Over 4000 free audio and video lectures, seminars and teaching resources from Oxford University.
Skip to Content Skip to Navigation

Bodleian Libraries

Relevant Links

The Bodleian Libraries of the University of Oxford form the largest university library system in the United Kingdom. They include the principal University library-the Bodleian Library-which has been a library of legal deposit for 400 years; major research libraries; and libraries attached to faculties, departments and other institutions of the University. The combined library collections number more than 11 million printed items, in addition to 30,000 e-journals and vast quantities of materials in other formats. The Old Bodleian is also a major visitor attraction, drawing over 300,000 visitors a year. More information about the Bodleian Libraries and their activities can be found at http://www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/

Series associated with Bodleian Libraries

'Must it be a Man?' Women's contribution to the University of Oxford
Centenary celebration of the first modern Spanish endowment at Oxford
Centre for the Study of the Book
Crossing Borders: Hebrew Manuscripts as a Meeting-place of Cultures
Designing English: Graphics on the medieval page
History of the Book 2017-2019
Let Us Now Praise Famous Women - Discovering the work of Female Photographers
Literatures of Multilingual Europe
Lyell Lectures
Medieval German Studies
Oxford Union Library Audio Tour
Oxford Women in Computing: An Oral History
Persian arts of the book conference 13-14 July 2021
Recollecting Oxford Medicine: Oral Histories
Recording the Reformation
Reformation 2017
Researchers at work in Bodleian archives and historic collections
Sheldon Tapestry Maps
Shelley's Ghost: Reshaping the Image of a Literary Family
Sir William Dunn School of Pathology Oral Histories
Staging History, 1780 to 1840
Textiles in Libraries: Context & Conservation series
The Bodleian Libraries (BODcasts)
The Oxford Seminars in Cartography: Women and Maps
The Paratexts Podcast
The UN at 70: witness seminar
Valentine's Day at Oxford
# Episode Title Description People Date
477 Meet the pigments: the art and science of early English decoration Discover how cutting-edge scientific techniques are transforming our understanding of medieval manuscripts, and how book production began to recover under King Alfred and his successors Matthew Holford, Richard Gameson, Helen Cook 24 May 2022
476 Assimilation or change? Normans at Winchester The fifth lecture in the Lyell Lecture 2022 series delivered by Professor Susan Rankin (University of Cambridge) Susan Rankin 24 May 2022
475 From Neumes in campo aperto to Neumes on Lines (at Christchurch, Canterbury) The forth lecture in the Lyell Lecture 2022 series delivered by Professor Susan Rankin (University of Cambridge) Susan Rankin 16 May 2022
474 St Augustine’s and Christchurch, 950–1091 The third lecture in the Lyell Lecture 2022 series delivered by Professor Susan Rankin (University of Cambridge) Susan Rankin 16 May 2022
473 ‘L’ecriture Anglaise Dans Sa Perfection’ Professor Marc Smith, Professeur de Paléographie, The Ecole Nationale des Chartes, Paris delivers the 5th lecture in this years Lyell Lecture series Marc Smith 09 May 2022
472 A Community of Scribes at Worcester The second lecture in the Lyell Lecture 2022 series delivered by Professor Susan Rankin (University of Cambridge) Susan Rankin 09 May 2022
471 Sound and its Capture in Anglo-Saxon England The first lecture in the Lyell Lecture 2022 series delivered by Professor Susan Rankin (University of Cambridge) Susan Rankin 09 May 2022
470 North Sea Crossings: inside the exhibition Discover the treasures that illustrate how exchanges between England and the Netherlands have shaped literature, book production and institutions such as the Bodleian itself, on either side of the North Sea. Sjoerd Levelt, Ad Putter 14 Apr 2022
469 Meet the Manuscripts: the Renaissance reform of the book Dr Martin Holford and Dr David Rundle explore how the Italian Renaissance led to major changes in how manuscripts were made, written and decorated in England. Martin Holford, David Rundle 14 Apr 2022
468 Meet the Maps: Unconventional Views of Oxford Focusing on four very different maps of Oxford - each of the maps has its own tale to tell, some showing Oxford as it was; others showing Oxford as it might have been; and others how Oxford never was. Nick Millea, Stuart Ackland, Helen Cook 05 Apr 2022
