You said, we did: 2022
This page details some of the ways in which the Bodleian Libraries are responding to the results of our 2022 Reader Survey, across the following areas:
Wi-Fi
| You said... | We did... |
|---|---|
| The Wi-Fi is horrible, which leads to my using the library for study far less than I would like to |
Old Library & Radcliffe Camera: Complicated issue with 3 causes, 2 of which were fixed in 2022:
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| SSL: We upgraded the WiFi in Spring 2023 | |
| Art Library: IT Services upgraded the WiFi system in April 2023 | |
| VHL: Additional capacity created to serve additional users (RSL) | |
| EFL: IT Services upgraded the WiFi system in April 2023 | |
| KB Chen Library: WiFi upgraded by St Antony’s Summer 2024 | |
| Weston Library: IT Services upgraded WiFi in May 2023 | |
| Taylor Institution Library, Law Library and Continuing Education Library: This is part of IT Services’ Improving WiFi project |
Comfort of study spaces
| Library | You said... | We did... |
|---|---|---|
| All Libraries | The seats and desks are not comfortable | We have spent £45,000 on additional height-adjustable desks and ergonomic chairs, comfortable desk chairs, and ergonomic cushions for across all our libraries. |
| All Libraries | I want to be able to plug my laptop into a large screen / dual screen. | We have bought 91 large monitors for connecting to laptops. They should be installed in January 2025. |
| Bodleian Library | The seats are very uncomfortable in the old Bodleian and Radcliffe Camera. |
We bought cushions for the wooden chairs in the Upper and Lower Reading Rooms. |
| Duke Humphreys Library - would appreciate being able to take a desktop carrier bag into the library rather than carrying my computer, cord, etc since bags are not allowed. | Clear bags are available to carry items, and laptop bags are allowed in Duke Humfrey’s Library. Staff, including Security, have been reminded of this. | |
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More comfortable sitting spaces would also be appreciated. I would love to see some more reading rooms with different comfortable seating options. |
All reader PCs had their software updated in April 2022. | |
| Bodleian Old Library and Rad Cam. I do think the computers could be updated though in the aforementioned libraries. | All reader PCs had their software updated in April 2022. They are on a schedule of updates by IT Services. | |
| The lighting in the Rad Cam is too dim I think. | We bought new desk lamps. | |
| Rad cam toilets always smell horrific. | The cleaners installed new odour relief in the toilets. | |
| Health Care: Cairns Library | Wish that they had more double screen computers, as they are amazing. It would also be nice if the NHS computers weren't so terrible there (particularly compared to the university/Bodleian ones)! | We replaced our NHS reader PCs and installed double screens at the Cairns Library in 2023. |
| The cairns library is unfortunately just a bit outdated and less comfortable & 'pretty' than other libraries, but I understand that there are constraints :) | New study desks were installed at the Cairns Library. | |
| Law Library | Some of the staff in the law library chat aloud quite loudly, which can be distracting. | The Law Librarian has reminded staff to speak quietly. |
| Law Bod library would significantly benefit from the provision of a hot water tap/boiler - it's very expensive for students to keep paying for tea from the Cafe when they are in the law library studying for full days at a time. The cafe refuses to provide students with hot water in their own reusable cups. This facility would make the law library much more hospitable for many financially struggling students. Other university libraries ensure to have a hot water tap/boiler available outside their entrance/very close by for this specific reason. Immediate implementation would be very valued. | The Law Librarian has raised this request with the St Cross Building Management Committee. | |
| Sainsbury Library at the Said Business School | Often too dark - very straining on the eyes | The Sainsbury Library was refurbished in 2022. |
| Social Science Library | I also wished there were vending machines for those that would like to buy food or drinks after the cafe closes. | There are 2 vending machines in the seating area next to the café on the floor above the library. |
| The study environment in the social science library is superb, except for the lady's bathroom. The hand towers spill out of the trash bin very very often and there is not enough ventilation in the bathroom, which I think should be improved both for sanitary and covid prevention purposes. | The Social Science Librarian passed your comment to the Building Facilities staff, who implemented enhanced cleaning since 2022. | |
| Oh - also - the ventilation system in the SSL makes the loudest clanking noise, for a while I thought there was someone trapped in there. I think there's a fan loose, I've spent hours wondering what it could be. | The Facilities staff fixed the loose fan. | |
| Taylor Institution Library | I think I see mould in the Taylorian Basement Girls bathroom. | There is no mould, but there is flaky paint and crystallisation due to humidity and evidence of previous damp. |
| Vere Harmsworth Library / Radcliffe Science Library | THE BATHROOMS IN THE VERE HARMSWORTH LIBRARY NEED GOOD VENTILAITON. thanks :). | This feedback has been reported to the Rothermere American Institute, who will investigate the issue further. |
| Weston Library | Occasionally it feels like some of the equipment could do with an update (I'm thinking particularly of the UV readers in the Weston, which are very old and unwieldy!). | We installed new UV readers in the Weston Library. |
