One of the oldest libraries in Britain, the Bodleian Library has been in continuous use since its founding in 1602 by Sir Thomas Bodley. This richly illustrated guidebook is perfect for architectural aficionados or those planning a trip. A short introduction that gives the story of the library’s founding is followed by a succinct guide to the buildings found there, from Duke Humfrey’s Library to the Divinity School, Convocation House, Schools Quadrangle, Clarendon Building, and Radcliffe Camera.
           
Bodleian Library Souvenir Guide covers more than four centuries of the library’s most celebrated architecture, taking a look back at the contributions of famous architects like Sir Christopher Wren and Nicholas Hawksmoor. In addition to the buildings themselves, the book illustrates some of the Bodleian’s most exquisite stonemasonry and statuary found there. It also provides translations to the intriguing Latin inscriptions that adorn many of the buildings and mark key moments in the library’s history. The book is brought up-to-date with a description of subsequent renovations, including the addition of the state-of-the-art Weston Library to house the library’s special collections.

Geoffrey Tyack is a fellow of Kellogg College, University of Oxford. He is the author of several books including Oxford: An Architectural Guide and Modern Architecture in an Oxford College.