Updates on services, resources, and support available to help you carry on with your work and research.
We are working hard to offer as many services as possible in line with government and University of Oxford guidelines.
We'll keep this page – and our Twitter feed – up to date with the latest information.
For further help or questions, please email reader.services@bodleian.ox.ac.uk or use our Live Chat service.
- Information for returning students
- Find out more about Oxford University's response to coronavirus
- Latest news about our tours and exhibitions
- Resources for Alumni
Page last updated: 20 January 2021
Latest service changes
Following government and University guidance there are a number of services changes for Hilary term.
We will continue to review our services in response to the changing situation throughout term.
Libraries reopening
The Old Bodleian Library will extend its opening hours until 7pm from Monday 25 January. Booking via Space Finder remains essential and now requires your SSO (single sign-on) to log in.
The following libraries are open Monday-Friday:
- Old Bodleian Library (including Duke Humfrey's Library), 10am-4pm, bookings essential
- Cairns Library at the John Radcliffe Hospital, 8am-5pm, unstaffed and access restricted to clinical students who are onsite for clinical activity
Our libraries will only be open to current University members who have been invited back to Oxford, or remained over the vacation. You will need to book a desk space via Space Finder before you arrive.
Our remaining libraries are temporarily closed.
Remote and non-contact services
The following services are continuing to run across all closed libraries:
- Click and Collect: available from lending libraries to University members
- Scan and Deliver: available to all cardholders
- Special collections mediated copying: available to University members
More about our remote access services
HathiTrust Emergency Temporary Access
We have reinstated our emergency access arrangement with the HathiTrust.
This service enables on-screen read access to 1.5 million in-copyright items in the HathiTrust Digital Library, which have been verified as held in the Bodleian's collection in physical form (in addition to approx 4 million public domain items already available); these materials will be unavailable for Click & Collect or Browse & Borrow. The majority of the collection is in Humanities subjects.
This service is available for University members.
You can access resources directly using your SSO on the HathiTrust website. Or use the links from existing records in SOLO where a digital copy is available via HathiTrust.
Stack deliveries
Ordering items from closed stacks is currently unavailable. We will update this page once it is available again. Our Scan and Deliver service continues to be available.
Inter-library loans
We are currently unable to process requests for physical inter-library loans. Requests for electronic copies will be processed where possible.
More about inter-library loans.
Loan returns
The loan return period has been extended until 1 March 2021.
If you are in Oxford, items should be returned to the library from which they were borrowed or via a temporary loan return hub.
If you are not in Oxford, you can send items to us using the Royal Mail Tracked service or contact us if you are based internationally.
Fines
Fines for overdue books are currently suspended, we will inform readers when they are reinstated.
Self-isolating students
If you are self-isolating but need to borrow or return items you can:
- Nominate someone to pick up your Click & Collect order when you make a booking
- Ask someone else to return loans on your behalf
Bodleian Reader Cardholders
Following guidance from the Minister of State for Universities, our physical library spaces are now only open to University of Oxford members.
Our online services are still available:
- OffsiteScan – free scans from our offsite facility which holds over 10 million items. Requires a valid reader card.
- Open Access eresources – use the Open Access filter in SOLO to find journals, articles and books that are available to all to read
- Databases – many of our databases are also open to all. Please look for the circle symbol in our Databases A-Z
Please note, the Admissions Office is temporarily closed and is unable to issue new or renew expired cards. We apologise for any inconvenience.
