Using the Education Library

A woman works at her laptop at a desk

Admission

  • All current University of Oxford staff and students are welcome to use the Bodleian Education Library – speak to staff at reception or email us.
  • If you are not a member of the University of Oxford, you will need to apply for a Bodleian Reader card. 
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Hello, I'm Cathy and I'm pleased to welcome you to the Education Library.

We are based within the Department of Education at Norham Gardens, taking up a few rooms in the Victorian house with views onto the quad leading onto the University Parks and which in spring includes this magnificent magnolia tree you can see behind me.

I'm going to share a few pictures of the inside of the library now and just give you a few introductory tips to get you started. Anyone with a University card is welcome to visit us.

You will find friendly staff and a range of study spaces and there's a café within the department too.

The books we hold are based around the Department's teaching, so education and applied linguistics, though, of course, the bulk of the collection is actually online rather than print based.

If you are a student in the Department of Education, you will soon see me again as part of your course and will find lots of useful information about the physical and online library on Canvas.

You will also find your reading lists there, linking you through to the many journal articles, ebooks, digitised chapters and information about print books on SOLO.

SOLO is the Bodleian Libraries' Resource Discovery Tool. You can use SOLO to search for all sorts of material in print and online in Oxford's libraries. Handy if you're not working off a reading list or want to do independent research.

We have also shared our advice on literature searching, amongst other things, in our online guides, but do feel free to contact me directly for tailored advice for your research topic. We started in spring, so let me show you the library in a snowy winter now.

Once again, welcome to Oxford, and I look forward to meeting you soon.

General information

  • You may bring bottled water and hot or cold drinks in KeepCups into the library.  
  • The library offers a range of services and facilities, including Wi-Fi, library PCs, printing, copying, scanning, laptop and phone chargers, laptop stands and bookrests.  

Rules and regulations

The Bodleian Libraries Regulations and Rules of Conduct apply in this library. Please note the following local guidelines:

  • We hope that readers will show consideration for each other whilst using the library. You will find the different areas within the library suited to different types of study and noise levels, and we provide free earplugs.
  • Smoking is not allowed in the department buildings.

Layout and classification

The main sequence of books is arranged by Library of Congress classification. Use the shelfmark guide (PDF) to find out more about how our books are arranged.  

We have a collection of school-level textbooks which are arranged by subject according to the Dewey Decimal classification (see below).

A limited number of print journals are shelved in alphabetical order in the discussion room. Please ask staff if the issue you need is not on the shelves. See our display stand by the coffee table for magazines and student newspapers.

Past (up to 2019) MSc theses are shelved on the far wall of the front room. Learn more about how to find theses and dissertations on our subject guide.

Teaching resources

The teaching resources include a collection of school-level textbooks. These are in the corridor by the discussion room and in the copier room.

This collection of books aims to support Secondary PGCE lesson planning and matches each of the main curriculum areas taught in the department. It includes a section on English Language Teaching. It does not aim to be comprehensive, but rather to give examples and inspiration for use and critical comparison. Resources are arranged by curriculum area:

  • Religious education 200s
  • Modern Foreign Languages 400s
  • English Language Teaching 420—428
  • Sciences 500—509
  • Mathematics 510
  • English 900s
  • Geography 910
  • History 940—999

Take a break

The department's common room houses Pring's café, open Monday – Friday, 8.30am – 3pm (may vary during university vacations). Tea, coffee, pastries and a variety of hot and cold sandwiches, soup, and salads are available. Stroll through the garden to get there from the library and take in a bit of fresh air too!  

A 5-minute walk away is the Kellogg College Hub, a public café serving hot and cold food and drinks throughout the year.

The library is close to the University Parks, great for a study break or a picnic during Trinity term, or to blow the cobwebs away with a brisk walk through the trees during Michaelmas or Hilary.

We are also a short walk from the Jericho area of Oxford, Little Clarendon Street and North Parade, offering plenty of cafés, pubs and shops. Great for a lunch break, catching up with friends or for well-earned relaxation or celebration. Smoking is not allowed in the department buildings, but there is a smoking area at the bottom of the steps at the front of the department.