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Well, there's no Burgertime this month either after Nathan failed to return from his bus trip to Wells. There were some reports on the news about a bomb on the 929 and needing to keep a certain speed up, but 130mph was probably a little optimistic and it blew up thirty seconds later. Suddenly faced with the prospect of having to work, Jon emerged from three weeks' counselling ready to go review something… the Radcliffe Camera in Oxford.
Oxford has a lot of libraries. LOTS. But, if you were a student there and you wanted to go read about English or Theology, where's the best place to go? The Hooke library? The Oriental Institutes library (including the Chinese Studies library and Eastern Art library)? In the interests of Theologians and, er… Englishogians in need of a good book everywhere, Jon decided to take the Radcliffe Camera, part of the massive Bodleian Library, for a metaphorical spin… |
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How Does It Work? Satchel and reader's card grasped firmly in his hand, our intrepid journalist heads off the Radcliffe Camera, right next to the Old Bodleian Library itself. As he settles down at his workstation and gazes thoughtfully out of the window in an attempt to forget about his essay, Jon uses the time to consider these aspects of the library:
Opening Hours: 9am until 10pm (Monday – Friday during term); 9am until 1pm (Saturdays) Entrance Fee: There isn't one as such; you just need to be part of the university of Oxford. So if you think tuition fees that's 1,025 pounds a year and the teaching's free. Ambiance: 10/10 Sunlight shines lazily through the high windows onto the polished tables where people study. Lamps illuminate your spot on the table, tomes or knowledge line the shelves and people reading things and writing are everywhere. It is Dana Barrett's library from Ghostbusters. Staff: 8/10 They scurry around like little gerbils, reshelving books and getting new additions ready. Ask them for help and they eye you suspiciously, but are forthright enough and the suspicion of all things non-paper is understandable. They don't look much like librarians, though: where are the half-moon glasses, coloured glasses-chains and curly grey hair? Speed: 9/10 It all makes sense (or at least as much sense as a library can make). Alterations to the system are even helpfully explained, though the sheer amount of books and similarity of surroundings can be a little disorientating. It's good for that Twilight Zone effect… as is much of Oxford. Comfort: 7/10 High-backed and deep red-cushioned chairs keep your back straight and your bottom comfy, though the recent removal all the ones with arms reduces the score. Resources: 1/10 A terrific selection of English and Theology books (I even found the 2nd Century Apologist Justin Martyr's work in Greek with Latin footnotes), but an alarming lack of documents or tomes on the Speccy, hence the mark. However, they get credit for a search on "Sinclair" producing "Sinclair and the Sunrise Technology – Deconstructing the Myth". Overall: 7/10 A superb library with surprisingly helpful staff and generous opening hours, unfortunately let down by the lack of works about the Spectrum. Worth visiting if you're studying English or Theology, though. If you're interested in learning more about the Bodleian library (including the Radcliffe Camera), point your Internet browser to http://www.bodley.ox.ac.uk/, join "the whole community of the learned" or send us a cheque or postal order for 20 pounds, UK Sterling. |
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