Spaces at the VHL

A birdseye view of the reading room at the Vere Harmsworth Library

There will be ongoing works at the VHL from 11 – 14 December, and the library will be closed all day on Friday 15 December. Find out more in our blogpost.

Study areas

There are large seating areas on the ground and mezzanine floor. There are also 53 individual desks on the upper floors. There are 12 PCs for reader use on ground floor.

Reserved desks

The carrels on the first floor overlooking the mezzanine are reserved for named DPhil students at the Rothermere American Institute. Other readers are welcome to use these desks, but please note that you may be asked to move by the carrel holder. If you are a DPhil student connected with the RAI and would like to go on the waiting list for a desk, please contact the Librarian. 

Quiet area

The desks by the windows on the top floor are designated as a quiet area with no laptop use permitted. 

Group study rooms

The library has three group study rooms which can be booked.

The Godfrey Hodgson Room is on the ground floor, by the enquiry desk. It includes a whiteboard, and seats up to 6 people.

There are two group study rooms located on the first floor. Each of these rooms is lockable and anyone booking these rooms needs to check in at the enquiry desk to receive the key in exchange for their University or Bodleian Reader card. Both spaces include whiteboard tables and can seat up to four people.

Current University of Oxford members can book the space via our online booking system. Bodleian Reader card holders can place a booking by contacting staff via email (vhl@bodleian.ox.ac.uk), phone (+44 1865 272800), or by speaking to staff at the enquiry desk.