The Bodleian Library is the main library for Oxford University. It is the second largest libray in…read moreEngland - second only to the British Library. Unfortunately it is is closed on Sunday which was our only day in Oxford. Consequently we weren't able to see the inside or take a tour of the library and got to see the exterior only. The architecture is magnificant and even the exterior is worth seeing.

What an amazing experience! We had a tour of the Bodleian Libraries, and it was by far the…read morehighlight of our trip to Oxford. The rich history of the library was captivating, and the stunning architecture of the buildings was not to miss. Natasha, our tour guide, was an absolute gem! She guided us through the majestic halls and took us behind the scenes, explaining the lavish history along the way, always with a warm smile. Her enthusiasm for the library was palpable, and her extensive knowledge made the tour even more fascinating. One of the highlights was seeing the Duke Humfrey's library. Such a beautiful and historic building with crests of the University of Oxford covering the ceiling, and Kings, Queens, and Bishops along the aisles. The Radcliffe Camera and The Divinity Schools were not to miss as well. I highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Oxford.

A good, well stocked central library. Has a reference section with many current UK and…read moreInternational newspapers and journals, all up to date. Has a number of drop-in 15minute computers as well as about 8, 1 hour internet access computers that you have to sit and wait for until someone finishes. If your in Oxford and need internet access its worth popping in. The usual array of books, photocopying, fax,audio/video and reference materials that youd expect from main city library.

This was my childhood haunt and now I am back 20 years later and it's almost exactly the same (the…read morechildren's library has shrunk though, surely? or am I just taller?). Friendly and efficient reception staff got me registered and carded in a flash and off I was browsing the shelves. Fiction is good, and the music library rivals the Westminster Music Library (the UK gold standard I think) but not a massive number of non-fiction books in each category. Still, if you're after a specialist subject you'll probably be going to a specialist library, won't you?

Nice library, very friendly staff, ample parking (always handy!)…read more Always on hand to look books up for me, or show how to find things. Also a really big childrens section, with a big toy train to sit on. I travel past 2 other libraries to go to this one, it's our fav ;o)

Surprisingly modern with very helpful staff. If they don't have a book they are actually friendly…read moreenough and helpful enough to try and get it for you. Very nice place to be for research, reading, photocopying, or anything.

We were on a guided walking tour of Oxford. The city of Oxford is demonated by Oxford University…read morewhich is actually comprised of 41 separate colleges and it dates back to around 1096. Some of the buildings are open to the public - some are not. We were there on a Sunday and most were not. I was happy to be on a guided walking tour with a tour guide who was knowledgeable about the university. I would highly encourage a guided tour if you have the time. This is a beautiful campus/city and there is a wealth of history attached to both the city and the university. This was definitely worth the trip from London where we were staying.

Quality/Quantity - Wanted to take a break from all that tourist stuff, so we decided to visit…read moreOxford University. Did not realize that they had so many "schools" here. We tried to find the main campus, but struggled. Was it because we came on a Saturday? Or because we came after all the students already started summer break a few weeks ago. My wife was happy to come during the break; I prefer visiting during the school year to see the liveliness. Overall, we had a good time visiting as many of their schools, libraries, campuses, churches, etc. as possible. Was not surprised that this place was so touristy; schools make so much additional $$ giving paid tours and/or charging admissions to enter. Also, we were fortunate enough to have visited when the museum sponsored a free event for the kids, see pictures. Lastly, I took a nice local beer break in one of their libraries. So cool to be able to have a beer in a library, might be a first for me. Back in my college days, we had to go to the student union pub. Atmosphere - Beautiful, cool, and historic. Schools spread out over a few mile radius, so be prepared to walk if you want to visit. We grabbed a hop on hop off map as a guide of places to visit, see picture. Service - Good. Price - Depends on which schools tour and admission costs. A few, very few, campuses were free. Owner Comment - Great town to visit, nice break from London. I suggest visiting during the school year.

