The College Library and Reading Collection

The College Library occupies the ground and first floors of 60 Banbury Road (Geoffrey Thomas House). It is open twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, when College is open. 

Access requires a College-registered University Card, which must be used to release the doors both on entering and on leaving the Library. Although it is tempting to follow someone through an open door, ‘tailgating’ is not allowed for the security of all College members, plus it is helpful if everyone uses their card, as the system provides useful data for the management and future development of the Library. The Library is also protected by CCTV in each room and in the circulation area.

The book stock is the result of a number of significant donations, which have created research collections in some areas, and a programme of purchases. The latter is largely suggested by students and aimed at supporting courses for which the student body is regularly of significant size.

The College is part way through a programme of cataloguing and shelving in systematic order. In common with several other colleges, the Library uses the Dewey classification, which works decimally. The catalogue is part of the Bodleian system and is consulted using SOLO. New items appear on SOLO as they are added, but it may take a few days longer for them to reach their correct position on the shelves.

While cataloguing and shelving are proceeding, an effort has been made to cluster items by subject; however, the order of shelving is, in places, random and catalogued and uncatalogued items relating to the same subject may be located in different rooms. At the start of the academic year, the main subject clusters are:

• Archaeology – catalogued: Computer Room and Herbert Lane Room Annexe
• Architectural History – catalogued: Herbert Lane Room; uncatalogued: Stopforth Metcalfe Room (Cathy Oakes Collection) 
• English Literature – catalogued: Herbert Lane Room Annexe, Stopforth-Metcalfe Room (Philip Healy Collection); uncatalogued: Reading Room
• French Literature – uncatalogued: Lillian Butler Davey Room (H T Barnwell Collection)
• general reference – catalogued: Computer Room
• History – catalogued: Herbert Lane Room Annexe, Stopforth-Metcalfe Room (Philip Healy Collection); uncatalogued: Upper Reading Room; Lilian Butler Davey Room
• History of Art – catalogued: Herbert Lane Room; uncatalogued: Lilian Butler Davey Room, Stopforth Metcalfe Room (Cathy Oakes Collection) 
• History of Dance – catalogued: Lilian Butler Davey Room (Early Dance Circle donation)
• History of Gardening – catalogued: Herbert Lane Room
• History of Planning – catalogued: Herbert Lane Room
• Linguistics and Phonetics ‒ catalogued: Computer Room
• Local History – catalogued: Herbert Lane Room Annexe; uncatalogued: Reading Room
• Race and Migration Studies – undergoing cataloguing: Upper Reading Room
• Sustainable Urban Development – catalogued: Herbert Lane Room
• subjects not covered elsewhere in this list – catalogued: Computer Room

The National Resource Centre for Historical Dance (Early Dance Circle Collection), in the Lillian Butler Davey Room contains much that is relevant to the history of dance, gesture and costume, and some history of art and history of music. This collection is fully catalogued.

Students are welcome to browse and to use the books in all rooms. All books are for reference only. They may be moved between Library rooms, but under no circumstances may an item be borrowed or removed from the Library. When readers have finished with books they are requested not to re-shelve them, but to put them in the location marked ‘awaiting shelving’ in each room (dark brown in each room apart from the Herbert Lane Room, where the shelves are white).

Requests for Purchase

The Library welcomes suggestions for book purchases. There is a small annual budget for the purchase of books and requests may be made directly to the Library at library@kellogg.ox.ac.uk or to the Fellow Librarian, Dr Jonathan Healey, at jonathan.healey@kellogg.ox.ac.uk. Please bear in mind that some books take several weeks to arrive even if they are ordered immediately. Please read the Acquisitions Policy

Students with disabilities

The ground floor of the Library is wheelchair accessible, though it is advisable to let Reception know in advance of a visit. There is a ramp at the front door (not usually in use and is locked) and there is a lift from the Reception area. Assistance with fetching books from upstairs or from higher shelves may be requested from Reception during opening hours.

There is a height-adjustable desk (sitting to standing position) in the Computer Room and on the first floor in the Lilian Butler-Davey Room. At the adjustable desk in the Computer Room there is a larger and fully adjustable screen, and an ergonomic keyboard. At one of the ordinary desks, there is an even larger screen. All these facilities may be used by anyone, but priority should always be given to those whose need is greatest.

