Zoology Collections
Transfer of Zoology collections to Radcliffe Science Library
In the course of summer 2010, the main Zoology Library collections were transferred to the Radcliffe Science Library and integrated with the collections there. This included all undergraduate biology materials, general zoology and ecology, and the Elton Library*. Periodicals which are available electronically have been transferred to offsite storage, but titles which are available only in print have been retained on open access where space permits. Offsite materials can be ordered as required via SOLO.
The Plant Sciences Library collections have also been transferred to the RSL (apart from the taxonomic collections, which remain in the Plant Sciences Department as the Sherardian Library of Plant Taxonomy), thus bringing the majority of Oxfords's biological materials together in one place for the first time.
Ornithological collections, including rare books and archives, will remain in the Department of Zoology to facilitate their use by members of the Edward Grey Institute of Field Ornithology, also located there. These collections will retain the name Alexander Library of Ornithology from 1 October 2010, and will continue to be one of the Bodleian Libraries, accessible to all Bodleian readers.
Holdings
Theses - RSL Level 2MSc Integrative Biosciences projects and essays - RSL Level 2
Biology undergraduate projects - Zoology Department
Zoology reprints - RSL Level 2
Serials - RSL Levels 2, 6-8 (interfiled alphabetically by title)
Books - RSL Level 2 (sections QH (biology and ecology) and QL (zoology))
Zoology archive (research notes and other materials by Oxford zoologists from the late 19th to early 20th century, and photograph albums from the Challenger Expedition, 1872-1876) - closed access (please ask staff).
The Elton Library
The Elton Library is named after Charles Elton, of the Bureau of Animal Populations, the "father of animal ecology", and covers ecology in general, with strength in terrestrial ecology, particularly population ecology. The books and periodicals from the collection are now fully interfiled with those of the RSL, but there are separate reprint and archive collections.
Elton reprints - RSL Level 2
Elton archive (research materials produced by the Bureau of Animal Populations) - closed access (please ask staff).
Catalogues
Books, theses and journals are catalogued on SOLO.
Local web-based catalogues cover reprints received since 1989 (58,000 records):
There are also local lists of biology undergraduate projects (1985- ) and MSc projects (1996- ). The undergraduate projects have been retained in the Zoology Department.
A bibliography of publications and theses arising from studies in Wytham Wood is also maintained.
For further information please contact Judith Pinfold (Bodleian Libraries Subject Specialist, Biology).