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Home  »   Subjects & Reading Rooms  »  Reading Rooms  »  Duke Humfrey's Library

DUKE HUMFREY'S LIBRARY

Duke Humfrey’s is the oldest reading room in the Bodleian Library and the principal reading room for those studying Western Medieval and early-Modern manuscripts, pre-1641, special and rare book collections, codicology, bibliography and local history. The Library is composed of three major portions; the original medieval section (completed 1487, rededicated 1602), the Arts End (1612) to the east, and Selden End (1637) to the west.

Duke Humfrey’s Library contains both open and closed access collections and is home to the octavo, quarto and folio volumes of the old Theology (Th.) and Art (Art.) classifications. It is also the reading room in which most Oxford University theses are consulted.

Location

Duke Humfrey's Library
Old Bodleian Library
Broad Street
Oxford OX1 3BG

We are situated directly above the Divinity School on the first floor of the Old Bodleian Library Quadrangle.

View location map

Enquiries and contact information

Please ask at the staff desk (reserve) in the medieval section of the reading room if you have any enquiries about open shelf material, the book service, or photocopying. Staff will direct you to the appropriate resource or librarian if they are unable to assist personally.

Please note that the full range of services is only offered from 9.00 to 17.00 Monday to Friday, and that after 17.00 on weekdays and on Saturdays staff may refer particular enquiries to regular (weekday) employees.

Subjects (open shelf)

For a current distribution of open-access resources (books and microfilms) please use the following links:

• Open-access resources to be located at the Special Collections reading room in RSL
• Microform resources to be located at the Special Collections reading room in RSL
• Open-access resources to remain in the Bodleian reading rooms
• Microform resources to remain in the Bodleian reading rooms

Subjects (closed stacks)

Theology and Arts

The 16^th and 17^th century Theology (Th) and Arts (Art) closed access stacks line the walls of Arts End, the Arts End galleries, and the shelves along the windows of both sides of the Medieval section of the Library. The bibliographical information of all of these materials is available on OLIS and a great number of the works are available in full text format via Early English Books Online (EEBO).

Early English Books Online should always be consulted prior to placing an order for a (Th) or (Art) volume.

Please note that Art BS, Art Seld, Th BS, Th Seld, and [double letter] Th (e.g. AATh) are kept in the main bookstacks of the Bodleian, not in Duke Humfrey's Library itself.

Using the collections

Manuscripts and pre-1641, special and rare books

These collections are numerous, wide-ranging in their subjects, and of international importance. In general they are available to academics, students of all levels and independent researchers, although some collections require special permission before they may be consulted, while others are yet to be released for consultation.

The following material is consulted in this room:

• Western manuscripts, medieval and early modern, historical, political, literary and scientific - but not modern manuscripts, unbound manuscripts, outsized manuscripts or deposited collections (for these see the Special Collections Reading Room).
• Rare books - note that all books printed before 1641 must be read in this room.
• Most Oxford theses in the humanities and social sciences: D.Phil., B./M. Litt. and B./M. Phil.
• Microfilm surrogate copies of many Bodleian and Oxford college manuscripts.

Please consult the Special Collections web pages for more information.

Access and Admissions

Readers with A cards may order manuscripts and pre-1641, special and rare books. Readers with S or V cards may not consult these materials (including all undergraduates and some taught postgraduates), but may order and read Oxford University theses.

Access to specific manuscripts and pre-1641, special and rare books may be granted to undergraduates and taught postgraduates holding S or V cards with the prior recommendation and support of their dissertation supervisor or tutor. Oxford students should deliver a letter of recommendation from their dissertation supervisor or tutor to the staff of Duke Humfrey’s Library or the Special Collections Reading Room before material is requested. Modern History finalists should deliver a copy of the form provided on the Modern History Faculty website completed by their supervisor or tutor.

Undergraduates and taught postgraduates outside Oxford should always make application to consult manuscript, special and rare book collections prior to a visit, with an advance letter or email from their dissertation supervisor, supporting the request for access, and addressed to the Superintendent of the Special Collections Reading Rooms. In general admission is during Oxford University vacations, but visits during term will be considered.

For further details of the admissions’ requirements and procedure, please view the Bodleian Libraries' Admissions web pages and/or contact us for our specific advice.

Advance orders

Advance manuscript orders may be placed by email. Simply send the shelfmarks (up to ten), the library card number, and the exact calendar date of the intended visit to duke.humfrey@bodley.ox.ac.uk and manuscripts will be fetched in anticipation of the reader’s arrival.

If a reader with an 'A' card (or 'S' or 'V' card holder with permission to consult manuscripts) wishes to see Ballard, Tanner, 'Select' MSS, Kafka, Shelley, Papyri or University Archives, they must direct their requests in person to the Librarian on-duty within the Study.

Advice on the use of manuscript and pre-1641, special and rare book collections 

The manuscripts and books available in this reading room are part of the Bodleian's great inheritance. To help us preserve them for future generations, we ask all readers:

1. To leave bags and cases at the main entrance with the porters;
2. To sign in at the porter's desk at the entrance to the reading room for each session of study, and to sign out when leaving the Library; 
3. To use pencils only or a laptop, and not to use pens, paints, obliterating or erasing liquids. The use of cameras (including digital cameras) and personal scanners is not permitted;
4. To read all bound manuscripts and rare books on appropriate-sized foam book-rests, as provided in the reading room. Pages of a bound volume on a book-rest and loose documents being used flat on the desk may be gently held in place by cotton-linked weights or 'snakes', available from the staff desk (or reserve). Cotton gloves are not used for manuscript consultation at the Bodleian Library;
5. To consult only one box or file of loose documents at a time;
6. To close manuscripts or books whenever you leave your desk, and return them to the staff desk (or reserve) whenever you leave the Library;
7. To take great care to keep loose or fasciculed papers in order;
8. Not to touch illuminations or any written area in a manuscript. A slip of paper may be used to follow a written text. Please do not place anything else on an open book or manuscript, or take notes on top of a manuscript or book, whether open or closed;
9. Not to place manuscripts or books in direct sunlight.