467 Talk 5: Textiles and text: A collaborative approach to conserving textile-covered manuscripts Conservators Jane Eagan and Maria Hayward describe their work treating seven manuscripts re-covered in velvet for Henry VIII, part of a small corpus of royal books still in their textile bindings in the Queens College Library Jane Eagan, Maria Hayworth, Alice Evans 05 Apr 2022
466 MS Ashmole 1504 Dating from around 1520 and probably conceived as a pattern book, this manuscript is best described as a 'herbal and bestiary' and contains images of flora and fauna together with stylised, floriated ornaments and coloured alphabets. Martin Kauffmann, Helen Cook, Lynn Hulse 04 Feb 2022
465 Talk 4: Textiles from East to West: case studies from the Leiden collections Building on earlier talks in the series that explored the uses of textiles in library collections, this talk focuses on examples of textiles in manuscript bindings in the Oriental collections of Leiden University Library. Karin Scheper, Alice Evans 24 Jan 2022
464 Martin Vessey Derek Hockaday interviews Martin Vessey, Emeritus Professor of Public Health, 4 June 2014 Martin Vessey, Derek Hockaday 20 Jan 2022
463 Mike Dunnill Derek Hockaday interviews Mike Dunnill, researcher, pathologist and former Director of Clinical Studies,10 February 2012. Mike Dunnill, Derek Hockaday 20 Jan 2022
462 Ann Taylor Derek Hockaday interviews Ann Taylor, researcher and physiologist, 20 January 2016. Ann Taylor, Derek Hockaday 20 Jan 2022
461 Meet the Manuscripts: Correcting Christmas Carols In the 3rd talk in our Meet the Manuscripts series, you will learn how singers lived with change in their favourite songs, and hear carols of the Middle Ages both familiar and new. Micah Mackay, Andrew Dunning 14 Dec 2021
460 Talk 3: Stitches, leaves and smelly old books: in conversation with textile artist Alice Fox Textile based artwork is well aligned with stitched or folded book structures. Giving book-related examples from her practice, artist Alice Fox describes how an experimental approach to materials can lead to a variety of creative outcomes. Alice Fox, Alice Evans, Andrew Honey 09 Dec 2021
459 Talk 2: Beyond the velvet cover: textiles and craft in Byzantine bookbinding Georgios Boudalis explores the subject of textiles and craft in Byzantine bookbinding, sharing techniques little known not only in the context of Byzantine bookbinding but also more generally in the context of Byzantine material culture. Georgios Boudalis, Alice Evans 06 Dec 2021
458 Talk 1: Textiles in Libraries: glimpses from the Bodleian The first talk in the Textiles in Libraries: Context and Conservation series brings together three colleagues from across the Bodleian Library to explore the wide variety and sometimes surprising uses of textiles found in our collections. Jo Maddocks, Andrew Honey, Martin Kauffmann, Alice Evans 11 Nov 2021
457 Meet the Manuscripts: Uncomfortable English Manuscripts In this lecture, we look at some beautiful, austere, and distinctively uncomfortable manuscripts and learn how the Middle Ages shaped the way we read today both in print and on screen. Dan Wakelin, Andrew Dunning, Helen Cook 08 Nov 2021
456 The serpentine text of the Gutenberg Bible The fifth lecture in the Lyell Lecture 2021 series delivered by Paul Needham, Princeton Paul Needham 25 Oct 2021
455 Meet the Manuscripts: Meet the Fragments Exploring their physical function in manuscripts – and the bad things that can happen when they are removed for study – as well as showing what they can contribute to book history. Andrew Honey, Matthew Holford 20 Oct 2021
454 Fifteenth-century Latin Bible printing and distribution The fourth lecture in the Lyell Lecture 2021 series delivered by Paul Needham, Princeton Paul Needham 19 Oct 2021
453 The Texts of the Gutenberg Bible; the case of 4 Ezra The third lecture in the Lyell Lecture 2021 series delivered by Paul Needham, Princeton Paul Needham 19 Oct 2021
452 Latin Bible-writing in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries; the Gutenberg Bible workshop The second lecture in the Lyell Lecture 2021 series delivered by Paul Needham, Princeton Paul Needham 18 Oct 2021
