Bodleian Library

Bodleian Library , at the Univ. of Oxford. The original library, destroyed in the reign of Edward VI, was replaced in 1602, chiefly through the efforts of Sir Thomas Bodley , who gave it valuable collections of books and manuscripts and in his will left a fund for maintenance. The library has one of the great collections of English books, including a major Shakespearean section; its extensive manuscript collection is especially rich in biblical and Arabic material. A new building for the library was opened in 1946. The Bodleian also maintains OLIS, the Oxford Libraries Information System, Oxford's online union library catalog, which contains records of the books, periodicals, and other items held by libraries within or associated with the university.

Bibliography: See H. H. E. Craster, History of the Bodleian Library, 1845-1945 (1952); A. G. and W. O. Hassall, Treasures from The Bodleian Library (1974); G. Walker, M Clapinson, and L. Forbes, The Bodleian Library: A Subject Guide to the Collections (2004).

Bodleian Library the library of Oxford University, one of six copyright libraries in the UK. The first library was founded in the 14th century, but was refounded by Sir Thomas Bodley (1545–1613), English scholar and diplomat.