The Bodleian Library at the University of Oxford was officially established in 1602 by Sir Thomas Bodley. The library opened to the public on November 8, 1602.
The Bodleian Library is one of the most significant libraries in the world, with extensive collections spanning various subjects. Some of its most notable collections include:
1. Manuscripts and Rare Books
- Medieval Manuscripts – Includes illuminated manuscripts, such as the Ashmole Bestiary and The Book of Hours.
- Gutenberg Bible – One of the earliest books printed with movable type.
- Shakespeare’s First Folio (1623) – A rare edition of Shakespeare’s collected plays.
- Celtic and Anglo-Saxon Manuscripts – Including the Lindisfarne Gospels and Red Book of Hergest.
2. Maps and Cartography
- Gough Map (c. 1360) – One of the earliest detailed maps of Britain.
- Selden Map of China (17th century) – A rare Chinese maritime trade map.
3. Personal Papers and Archives
- J.R.R. Tolkien’s Papers – Including drafts and illustrations for „The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit”.
- C.S. Lewis Collection – Personal writings of the author of „The Chronicles of Narnia”.
- Mary Shelley’s „Frankenstein” – Original handwritten manuscript.
- Letters and Diaries of British Prime Ministers – Including papers from Winston Churchill.
4. Eastern and Non-Western Collections
- Islamic Manuscripts – Including Persian, Arabic, and Ottoman texts.
- Chinese, Japanese, and Sanskrit Texts – Rare books from across Asia.
- Hebrew Manuscripts – Important Jewish texts, including biblical and Talmudic works.
5. Scientific and Medical Collections
- Codex Mendoza – A 16th-century Aztec codex detailing the history and culture of the Aztec Empire.
- John Dee’s Collection – Works of the famous Elizabethan alchemist and astrologer.
- Robert Hooke’s Micrographia – A groundbreaking 1665 book on early microscopy.
6. Modern and Digital Archives
- Literary Archives – Includes modern authors such as Philip Pullman.
- Oxford University Archives – Documents related to the history of the university.
- Digitized Collections – Many manuscripts and books are available online through projects like Digital Bodleian.
The Bodleian Libraries at the University of Oxford collectively hold over 13 million printed items. Additionally, they house more than one million special collection items, including manuscripts, archives, and rare books.
The Bodleian Libraries at the University of Oxford encompass multiple buildings with a combined gross internal floor area of approximately 42,774 square meters as of the 2020–2021 period. Additionally, the Book Storage Facility (BSF) in Swindon, designed to house lower-usage items from the libraries' collections, offers around 10,000 square meters of warehouse space, complemented by 1,000 square meters of ancillary office and processing areas. Therefore, the combined area of the Bodleian Libraries' main buildings and the BSF is approximately 53,774 square meters.
The Bodleian Library at the University of Oxford features several exhibition spaces, primarily within the Weston Library. The main public area, Blackwell Hall, serves as the central hub for visitors, offering access to exhibitions, a café, and a gift shop. While the exact total exhibition area isn't specified in the available sources, the Weston Library includes a hall measuring 854 square meters, which is utilized for various events, including exhibitions. Additionally, the Old Schools Quadrangle, part of the historic Bodleian complex, houses spaces that have been repurposed for exhibitions and other public functions.
