Village is at the heart of one of England’s most historic regions. The town of Oxford is only 14 miles away.  The Bodleian Library, situated in the centre of Oxford University, is a great destination to explore after a fun day of shopping.  After an exclusive tour with the librarians, we uncovered these useful pieces of  “cocktail-party” trivia:

• No books can be taken out of the Bodleian Library; even King Charles I was refused permission to borrow a book in 1645. Only the ubiquitous Google, King of the Internet, was granted an exception when 1 million books were digitized in recent years.
• Books in the Duke Humfrey’s Library, the Bodleian’s oldest reading room, are chained to their shelves. These books date prior to 1641.
• To look at a book that cannot be found on the online catalogue, you relay a paper request in a pneumatic tube (cylindrical metal container that you pop into a vacuum) which was installed in 1940. This is transported in underground pipes and in 19 seconds, it reaches the New Library, a part of the Library dating from the 20th Century.
• In the Library’s reserve, books are organised by size, not subjects.
• Only in the 20^th century were women allowed to take exams in the Divinity School alongside their male counterparts. Similarly in America, only in 1943-during WWII-did Harvard and Radcliffe sign an agreement, allowing women students into Harvard classrooms for the first time.
• Some of the books are kept underground in salt mines in Cheshire. In 2010, construction on exhibition galleries and learning spaces will begin, transforming the largest academic library in Britain into one that is more accessible to the public.

Guided tours at the Bodleian Library, only a 20 min. car ride away from Bicester Village, can be arranged by calling 01865  277224.  Join Friends of the Bodleian Library. Admissions is free to their Exhibitions and Events.

Tags: Bicester Village, Bodleian Library, Duke Humfrey's Library, Oxford University

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