Today we traveled to Oxford via train and we visited the Bodleian and Merton College libraries. As we entered the city, I was surprised by how much of the city has been preserved over time. I pondered whether the English simply have a stronger passion for preservation and heritage or if there were guiding laws that have protected these structures. I will likely engage in further exploration of this topic for my research project, but I digress from the topic at hand: The Bodleian and Merton College libraries.
Pictured above is the first lecture/study hall at Oxford College, and the first room we entered into on our tour of the Bodleian library. Its size and intricate stone work are breathtaking. Our tour guide asked us to sit on the benches along the sides. From there, she gave us general information regarding the history of the college and the politics surrounding its existence. And then, so casually, she mentioned that the benches we were casually (and without real care) lounging upon were original to the space. I had my feet wrapped around a foot bench with so little care and precision that I nearly fell when I heard this information. Here we were, lounging on these benches that were older than most known structures in North America. I was not alone. I saw my tour classmates sit a little more gingerly and manage their belongings as to preserve.
This attitude shift was an important one. Once we perceived value in the material, our response to it was permanently altered. As we entered the next chamber, most of my classmates sat with care and stowed their other belongings on the floor. This made me wonder...when do items gain or lose value? This becomes important when examining the Bodleian because it is one of the oldest libraries in Europe, but it has also become a book suppository for every book published in the UK. That means that the Bodleian has stores of every single published writing in the UK for 400 years. At what point are the books a commodity instead of something prized? The original Bodleian library is well preserved and protected. No pictures were permitted and several scholars worked under the watchful eye of a security guard. However, most of the 12million + items are housed in additional libraries and storage facilities. Unsurprisingly, there is part of me that feels a relief that copies of every published book are being preserved, but I wonder if this practice devalues the books because they are far less rare than even their counterparts from a few centuries before.
Regardless of whether stowing millions of books takes away the "value", the Bodleian felt like a sacred space with its intricate ceilings and traditional appearance. It felt spiritual without the religious components. It felt like a place that was meant to be treasured.
Pictured above is the first lecture/study hall at Oxford College, and the first room we entered into on our tour of the Bodleian library. Its size and intricate stone work are breathtaking. Our tour guide asked us to sit on the benches along the sides. From there, she gave us general information regarding the history of the college and the politics surrounding its existence. And then, so casually, she mentioned that the benches we were casually (and without real care) lounging upon were original to the space. I had my feet wrapped around a foot bench with so little care and precision that I nearly fell when I heard this information. Here we were, lounging on these benches that were older than most known structures in North America. I was not alone. I saw my tour classmates sit a little more gingerly and manage their belongings as to preserve.
This attitude shift was an important one. Once we perceived value in the material, our response to it was permanently altered. As we entered the next chamber, most of my classmates sat with care and stowed their other belongings on the floor. This made me wonder...when do items gain or lose value? This becomes important when examining the Bodleian because it is one of the oldest libraries in Europe, but it has also become a book suppository for every book published in the UK. That means that the Bodleian has stores of every single published writing in the UK for 400 years. At what point are the books a commodity instead of something prized? The original Bodleian library is well preserved and protected. No pictures were permitted and several scholars worked under the watchful eye of a security guard. However, most of the 12million + items are housed in additional libraries and storage facilities. Unsurprisingly, there is part of me that feels a relief that copies of every published book are being preserved, but I wonder if this practice devalues the books because they are far less rare than even their counterparts from a few centuries before.
Regardless of whether stowing millions of books takes away the "value", the Bodleian felt like a sacred space with its intricate ceilings and traditional appearance. It felt spiritual without the religious components. It felt like a place that was meant to be treasured.
After our visit to the Bodleian, we then visited Merton College library, one of the oldest continuously operational academic libraries in the world. Like our last tour guide, our Merton tour guide guided us through the beautiful buildings associated with this library before bringing us up to tour the space itself.
Because of security and protections given at the Bodleian, I believe most of us expected to experience the same type of protectiveness at Merton. However, we were pleasantly surprised to find a space that we were welcome to explore. Our tour guide showed us a few special items (like the globe pictured above) and only asked that we not touch books or artifacts in the space. The sacredness of this space rested in our ability to interact with it...to walk on a medieval floor or to look walk through the stacks. While far less ornate, the Merton felt equally sacred and important. We also learned that this original library is only used to store these older texts, and that the academic library is housed elsewhere. This difference allowed for Merton to allow a group of librarians (in training) to access the space without disrupting the normal practices of a special collection library.
In both cases, it felt as though we were experiencing something important and valued, if only by us and only because of our perception of the value of books, libraries, and learning.
Because of security and protections given at the Bodleian, I believe most of us expected to experience the same type of protectiveness at Merton. However, we were pleasantly surprised to find a space that we were welcome to explore. Our tour guide showed us a few special items (like the globe pictured above) and only asked that we not touch books or artifacts in the space. The sacredness of this space rested in our ability to interact with it...to walk on a medieval floor or to look walk through the stacks. While far less ornate, the Merton felt equally sacred and important. We also learned that this original library is only used to store these older texts, and that the academic library is housed elsewhere. This difference allowed for Merton to allow a group of librarians (in training) to access the space without disrupting the normal practices of a special collection library.
In both cases, it felt as though we were experiencing something important and valued, if only by us and only because of our perception of the value of books, libraries, and learning.