Library News

Exeter College Library is the jewel in the crown of Exeter College. For members of Exeter College, the library is the central focus of the academic life of the college.

The modern student library aims to provide the books which undergraduates need for their essays and it covers all the main subjects of undergraduate study. Readers are encouraged to make book recommendations and book suggestion forms are available at the library entrance or by email. Please give the sub-librarian copies of your Reading Lists.

The 'in-depth' collections of 19th and 20th century scholarly books are of special interest to our graduate students. The library has very generous opening hours. There is WiFi access for students using their own laptops, and most of the work stations have ethernet points too. The computer terminals near the front entrance are for searching the library catalogue.

Catalogues

All books on open shelf in the library are catalogued on the Oxford University Union Catalogue, SOLO, which also contains the catalogues of the Bodleian, the faculties, and many other Oxford libraries and can be consulted from any computer.

The Special Collections

Since the foundation of the College in 1314, the students at Exeter have had a library and the manuscripts and early printed books that began this collection have continued to grow by gift, bequest and purchase. Nowadays, the library serves both the community of undergraduates, graduates and Fellows of Exeter College, and also the worldwide scholarly community who come to Exeter College to study our Special Collections.

The Exeter College Special Collections include 189 medieval manuscripts some of which are unique historic documents. The early printed book collections, in particular the 75 incunabula, form an important focus for research scholars. In the closed Stack there are 30,000 pre-1800 books of which around 1500 are catalogued on SOLO, the computer catalogue, but all these holdings are indexed on the card catalogue near the library entrance. Work is continuing, as and when funding is available, to put the Special Collections on to the computer catalogue so that the world wide scholarly community can access information on our holdings.

The sub-librarian Juliet Chadwick is happy to arrange appointments for visiting researchers who wish to consult the library. This can be arranged by email or phone (01865 279657).

Enquiries

For enquiries about the college library and the college archives contact:

A brief guide to the Library is available at the issue desk.

Access to the Library

Only members of Exeter College may borrow from the college library.

Visiting scholars who wish to consult books from the collection must first make an appointment with the sub-librarian.

Readers are required to observe the library rules, which are posted up in the Library.