Opening hours
| You said... | We did... |
|---|---|
| The libraries should be open earlier. At least at 0900. Opening at 0930 is too late. | We changed the opening of the libraries from 9am to 9.30am due to the Omicron variant of COVID-19, so that our staff could travel in on public transport at a less busy time. When the University BCP level was reduced, we changed back to 9am opening. |
Borrowing policies
| You said... | We did... |
|---|---|
| I've been very frustrated to not be able to use most books outside of the library. |
We have made over 70,000 books on library open shelves available for borrowing:
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| There should be less books restricted to closed stack/closed stack books should be able to be taken out on loan. |
From September 2022 all books that are loanable, whether they are kept on library shelves or in the closed stack (Collection Storage Facility) can be borrowed. In November 2024 the Curators of the University Libraries (our governing body) agreed to change the lending policy to allow previously restricted books kept in the closed stack (Collection Storage Facility) to be borrowed. From September 2025 books published 2000- will be available to borrow (excluding all Special Collections items). |
| I would like longer borrowing periods. |
We changed our loan periods in September 2022. There are 4 loan periods for books across the Bodleian Libraries. High demand collections are controlled by fixed loan periods which apply to all borrowers. Disability Advisory Service registered students have an extended loan period:
All other books that can be borrowed are in a flexible loan category where the loan period varies based on the borrower:
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| It would be great if the library could do automatic renewals, with a notification to say the books have been renewed and to return any no longer needed. | From September 2022 all books are renewed automatically unless another user places a reservation on the title, up to a maximum of 112 days. |
| For a world-class research centre in my discipline, I am surprised by how poor the library services are. you cannot check out enough books |
From September 2022 there is a Bodleian Libraries-wide loan limit based on borrower category:
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| I suppose my biggest grievance with the library system concerns library fines. It is very hard to juggle all the duties and obligations an Oxford academic faces, especially if one is an active researcher. Sometimes books have to be borrowed a few weeks before they can actually be read because there is just enough time to raid a library. A bit more slack would be appreciated. |
We stopped charging fines in March 2020. Instead, if you do not return on time an item that someone else has reserved, you will be blocked from borrowing across the Bodleian Libraries. |
Contents of collections
| You said... | We did... |
|---|---|
| Also, we don't have online access to all of the scientific journals - for example, I don't think that we have the Lancet. | We have a current subscription to the Lancet. The quickest way to find it on SOLO is to use Advanced Search: select 'Title contains' and enter 'Lancet', and select the 'Resource Type' as 'Journals'. |
| For example, Oxford does not have a subscription to the Lancet HIV - this is relevant to my research and know it's niche, but serves as an example of a high impact journal to which the Univeristy does not currently have access for students and staff. It is after all the world's leading journal dedicated to HIV research so quite an important journal on the grand scheme of things. | We subscribed to Lancet HIV in 2023. |
| I also find that there are some journals we do not have access to which I would expect su to (e.g. some subjournals of Nature) | We now provide access to all of the Nature-branded journals via SOLO. |
| A lot of computer science books and resources are missing, for example Springer books /papers and sometimes others. | We have just purchased very large ebook packages from publishers in this area, including Elsevier and Springer collections. The Computer Science Librarian contacts students, researchers and academics in Computer Science to encourage recommendations for purchase. |
| I would like it if we had full access to Teaching History articles | We have a full subscription to Teaching History (you need to use VPN or be on the University network) and direct article links are provided in ORLO (Oxford Reading Lists Online). We circulate details of how to access this journal to PGCE (History) students. |
| Closing the Radcliffe Science library means the provision for engineering material is significantly worsened, and I now solely use my college library for engineering resources | When the RSL was located in the VHL, the Engineering books were on the open shelves. |
| I think there could be greater availability of books on ethnic minority-led literary movements and ecocriticism. I found it hard to find online resources on the Native American Renaissance, for example. I would also appreciate if there was more signposting of books on empire, colonialism, diversity in library staff. | The We Are Our History project ran 2022-2024 and included issues of diversity of collections. |
| I really hope that the library could purchase access to the powerful database Zhongguo jiben gujiku 中國基本古籍庫 developed by Airusheng愛如生, which will be really helpful for my research related to premodern Chinese literature. | We ran a trial of this database but there was not enough support to buy it. |
| There are some eresources that seem to be pretty normal among university libraries, which the bod does not have access to, such as the Listener Archive. | We bought the Listener Archive in August 2022 |