451 The Christian Latin Bible from its origins to the 13th-century Paris Bible The first lecture in the Lyell Lecture 2021 series delivered by Paul Needham, Princeton Paul Needham 18 Oct 2021
450 David Tibbs Derek Hockaday interviews David Tibbs, vascular surgeon, 7 February 2011. David Tibbs, Derek Hockaday 04 Oct 2021
449 Terence Ryan Susan Burge interviews Terence Ryan, consultant dermatologist and emeritus professor of dermatology, 18 November 2020. Terence Ryan, Susan Burge 30 Sep 2021
448 Michael Gillmer Derek Hockaday interviews Michael Gillmer, consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist, 27 February 2014. Michael Gillmer, Derek Hockaday 27 Sep 2021
447 David Warrell Derek Hockaday interviews David Warrell, honorary consultant physician and Emeritus Professor of Tropical Medicine, 24 March 2014. David Warrell, Derek Hockaday 27 Sep 2021
446 Robert Twycross Derek Hockaday interviews Robert Twycross, physician and pioneer of palliative care and medicine, 7 August 2018. Robert Twycross, Derek Hockaday 24 Sep 2021
445 Joe Smith Derek Hockaday interviews Joe Smith, consultant urologist, 18 November 2013. Joe Smith, Derek Hockaday 23 Sep 2021
444 Roots to Seeds: the evolution of plant science Join Professor Stephen Harris (Curator of Roots to Seeds at the Bodleian Library) and Dr Chris Thorogood, (Oxford Botanic Garden and Harcourt Arboretum) as they discuss the past, present and future of botanical research and teaching. Stephen Harris, Chris Thorogood, Helen Cook 17 Sep 2021
443 Peter Sleight Derek Hockaday interviews Peter Sleight, research cardiologist and consultant physician, 22 September 2013. Peter Sleight, Derek Hockaday 15 Sep 2021
442 Chris Redman Derek Hockaday interviews Chris Redman, obstetric consultant and clinical professor, 13 November 2016. Chris Redman, Derek Hockaday 14 Sep 2021
441 Christopher Paine Peggy Frith interviews Sir Christopher Paine, consultant clinical oncologist and former Director of Clinical Studies, 25 Jul 2012. Christopher Paine, Peggy Frith 14 Sep 2021
440 John Oxbury Derek Hockaday interviews John Oxbury, neurologist, 20 November 2013. John Oxbury, Derek Hockaday 14 Sep 2021
439 Richard Moxon Derek Hockaday interviews Richard Moxon, Emeritus Professor of Paediatrics and former Chairman of Paediatrics, 21 July 2016. Richard Moxon, Derek Hockaday 10 Sep 2021
438 Neil Mortensen Derek Hockaday interviews Neil Mortensen, consultant colorectal surgeon, 10 November 2014. Neil Mortensen, Derek Hockaday 10 Sep 2021
437 Brian Longworth Derek Hockaday interviews Brian Longworth, former mechanical technician and engineer at the Radcliffe Infirmary, 31 July 2015. Derek Hockaday, Brian Longworth 09 Sep 2021
436 Grant de Jersey Lee Derek Hockaday interviews Grant de Jersey Lee, physician and cardiologist, 13 June 2013. Grant de Jersey Lee, Derek Hockaday 08 Sep 2021
435 Jim Holt Peggy Frith interviews Jim Holt, former Director of Clinical studies for Oxford Medical School, 1 June 2012. Jim Holt, Peggy Frith 08 Sep 2021
434 John Ledingham Derek Hockaday interviews John Ledingham, professor of Clinical Medicine and former Director of Clinical Studies, 2013. John Ledingham, Derek Hockaday 07 Sep 2021
433 Donald Lane Derek Hockaday interviews consultant chest physician Donald Lane, 31 Oct 2013. Donald Lane, Derek Hockaday 06 Sep 2021
432 Derek Jewell Derek Hockaday interviews Derek Jewell, Emeritus Professor of Gastroenterology, 14 Feb 2013. Derek Jewell, Derek Hockaday 06 Sep 2021
431 Trevor Hughes Interview with Trevor Hughes, neuropathologist and fellow of Green Templeton College, conducted by Derek Hockaday, 2015. Trevor Hughes, Derek Hockaday 25 Aug 2021
430 Tony Hope Derek Hockaday interviews Tony Hope, Professor of Medical ethics and honorary consultant psychiatrist, 6 May 2014. Tony Hope, Derek Hockaday 24 Aug 2021
429 Peggy Frith Interview with Peggy Frith, deputy Director of Clinical Studies for Oxford University Medical School and consultant ophthalmologist, conducted by Derek Hockaday, 15 Sep 2015. Peggy Frith, Derek Hockaday 24 Aug 2021
428 Andrew Freeland Derek Hockaday interviews Andrew Freeland, ENT consultant and surgeon, 22 May 2014 Andrew Freeland, Derek Hockaday 23 Aug 2021
427 Godfrey Fowler Derek Hockaday interviews Godfrey Fowler, general practitioner and medical scientist, 7 Mar 2014 Godfrey Fowler, Derek Hockaday 23 Aug 2021
426 Pierre Foex Derek Hockaday interviews Pierre Foex, Emeritus Nuffield Professor of Anaesthetics, 21 November 2018. Pierre Foex, Derek Hockaday 23 Aug 2021
