| The Radcliffe Camera | |
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The Radcliffe Camera was constructed in 1737-49 from a design by James Gibbs. The building, which has the third largest dome in Britain, is named after Dr Radcliffe, the Royal Phsyician at the time, who put up all the money. The Camera housed scientific books until a separate Radcliffe Science Library was founded near the University Museum in 1861; Theology, History and English Literature are the principal subject areas for the books kept in the building at present. As the Radcliffe Camera is a reading room of the Bodleian Library, it is not open to the public. The Bodleian Library is a 'copyright library' and therefore entitled to a free copy of every book published in this century. It also purchases major foreign works, and finding space to store its vast, varied and ever-expanding collection is an ongoing problem. The solution has often been to build underground stores, and there is one under the lawn on the North side of the Radcliffe Camera with space for one million volumes. The Old Buildings of the Bodleian Library are close to the Radcliffe Camera in Catte Street, and the New Buildings are just beyond on the corner of Broad Street and Parks Road. The Old and New Buildings are linked by an underground passage to allow books to be easily transferred between the buildings. An exhibition of some of the Library's treasures is always on view in the Divinity School Monday - Friday 9am-5pm, Saturday 9am - 4.30pm, closed Sundays Opposite the Old Bodleian is Hertford College (telephone 279400), the buildings of which are linked by a graceful bridge (constructed in 1913) which spans the New College Lane. |
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