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| The New Bodleyan |
Today I ventured downtown to meet my friend A. for breakfast. I haven't been out and about much, having had a nasty cold, but I am feeling better now and it was a beautiful day, so I decided to go. A. works in the Bodleyan Library most Sundays, and I usually walk her over after we finish our breakfast.
The Bodleyan is located in several different areas these days, having branched out from their original building opposite Hertford College. One of these branches is the New Bodleyan which was built between the wars (opened in 1940) and was getting a bit grotty - I should know, I used to study there in the PPE Reading Room. It was recently re-modelled, and this week was the great opening. A. worked there today, so I decided to have a quick look around.
I swear, the place looks more like a modern museum than an honest library! There is even a cafe! Well, I have taken a few photos for my good friend Judifer who loves libraries, but didn't stay long. Those re-modelling vandals managed to turn a comfortable down-at-heel seedy disreputable old shoe of a study-cave into a modern non-entity, the sort of thing you can find in every major town of the globe. Totally destroyed its personality. I don't know why they do that sort of thing, to attract tourists I suppose, as though there weren't enough of them already.
Today there were loads of visitors, and they had even hired a little band of musicians ... In a library! My old boss Majel Michel Warren would be turning in her grave!
Here is the link, if you are interested
http://www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/our-work/estates-projects/weston
Hic transit gloria mundi. Enjoy the photos.
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| View of old Indian Institure, left New Bodleyan, right Clarendon Building |
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| Old printing press in the foyer |
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| Musicians in the foyer |
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| Inside looking up |
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| ditto |
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| Looking from the foyer at the Sheldonian Theatre |
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| Clarendon building from New Bodleyan |
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| Sheldonian - on the left the library shop |
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| Entrance |
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| New Bodleyan |
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| Taken from the Clarendon Building |
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| ditto |
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| One of the heads surrounding the Sheldonian Theatre |
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| Sheldonian Theatre |
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| ditto |
