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Home  »   Libraries  »  RSL Collections  »  Geography Collections

The Bodleian Libraries' collections in Geography and the Environment are now integrated in the Radcliffe Science Library (RSL), where the holdings of the former Geography & the Environment and Hooke libraries have been combined and interfiled with the RSL's own holdings. Apart from items obtained on legal deposit, all books are available for loan. All items are classified in a single Library of Congress classification sequence on Level 2. The standard loan period is 7 days for items with either no sticker or a blue label. Those iItems in highest demand may also have an overnight only loan copy (red labels).  Items with very low use are housed in the closed-access stack, from which they may be requested using SOLO. Books thus requested will be delivered to the RSL Entrance Hall and can be collected from the circulation desk there. If required they can then be borrowed, unless marked 'Library use only'.

Current Geography periodicals are integrated with all other subjects in a single alphabetical sequence on the upper levels; backfiles and lower-used journals are housed in the stack and again can be requested on SOLO. Periodicals are all for use in the library only. Many however are now available in electronic form online, and can be accessed from anywhere on the university network.  For access from outside the University, see the Remote Access Guide.

The main Map Collection transferred to the Bodleian Map Room and integrated with the collections there; some report literature was transferred to the Radcliffe Camera or Rhodes House, Vere Harmsworth, Indian Institute or Social Social Science Libraries where they had related holdings, but the vast majority of books and periodicals transfrered to the RSL. Although de-dupliction has taken place where necessary, no unique titles have been discarded.

Oxford Mountaineering Library

The Oxford Mountaineering Library (OML) was formally launched on 7^th December 1992.

This specialist library was created by combining the collections of the Oxford University Mountaineering Club and Michael Roberts & Janet Adam Smith.

Since then other smaller donations, such as that from Mr Dunning Idle IV and that in memory of Maurice Allan, have augmented the collection.

There is also a section on Caving comprised of material donated to the School of Geography Library by Dr. Marjorie Sweeting.

The ethos of the donation by Janet Adam Smith was that the material be freely available on open shelves for readers and include not only practical books on mountaineering but also those on the experience and essence of it.

“Mountains are the beginning and the end of all natural scenery” Ruskin (1856) Modern painters, vol. 4, pt. 5, ch. 20

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For further information please contact Sue Bird (Bodleian Libraries Subject Specialist, Geography and the Environment).