The Library has a Summary Statement of Provision for Students with Disabilities, a copy of which can be downloaded here

Health and safety

On each floor of the Library is a large, wheeled ladder for reaching items on the higher shelves. The ladders may be moved between rooms, but are never to be carried up and down the stairs. For readers’ own safety, please do not stand on chairs or tables.

The desks in the Herbert Lane and Lilian Butler-Davey Rooms have power sockets attached to them, and in the Stopforth-Metcalfe Room there is a power box in the floor near the window. Please use these sockets rather than those round the perimeter of the rooms in order to avoid the hazard of trailing wires across the floor.

IT Equipment

Computers, computer screens and the photocopier are property of the College’s IT department. They can assist with questions relating to the IT equipment or give training as required it-support@kellogg.ox.ac.uk

Library Rules

To allow all students to be able to work effectively in the Library, please ensure you keep to the following rules at all times and be considerate of other users of the Library. The Rules apply throughout the Library, including the hall and stairs.

Books

  1. The borrowing of materials from the Library is not currently permitted. Unauthorised borrowing will result in disciplinary action.
  2. Books should not be re-shelved, but should be placed on the ‘awaiting shelving’ shelves located in each Library room.
  3. Library materials may be used in any room within the Library.
  4. Writing in books is forbidden: those found to have written in books, or otherwise to have deliberately or negligently damaged them, will be charged for their replacement.
  5. The corners of pages should not be turned down to mark places, nor should open books be placed face-down on any surface.
  6. Knives, scissors and other sharp objects are not permitted in any Library rooms. If uncut pages need to be separated, Reception should be asked for assistance.

Food and Drink

  1. No food is permitted in the Library.
  2. Drinking water may be taken into the Library provided it is in sealable bottles, and hot drinks may be taken in provided they are in KeepCups (available from the College Hub or from Bodleian Shops and some Bodleian Libraries, the MCR also have a limited supply for students to borrow).

Noise

  1. No conversations (in person, phone, online or otherwise) or group meetings in the rooms or hallway. If you need to have a discussion or conversation, please leave the Library.
  2. No music or other audio material should be played in the Library. If you are using headphones, please check that absolutely no sound is audible to other people in the room.
  3. Be aware that everyone has certain habits while working (clicking pens, drumming on the table etc.) but as the Library is a communal workspace, please try to work as quietly as possible at all times.

General Conduct

  1. The library is for use by current members of Kellogg only. You must not let any non-members, including partners, accompany or follow you into the library. Non-members will be asked to leave. 
  2. Smoking and the use of e-cigarettes is prohibited.
  3. Please do not reserve workstations or leave materials (papers, bags etc.) on any of the desks or chairs unless you are returning within a very short amount of time. If you are leaving for a seminar and are planning on returning later, please remove your property to make way for others. Items left unattended may be removed by College staff.
  4. If you are using one of the College computers, make sure you log out and switch it off when you have finished.
  5. If you are the last person to leave any Library room (especially at night), please make sure all windows are closed, the desk lights and all workstations are switched off.

If you feel that other people are not keeping to these rules and are disturbing you in any way, please do not hesitate to contact the Librarian Fellow, Dr Jonathan Healey jonathan.healey@kellogg.ox.ac.uk, the Junior Deans at junior.dean@kellogg.ox.ac.uk, or the Dean at jeremy.gibbons@kellogg.ox.ac.uk

Reading Collection

In addition to the Library, but separate from it and managed by the Academic Officer of the MCR, is a Reading Collection – an uncatalogued collection of ‘good reads’ donated by students, staff and Fellows. The main part of the collection is housed in the Common Room in the College Hub, with some items in the short-stay accommodation at Donald Michie House. Items from the Reading Collection may be borrowed: it is a self-service system, based on trust; all we ask is that items are returned in a reasonable time. Donations of fiction or non-fiction, paperback or hardback, are always welcome and may be left at Reception for the Academic Officer who will insert bookplates and add them to the Collection. Please consider recycling any book you have enjoyed in this way rather than taking it to a charity shop.

Updated on: 21/07/2023