A private club, so be prepared to find a member to gain entry…read more The Union is an icon in British culture. A center of debate and public discourse, you should really try to catch a debate if you are in Oxford during term. The member's bar is an excellent perk and serves a sparse, but nice lunch during weekdays. I'm writing this review from the free wireless service, which is another nice feature (though it works better from the libraries than the bar.) Snooker tables upstairs add a nice bonus to the typical bar scene in Oxford. The Union has become my haven when I am in the busy streets of downtown Oxford. The leather seats in the bar and the relatively quiet atmosphere during the day make it a great place to relax and get work done, or bring others for a discussion or meeting. You will find yourself surrounded mostly by undergraduates, followed by a healthy mix of post-grads and faculty. The debates are similar demographics, and tend to feature diametrically opposed parties. These are not always the best debates as they often pitch opposing ideologies and simply bash assumptions against each other rather than focus on the logical systems each side is using. The student debates before the formal debates tend to hold more fine points of discussion and a bit of humor. Both are worth going to, however, and some are more compelling than others. All in all, I think the Oxford Union deserves its iconic status, and if you can, you really should make an effort to experience it. Members can bring guests for a £3 entry fee. If you are affiliated with the university, and eligible for membership, you can only be a guest 3 times before you are asked to buy your own membership.

The world-famous Oxford Union is rightly proud of its library. Of course, Oxford is full of…read morelibraries crammed with rare copies, beautiful interiors and terrifyingly intelligent academics. This fits the mould, but is a healthy mixtures of generally artsy books. In keeping with the general theme of the union, it's well-loved by law and politics students, although there's something for most subjects. It's one of the biggest libraries where you can borrow books (as opposed to sit in there and read them) in Oxford, but its use is limited to members of the Union, for which it is necessary to pay over £100. There's also a decent collection of fiction, which can be a bit lacking in college libraries. It's got books written in the past few years. The travel guides are particularly useful, although quickly outdated, as are the magazines and newspapers. They're generally quite serious magazines (although FHM has been known to make an appearancE) - more the Economist and New Scientist than Heat or Hello, and much cheaper than buying one which you'll read once. If you're not a member of the Union or the Union Society, you can still visit the library for £1.50 and it's well worth doing so to see the Pre-Raphaelite murals (1857-9) painted by Rossetti, Edward Burne-Jones and William Morris. They're all quite dramatic and mostly related to the legends of King Arthur. Don't forget to look up at the ceiling!

Small, friendly library. The children's section is very good. There are plenty of DVDs to borrow…read moreand I can often find something I want to read on the shelves. If I can't then the staff are quite happy to order something for me. And as ashiyan said they do have some very useful computers. Sometimes during the Woodstock literary festival they have events in the library. Like most libraries it has a very good noticeboard giving information about local groups and events.

A small library with some good kids books (asterix and tintin etc.) and a childrens area. Theres a…read more15minute drop in computer with internet access and 3 computers for up to 1hour with internet access. Nice staff, but overall quite a limited library, although its redeemed by the good internet facilities.

This is quite a large modern-looking library situated above the Podium shopping centre in Bath…read more The library is in an attractive Bath Stone Building with large plate glass windows. The library also hosts events, for example local authors visiting to talk about their latest novels.

I've been disappointed with the choice of books here on a number of occasions. The study area is…read moregood but it's used by so many loud students that it makes it difficult to work here. The staff deal with it, but the students keep up their behaviour. It's frustrating. Lots of space and not many books. I hope they get lots of funding! I really like the staff here. :D I love the online renewal system.

I have been an active member of Highgate Library since January 1991…read more And that was when, Margaret Thatcher was still the British Prime Minister. I only live around the corner from this Camden library branch, which is Holly Lodge. And even up to this day, I will always use the services at Highgate Library, for hiring out DVDs, PC printing and the photo copy machine. And I even reserve books and DVD from Highgate Library. Highgate Library is literally right next door to Highgate Cemetery, the place of Karl Marx's tomb.

Westcroft library is very small and so if you're looking for a specific thing, go to CMK library or…read moreorder it in. However if you're just looking for what ever takes your fancy, then it's a great place to go. It is nice and quiet plus they have some computers there, so it's an excellent place to work or study and you can pop to the Morrison's for some lunch. The staff are nice and friendly too. They have a photocopier there and they can reserve and order in books (for a small fee). It also a nice place to take your children and get them into reading.

Westcroft library used to be me and my sisters favourite place to go and visit when we were…read moreyounger, yes it is quite strange that this was our optional place to go but we really did love it. We would sit in there practically for hours on end reading books, we practically begged our mum to go down there with us so she could let us join the library, she eventually agreed. We would usually get the maximum amount of books out that we were allowed and weirdly enough read them all before the week was up. They have a little table where we would occasionally sit and do our home work. You could loan books, magazines, baby toys and video tapes (probably DVD's now as well). I remember the staff always being really friendly.