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?

Not a very well run or organised small branch library…read more Rather too many unnecessary books. Rather too many staff. Noise is out of control disturbing other readers enjoyment and experience of the whole library. Staff seem particularly 'touchy'about complaints about noisy parents and children and refuse to act on perpetrators. The twice weekly singing sessions are particularly irksome. Havent these 30 40 something parents got jobs to go to? The world doesn't pay for out of tune singing and sitting around.

The library in Abingdon is quite good considering the size of the town, and always has quite a…read morelarge selection of books. If you know specifically which book you want you can check it on the library catalogue online before you go in, and either reserve it or order it from another library if the Abingdon library doesnt have it. There are a few computers with internet access, and the library is also a good place to look for information on local courses or volunteering/jobs.

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!

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.

Even though diminutive in floor space there is still an open and easy plan centring around a…read morereading area for children. With an Internet suite at one end. An easy self service station is an alternative option to the counter to free the staff up for queries.

Nice little librarynot alot of parking outside. Though across the road you might find a space…read more My daughter likes this library as they have a little colouring table with pictures and pencils ;o) Staff are friendly and helpful x

The Radcliffe Camera is a library that is part of Oxford Univestiy. It is not open to the public…read moreand we were able to see the exterior only. The building is beautiful and somewhat unique in appearance. it is round and it dates from the 1730's. Would have loved to see inside.

The Radcliffe Camera is a building of Oxford University, England, designed by James Gibbs in…read moreneo-classical style and built in 1737-49 to house the Radcliffe Science Library. It is located right in the heart of Oxford very close to other iconic buildings such as as the Bodelian library. It is a round domed building sitting in its own right, worthy of a view.

A really nice local library. Plenty of stock, in a lovely old building. Childrens library section…read moreis a treat (if you have kids) as it has a wide range of books for all ages and is great to find new authors. Also the older ones can entertain themselves on the computers whilst you read to the younger ones. Good range of DVDs, and an eclectic non-fiction section which I love browsing. Really handy to pop into, and a great excuse to wander through lovely Bury Knowle Park.

This is a fantastic library! It is incredibly (well from my experience of libraries) high tech, the…read morestaff are welcoming, and it has regular rhyme times (every first Tuesday of the month, then the next Wednesday, then Tuesday - it resets at the start of the month - er, see below) and story times. Today we went to a Sunday Funday, and it was great fun - fire engines, policemen, flower arranging, clay modelling, embroidery... My only negative would be: Why can't Rhyme Time just be every Tuesday (or Wednesday)? I've had a few texts from fellow mums saying Are you going to rhymetime tomorrow? on a Tuesday, when the Rhyme Time was on that Tuesday. Generally it is a fantastic library. PS They also lend books and DVDs and stuff!

I must admit I was a fan of the traditional old library based around a 10 minute walk away from…read morethis new, high tech, expensive new build but the lure of fiction has never stopped me exploring this new location. The staff within the library are reasonably well trained, some more than others, and they are welcoming and polite. I'm not a member of the library as I hate to return books I've throughly enjoyed but I do use the library for other research and entertainment purposes. Reasonably well stocked (as much as any library can be), books are displayed neatly and in order (well most of the time anyway!).

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.