I have walked by this building a couple times and for some reason I thought it was a theatre, but…read morediscovered I was completely wrong and it was a library. It was raining outside and I was looking for a place to duck in. I tried to look in the window to see what seating was like when I noticed that they had some souvenirs for purchase... including some items with the Magic Roundabout on it. I went in and there was quite a bit going on. It looked like there were a couple groups in and there were lots of people wandering the collection. I didn't get the chance to go upstairs, but it looks like they have quite a large collection and they have interlibrary loan (I overheard a librarian talking with a patron). There are computers around the wall of the library so people can use the internet or look up books. To the left of the entrance, there is the Tourist Information desk including a large collection of brochures and magazines for tourists for each part of the UK. There was a local section as well. Of course they had the selection of souvenirs that I saw from the outside... Swindon Monopoly, t-shirts, key chains, and coffee mugs with the Magic Roundabout, post cards, and various items for children. It is a lovely facility and seems to be well used by the public!

This is a brand new facility that has just opened in Swindon…read more The library is spread over three levels and is spacious with a cafe and loads of computers for internet access. This library has a very good selection of books on all topics and the staff are very helpful. Was worth the wait.

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.

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.

West Swindon Library can be found within the Link Centre building in West Swindon…read more They have a wide range of books and DVD's that you can borrow. There are computers there that you can use to browse the internet, but you need to book them. The staff there are really helpful. They will go out of their way to help you find something that you are looking for. You can return your books to any of the libraries in Swindon. You can also renew your books online. They have activities on from time to time to encourage childdren to read. There is free car parking next to the library.

West Swindon library is really big and has a huge range of books. They also have computers…read moreavailable to use for free with your library card. The staff are really friendly and helpful. They also rent out videos dvds cds and cassettes but I think there may be a small charge for this - only small though. It's a really nice place to go and have a read.

I hadn't been to a library in a long time when I went to Trowbridge Library to enrol. I found the…read morestaff extremely helpful and courteous, happy to spend time with you and help you find what you need. The enrolment process was very easy just needed a bill with your name and address and driving license I think and they sign you up there and then. It's not a huge place but they have a good selection of books and also they have a reference library a hundred metres away that you can use. As well as books the library also has dvd's, videos and cd's which you can rent for a week or overnight the books you can take out for 3 weeks and you can renew online up to twice which is really handy. Also, they have an electronic system of checking items out which saves time.

Old Town Library is quite possibly the smallest library I have ever used! Due to it's small size…read morethere is a limit to the number of books that are available and being so close to the central library (which is just down the hill from this one) you're better off walking down there. It only opens three days every week so for me that's not often enough for me to really use it (especially as it doesn't open at the weekend). However, although this library is pretty useless to me I think it's really important for those living in old town who have mobility problems. They can order books from other libraries if necessary and I've always found the people who work there to be pleasant and helpful.

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?

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!