| there are one or two important journals that re notably lacking e.g. European respiratory Journal. | We subscribed to European Respiratory Journal in 2022. |
| I would love if the emergency access we've been extended to De Gruyter and Cambridge Collections could be made permanent | We continue to subscribe to the Cambridge and De Gruyter ebook collections. |
| Would be great to have more access to proprietary business and industry reports developed by credit rating agencies, ESG rating agencies etc. | We now provide access to reports in FitchConnect, one of the major credit rating companies Fitch Solutions, and have added access to the RepRisk ESG data. |
| There are some textbooks for the Roman law course in first year that aren't available online. It would be ideal if they were. The rest are all online so that's great. | Institutional ebook licences for some Roman law textbooks are unavailable. Extracts are digitised and added to LawBod4Students on Canvas subject to copyright restrictions. |
| it would be nice to have more access to foreign language materials e.g. French law journals and books. | We switched to Dalloz in 2023 to widen French language e-content for Law. |
| I would also appreciate it if the libraries offered subscriptions to the most popular medical journals. | We have online subscriptions to all of the major most popular medical journals, available via SOLO. |
| We need to increase our online provision (access during the pandemic was excellent). We need to keep Brill and De Gruyer (Erasmus complete works). It would be great to get access to the Année Rabelaisienne (Garnier digital) and to keep access to the Etudes Rabelaisennes (Droz)! |
We have online access to the Année Rabelaisienne from 2017 onwards – available via SOLO. We have continued access to Brill and De Gruyter ebook collections. |
| While most of the online journals allow access to the paid content via Shiboleth/institutional login, sometimes University of Oxford is not on the list of approved universities. However, the same article can be accessed when searched via SOLO and accessed via the journal website through there. As PubMed is the preferred search engine for biomedical scientists, it would be helpful if access could always be provided by loggin in on the journal's website and not having to resort to SOLO. | This is unfortunately sometimes outside of our control. However, please tells us where this is not working for you and we and we will try and resolve the specific issue. Our Browzine journal finder tool provides a very user-friendly and greatly improved one-stop access point to our online journal subscriptions. |
| More digital resources, more access to digital media (films especially) and online newspaper subscriptions | We are constantly reviewing our subscriptions, as funds allow, and subscribed to an Afghan newspaper collection in 2023. |
| I have not been using the physical library services as I often find that the library does not have the statistics books that I require, or I am not allowed to borrow them out of the library. The way I use statistics textbooks is not that I read it cover to cover, but as a reference manual when I am running analyses which I do in the office (or currently from home). | The new lending policy, which will be introduced in the future, will mean that the majority of modern statistics books will be available to borrow. |
| Some of the books for the 3rd year options are available in very limited quantities. | The Physics Librarian worked with colleagues in the Physics department to address this issue. |
| I have not been using the physical library services as I often find that the library does not have the statistics books that I require, or I am not allowed to borrow them out of the library. The way I use statistics textbooks is not that I read it cover to cover, but as a reference manual when I am running analyses which I do in the office (or currently from home). | The majority of modern statistics books are now available to borrow. |
Communication
| You said... | We did... |
|---|---|
| More books for my subject |
If you have a suggestion for a book you want the Bodleian Libraries to buy, please complete our online form. |
| More journals for my subject | If you have a suggestion for a journal you want the Bodleian Libraries to buy, please complete our online form. |
| It is not clear how to get a physical book from a library using the SOLO website. |
Visit our guide to using SOLO:
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| The libraries I can visit, their spaces to work, availability of private study rooms (to study in groups). |
This information is on our ‘Find a Library’ webpage. You can filter to those with group study rooms (under ‘Facilities’). |
| I am so shocked by what is happening in Duke Humfrey: the amount of food and drink consumed in there, and that pens are now allowed. | Food and drinks, bags or coats are not allowed in Duke Humfrey’s Library (for more information, visit our webpage about using the spaces in the Old Library). When the special collections returned to the Weston Library, pens were once again allowed in Duke Humfrey’s. |
| And the computers are entirely inaccessible with the sign-in system which uses one of many passwords which is hard to keep track of. There need to be more computers that do not require sign-in details. | Every library has at least one 'quick check' computer, which lets you use SOLO without having to sign in. |
| Please make it easier to request journal chapters that are unavailable from Oxford that will be emailed directly to you or sent via the document delivery service/British Library. | Our inter-library loans service is available to all University and Bodleian card holders. |
