Day Four

October 3

Today was quite a busy day and it was a lot of fun. We got inducted in the Bodleian library today. I also met with my tutor Robert Jacobs to talk about what were studying this term and he gave me my first assignment. I also toured New College, which is going to be my college this term.

The Bodleian is the main library for Oxford College. It was founded in the early sixteen hundreds but Thomas Bodleian. When it was founded Bodleian made a secret deal with the main publisher in England that this particular library would get a copy of every book ever published there. Today this deal has basically become a national law. The Bodleian gets a copy of any book ever published in England. Because of this the Bodleian has over six million books and obtains about five thousand new books every week. It’s a research only library and before getting a card you must swear to not harm any book and sign a contract. 

No food or drink or fire is allowed anywhere in the library. Back when there was no light and heat it was a pretty dreary place to be. Most of the books are in miles of stacks underground and when searching you must use the computer. When you locate the book you want you order it up to a specific reading room so that you can use it. Copies can be made but nothing can be removed from the library.

After this I went to Magdalen (pronounced maudlin) college to meet with my tutor. He gave me an outline of what to study and think about and write about for our first tutorial plus a series of problems to do. The essay part is going to be really interesting but I won’t bore you with Chemistry talk. The problems look really hard and he even told me there are two I probably won’t be able to solve but to go ahead and try. I love that he’s going to give me things way over my head so that I can try to rise up to the challenge.

After my meeting the New College students had a tour of New College. 

This is my college for the term. We toured the library there as well as the chapel and dining hall and other interesting and important places in the college. The dining hall in New College was actually the first choice for the dinning hall in the Harry Potter movies however the college asked for too much money so Christ Church College was used instead. I’m going to have to get someone to take me to eat there. The Bodleian also had two places that were used in Harry Potter, one of the reading rooms was used as the library and another room was used as the hospital room. I went into the hospital room however I’ll have to go back sometime and see the reading room that was used. 

After the tour Rebecca and I went in search of dinner. We wound up having dinner at a pub. We both got fish and chips and a Guinness. 

It was awesome. I hate beer but here somehow it’s better. I’m sure I won’t become a beer drinker though; it’s not that good. We went back early, around 5:30. Were planning on having a quiet night and going to sleep early. Were going to London tomorrow and want to be ready to go!