Library Thing

The Bodleian Library is one of the oldest libraries in Europe and serves as the main research library of Oxford University. Today, our class split into two groups to tour the facility and learn about its history. There were strict regulations for using the reading rooms. Among them, a rule stating that only laptops and pencils may be carried into the reading rooms, but no ink pens.

There was one lone book still chained to a shelf to illustrate how libraries once operated and on that same shelf, there were books shelved with their spines facing inward to illustrate the same. On our extended tour, we were able to see how books are transported through the facility using a conveyor system as well as walk through the stacks.

While I enjoyed the visit to the library I could never quite get too comfortable because I was afraid that I might break some unspoken rule, or even worse, an irreplaceable historical relic. In the back of my mind I kept thinking of the scene that follows and how I did not want to have a "Mr. Bean Moment:"

Maybe he would have benefited from a guided tour.

The second part of our day in Oxford was spent at Christ Church College. I enjoyed the tour of the college grounds, especially the asides and anecdotes about Lewis Carroll and Alice Liddell. After reading about the people and places that inspired characters and places in the Alice titles, it was fun to give them some context.

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The video included in this blog is not my own, nor is any copyright infringement intended. The video was obtained from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwOrp6Q7kCE on 2 August 2010.