Library - Library resources

The Library collections

• Books
• Periodicals
• Reference Books
• Course reference material
• Film collection
• Drama & Documentary collection
• Slide collection

Books

The Library is classified using the the Dewey Decimal System, the scheme used by public libraries and some academic libraries. To find a book, search SOLO, the library catalogue for Oxford University libraries. SOLO includes records for printed material and also links to e-journals, e-books and other electronic resources subscribed to by Oxford University libraries. The catalogue is freely available from any internet connection, but you will need to sign in to access the content of electronic resources, see remote access services for more information. For more information on using SOLO, see the SOLO Guide or ask library staff.

Please see the layout of the library to help you locate material.

Oversize books

Oversize books, indicated by 'Oversize' after the shelfmark on SOLO, are located in the lower library (001 - 939) and the Reading Room (940 - 999).

Pamphlets

Pamphlets are located in the Lower Library except for Local Studies pamphlets which are located in the Local Studies Collection in the Upper Library. Pamphlets are indicated by 'Pamphlets' after the shelfmark on SOLO.

Local Collection

A collection of books and pamphlets relating to the three counties (Buckinghamshire, Berkshire and Oxfordshire) are shelved in a separate sequence in the Upper Library together with periodicals relating to the local area. Most books and pamphlets can be borrowed.

A list of newly acquired items can be found on the acquistions pages.

Periodicals

The Library receives a selection of periodicals on subjects relevant to the Department's courses. All current issues are displayed in the Jessup Reading Room until the next issue arrives to replace them. All periodicals are reference only. Back issues are mainly located in the Lower Library and are arranged alphabetically by title within subject areas. Back issues of newspaper style periodicals are kept in the Reading Room and the Local Studies periodicals in the Upper Library. Details of our holdings are on SOLO, and can be found in the Periodicals Handlists in the Upper Library and Reading Room.

Reference material

The Reference Collection (marked as 'Q/REF') is held in the Jessup Reading Room and contains encyclopedias, dictionaries, directories, atlases and bibliographies. This material may not be borrowed, but can be consulted whenever the Reading Room is open.

Course reference material

This is photocopied material of relevance to the Department's courses, which has been collected by tutors, and which is not normally available in the Library in any other form. The material is held in filing cabinets in the Upper Library and Reading Room and is organised into subject areas. All are for reference use and may not be photocopied owing to copyright regulations.

Film collection

The Library has a large collection of films. More recent purchases are DVDs, but a large part of the collection is on video. Some videos are commercial recordings but others were recorded from TV under the Educational Recording Agency (ERA) Licensing Scheme. These are likely to be of poorer quality than commercial recordings.

Films may be borrowed by members of the Department for Continuing Education and are in addition to your book loan allowance. Members of other departments who are studying film courses/options may also borrow films. A refundable £1 deposit is charged per film. Films are on closed access, please ask for films at the Library Desk. There is also a video and DVD player available in the Library.

Only recordings added during the last few years are listed on SOLO. It is therefore not possible to check availability for most, but you are welcome to contact the Library. The following lists are an indication of the titles held. In some cases additional copies may be available, or video recordings in addition to DVD. The Library has a detailed printed listing arranged both by Title and Director.

• Title list This list indicates whether recordings are commercial or ERA, and whether they are video or DVD
• Director list The same information as the Title list, but arranged by Director
• DVD Title list This is a subset of the main list showing DVDs only, arranged by Title. All DVDs are commercial recordings
• DVD Director list This is a subset of the main list showing DVDs only, arranged by Director. All DVDs are commercial recordings

Please note that TV serialisations and productions of the classics, Shakespeare plays etc are included in the Drama & documentary collection (see below) rather than the Film collection. You may wish to consult the Drama & documentary listing as well as the Film listings if you are interested in this type of material.

For information on film collections held in other Bodleian Libraries, please see the Film Studies Guide. Please note that access to other libraries is only available to holders of University cards or Bodleian Libraries reader cards.

Drama & documentary collection

The library has a collection of documentaries on video and DVD. As for films, there are more videos than DVDs, and some videos were recorded from TV under the Educational Recording Agency (ERA) Licensing Scheme and may therefore be of poorer quality. Items from this collection can be borrowed by members of the Rewley House Continuing Education Library, or can be viewed in the Library. Loans are in addition to your book loan allowance.

This collection is classified using the same Dewey Decimal system used for books. The collection is on the Upper floor of the Library. For DVDs, only the cases are on display. The actual DVD will be inserted when you borrow the item, or if you wish to view it in the Library, please ask for the DVD at the Library Desk

Please note that TV productions and serialisations of the classics, Shakespeare plays etc will be included in this collection rather than the Film Collection. You may also wish to check the Film lists (above) if you are interested in this type of material.

Drama & documentary list (arranged by subject)

Slide collection

The library has a collection of slides on Art, Archaeology and Architecture which are housed in locked filing cabinets in the Lower Library. These may be borrowed by staff for teaching purposes only - please ask at the Library desk.

Inter-Library Loans

If the item you are looking for is not available elsewhere within Oxford University we can request this item on inter-library loan for you.