In addition, please note that:

1. Two or more readers may not use the same manuscript at the same time without permission from a senior member of staff;
2. Items on exhibition are not available for readers (microfilm copies are usually available for consultation);
3. Copying a book or manuscript by tracing, painting, rubbing or private photography is not permitted (a full photographic service is provided by Imaging Services);
4. Computers, bags, and other personal property, may not be left with staff;
5. Desks may not be reserved, and material may not be left on a desk overnight;
6. If the fire alarm sounds at any time readers should leave books, manuscripts and personal property at their desks and evacuate the building as quickly as possible under the direction of the staff.

Open shelf printed material

All printed materials held in Duke Humfrey’s can be found on OLIS, Oxford’s online union library catalogue.

Books, series, and journals available on the Library’s open shelves will have the location Bodley BOD D.Humfrey as a prefix, followed by a shelf mark such as: R.Pal. 9. 16c OS [Tier 38], (Palaeography), R.Ref.722/Locke (Reference), R.Cat. 216c (Catalogues), R. 2.256(n.s. 7) (General). A yellow slip recording reader's name, seat number and open-shelf number must be filled out and put in the place of any material removed from the shelves.

Some items held on open access in the Reading Room have RETR recorded on the online catalogue as their shelf mark. Please ask a member of staff for further information, or consult the card catalogue under the magnificent central window in Selden End to find the correct full shelfmark. 

Mobile steps, kicksteps, and other items of height access equipment are available to help readers retrieve open shelf books from the higher shelves of bookcases. Before using equipment of this type, please make a visual check that it is not damaged or faulty. Please take care when using the equipment, and if it is unstable, let staff know straightaway, and then find another set of steps. When using sets of steps with hooved or cup feet, please take particular care not to knock the feet against bookcases or skirting boards, as this can distort them and make the steps unstable.

Book replacing

Book replacing is undertaken every weekday morning between 8:15 and 9:00am.

Stack request

To order books using the automated stack request (ASR) system to the Duke Humfrey's Library select the option DH Res. A maximum of ten orders to Duke Humfrey’s Library may be made at any one time, including manuscript and non-OLIS requests.

To order manuscripts and those printed items not listed on OLIS, please complete green order slips provided at the staff desk (or reserve). Most of these orders are dealt with by the staff at this desk. There are some exceptions (see Advance Orders), which are the responsibility of the Study staff member. There is no fetching/delivery service after 16.00 weekdays and none at all on Saturdays. Material is automatically reserved for seven days and this reservation may be renewed on request.

Facilities

Computer and laptop facilities

Six computers are available at a dedicated table in Selden End for readers to consult SOLO, OLIS, OXLIP+ databases, and internet resources of academic interest.

All reader seats in Selden End are equipped with power sockets and Ethernet points, for connection to the internet (see information about using a laptop).

Please note that the 17^th century bookcases in the medieval section of Duke Humfrey's Library are also equipped with sockets and Ethernet points. The power sockets are available for use but the Ethernet points have been disabled for preservation reasons.

Wireless is available throughout Duke Humfrey's Library – for more information please consult the Using a laptop page.

CD and non-video DVD resources may be ordered via OLIS and consulted at the standalone computer on the microfilm and microfiche table.

Printing and photocopying

The library offers a number of ways in which readers may obtain copies of manuscript and pre-1900 printed materials. For full details, please refer to the making a copy page.

Material printed from computers in the Selden End can be collected and paid for at the staff desk (or reserve).

Please present any items from which you wish to make copies to staff at the reserve. A self-service photocopying area is available  in the Lower Reading Room (adjacent to Main Enquiry Desk). Though full details of what can be copied and of other copying services are given by the making a copy page, the permission of staff on-duty is required before copying is undertaken. Please note that staff-service photocopy orders are not accepted from 30 minutes before closing.

Bodleian Libraries print/photocopy cards can be purchased and re-valued at machines in the Upper Reading Room photocopy area, and at the bottom of the south staircase, where a change machine accepting £5 and £10 notes can also be found.

Microform equipment

Microfilm and microfiche readers can be found on the northernmost table in Selden End. Please ask staff on-duty at the Duke Humfrey’s reserve desk for an initial tour of the open shelf microfilm and fiche collections.

Codicological tools

A collator, an ultra-violet lamp, and a fibre-optic light sheet are available on application to reading room staff. 

Closing routine

This commences half an hour before closure, when windows will be closed and the foam desk rests will be tidied. Reader computers will all be turned off 20 minutes before closure. A bell will be rung 20 minutes before closure, which is the signal for readers to stop working immediately and leave. Please ensure that you take all your belongings with you when you leave the Library. Readers cannot be readmitted if they subsequently discover that they have forgotten something.

Please note that photocopiers are turned off and that staff-service photocopy orders are not accepted from 30 minutes before closing.

Fire exits and assembly point

Exit via the North or South staircases in Arts End and the Proscholium. Assemble in Radcliffe Square, outside the railings. Readers must leave the building promptly when the fire alarm sounds or when instructed to by library staff.

 

Duke Humfrey's Library

Superintendent: Colin Harris
Reference Librarian: Eva Oledzka
tel: 01865 (2)77152
email: enquiries.sc@bodley.ox.ac.uk