Writing at the Bodleian Libraries

While Adam came to England to work with and learn from people at the University of Oxford, I came here to support Adam and to have a writing retreat. I am writing a book about Jane Austen, so being in England just adds a bit more inspiration. 🙂

I knew that as a faculty member of a university in the US I would be able to apply for a reader’s card to conduct research and enter various libraries at the university–particularly the Bodelian Libraries. These libraries are The Old Bodleian Library, the Radcliffe Camera, and the Weston Library, all located within walking distance from each other in the city center of Oxford. So I library hopped for a week. It was awesome!

I didn’t take any pictures while I was sitting in the Weston, but here are a few from the Old Library and the Camera.

Six of the seven pictures are from the Old Library. The last one I took in the Camera. I felt inspired to write all day in these spaces, and I wrote a lot. I almost finished a chapter of my book! The writing just flowed out of me. This reminded me how important physical space and head space are to each other.

You might be wondering who that portrait shows staring hard at me. That’s Oliver Cromwell, whom Jane Austen called a “detestable monster.” Yeah, I’m quoting that in my book and it was not lost on me that it was a fun coincidence to see this portrait while writing about Austen.

I split my writing time into chunks, and in the middle of the day I went for a walk outdoors around the libraries. Sometimes I’d grab an iced coffee and a muffin and sit in the tourist zone. Sometimes I’d get a calzone and a coke and sit in the terrace seating behind a tiny restaurant with no indoor seating. It’s a takeaway place.

I also was around for Encaenia–a ceremony in which distinguished scholars, researchers, etc. are given honorary degrees from the University of Oxford. Note above some of the faculty wearing their robes. And notice that some of the people are wearing white fur hoods. I had no idea what that meant, but Alli Elliott and Christine Fulcher for sharing information with me about Oxford’s various hoods.

In my next post I’ll talk about an exhibit I saw at the Weston Library.