| What I would like is for someone to take me on a tour of the central library areas and show me the places that would be good for me to work | Staff in the Old Library and Radcliffe Camera are happy to provide introductory sessions for users. Please contact: reader.services@bodleian.ox.ac.uk. |
| There needs to be provision to see chapter overviews of books so that the scan a chapter facility can be utilised efficiently. | You can request a scan of the contents page of a book, and then use this to select a specific chapter to request. This would count as a single request, and is permitted under copyright law. We have added this information to the Scan & Request form. |
| It would also be great if the library teaches us how to distinguish trustworthy and untrustworthy information as there is a sea of information on SOLO. | We run iSkills workshops throughout the year, as well as sessions for specific degree programmes or subjects. Find out more about our workshops. |
| I'd like to be able to drink coffee in the library place where I work |
This information is on our ‘Find a Library’ webpage. You can filter to those that allow hot drinks (under ‘Atmosphere’). |
| I think it may be useful to have one document/ pamphlet/ leaflet that includes a map of all the bodleian libraries that can be accessed by the students with their BOD cards. | The Oxford Libraries Map is given to all new students as part of their welcome pack. It is also available online. |
| It would be EXTREMELY helpful to have free and easy scan and deliver service. We had this at Harvard, and I used it frequently as a graduate student. |
Our free, easy-to-use (according to feedback) Scan and Deliver service is available free of charge to all University and Bodleian card holders. There is also a song and video made by library staff. |
| It is difficult to know which is the correct website to use to find resources when I want them, and when trying to access journal articles online I am never able to find the ones I require. |
All the resources you have access to are listed on SOLO. Find out more information about how to use SOLO to find journal articles in our SOLO guide. |
| While searching on SOLO does give groups of similar results, it would be nice to have a feature to browse some sort of virtual bookshelf. |
Browse is available at the top of the SOLO homepage. You can browse by author, title, or subject. |
| Not totally sure what services are available to me, I am sure there are many, and where I could get this information. | Our website has all this information. |
| The scan and delivery service is limited to one chapter/book or a small fraction/book with reference to copyright laws; this hinders the progress of my research because often there are more chapters useful for my research in one edited book or more than 10% of the book. But the use of the book is for educational (non-commercial) purposes, therefore no limit should apply. |
Copyright law allows scanned copies for private study or research for non-commercial purposes within the following limits:
If the purpose is not for private study or non-commercial research, the law does not allow any scans to be made. |
| The search engine is not excellent. For example a couple of days back I try to find Title: What is strategy? Source: Harvard Business Review [0017-8012] Porter yr:1996 vol:74 iss:6 pg:61 -78 | Use Advanced Search on SOLO. Type in “What is strategy?” (including the quote marks) as Title and Porter as Author. This article is the first result on the list. |
| The only things I could suggest is a more space to eat during lunch. For people who live in further from the centre, to eat at lunch you have to sit outside (which is hard in winter or rainy days) or eat in a cafe which is expensive. | All libraries have a space in the same building where you can eat and drink. The Old Bodleian and Radcliffe Camera have a Reader Common Room where you can eat your lunch in the warm and dry. |
| It's quite frustrating to continually have to do MFA when accessing journals through their websites. | Multi-Factor Authentication was implemented by IT Services. As part of the University of Oxford, the Bodleian Libraries must abide by the IT rules. More information is on the IT Services website. |
| It would be really useful to have a clear single contact point for all library-related services, from which you could be signposted to the right service. |
Our Ask and Support webpage gives details of how to contact our Reader Services team, who will be happy to help with any questions about our services. Every subject area has a dedicated specialist librarian who is the single point of contact for that subject. Find your subject librarian. |
| Unsure if Bod. can help with citation references? | We run iSkills workshops throughout the year, including on referencing and citations. |
| Another request would be to create a single webpage with links for library access to the major newspapers, book reviews, and literary periodicals commonly read by academics in the social sciences and humanities (Times, Telegraph, Guardian, Financial Times, Economist, NY Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, TLS, LRB, NYRB, New Yorker, Harper's, New Statesman, New Left Review, Chronicle of Higher Ed, etc.). The library has subscriptions to many of these publications, but without a central access-point, I end up having to look them up in SOLO individually at each use. |
We have specialist guides to resources for each subject available. Find your subject. These guides are created by our specialist subject librarians and include links directly to useful journals, books, databases and other resources for that subject. |