425 Derek Hockaday Peggy Frith interviews Derek Hockaday, 24 Sep 2020 Derek Hockaday, Peggy Frith 23 Aug 2021
424 Julian Britton Derek Hockaday interviews Julian Britton, surgeon and former Director of Clinical Studies for Oxford Medical School, 23 Jan 2019. Julian Britton, Derek Hockaday 23 Aug 2021
423 Body of evidence In this online event, Ana Paula Cordeiro, the creator of Body of Evidence, speaks from the workshop in New York City where she produced it. She will be joined in conversation by Merve Emre, Associate Professor of American Literature. Ana Paula Cordeiro, Merve Emre 17 Aug 2021
422 Hung Cheng Derek Hockaday interviews Hung Cheng, consultant ophthalmological surgeon, 11 February 2015. Hung Cheng, Derek Hockaday 10 Aug 2021
421 Nick Dudley Derek Hockaday interviews Nick Dudley, consultant surgeon and founder member of the British Association of Endocrine Surgeons, 26 March 2014. Nicholas Dudley, Derek Hockaday 10 Aug 2021
420 David Paterson Derek Hockaday interviews David Paterson, physiologist and Professor of Cardiovascular Physiology, 8 January 2019. David Paterson, Derek Hockaday 10 Aug 2021
419 Peter Burge Derek Hockaday interviews Peter Burge, hand surgeon and consultant, 8 August 2014. Peter Burge, Derek Hockaday 10 Aug 2021
418 Folktales' for an Elite Audience Discussing the text and images of MS. Ouseley Add. 1 Nasrin Askari 29 Jul 2021
417 Making Manuscripts for a Prince of the Black Sheep Overview of Bahari Fellowship examining the codicology and context of the Bodleian Library’s collection of manuscripts made for the 15th century Turkman patron Prince Pir Budaq Anita Chowdry 29 Jul 2021
416 Books, Bags and Boxes Islamic manuscripts were often kept in protective bags and other enclosures, which are an integrated, though understudied part of their physical and historic appearance. Karin Scheper 29 Jul 2021
415 Poetry (and Prose) in Motion: Illuminated Manuscripts from Late Fourteenth-Century Shiraz A short talk about illuminated manuscripts produced in late fourteenth-century Shiraz, including several in the Bodleian Collections and elsewhere Cailah Jackson 29 Jul 2021
414 The Future of the Past: poetry, portraiture, and the reception of antiquity in a Timurid Shahnama This talk focuses on fifteenth-century paintings and poetry inserted into the Shahnama of Ibrahim Sultan (Bodleian Library MS. Ouseley Add. 176) in order to explore the correlation between portraiture and historical self-awareness Peyvand Firouzeh 29 Jul 2021
413 Studying the Pādshāhnāmas (Books of the Emperor) Manuscripts in the Special Collection of the Bodleian Library The talk presents overviews of the three Persian Manuscripts of the Padshahnama MS Elliot 368, MS Caps ORD 1-3 & MS Fraser 138, preserved in the Special Collections of the Bodleian Library ,Oxford Gulfishan Khan 29 Jul 2021
412 The Bodleian’s Akhbār-i Barmakiyān: Tales on Super Heroes from Afghanistan and Iraq A short talk given at the Persian Art of the Book conference Arezou Azad 29 Jul 2021
411 Illustrated Manuscript of Persian Translation of One Thousand and One Nights A discussion of the Persian translations of the Thousand and One Nights in the World, focusing on the illustrated version kept in the Golestān Palace (Tehran) and the image-less version kept in the Bodleian Library (Oxford). Ali Boozari 29 Jul 2021
410 Singing together; apart: drama and medieval chant As both audience members and actors, you will learn to sing the classic Easter sequence hymn 'Victimae paschali laudes' ('Praises to the paschal victim') and see how it formed part of a medieval play. Henrike Lähnemann, Andrew Dunning, Zachary Guiliano, Nick Swarbrick 17 Jun 2021
409 Meet the Manuscripts: hidden treasures of medieval illumination Matthew Holford, Tolkien Curator of Medieval Manuscripts, and Martin Kauffmann, Head of Early and Rare Collections, in conversation about the artists, patrons and significance of three extraordinary manuscripts. Martin Kauffmann, Matthew Holford 28 May 2021
408 Lost and found in the map library: changes in early map librarianship Georgia Brown, UW-Milwaukee Libraries, WI, USA, gives the third talk in session 3B of the seminar. Georgia Brown 12 May 2021
407 Beyond “clerical cartography”: gender and the production of Sanborn fire insurance maps in the 1920s Jack Swab, University of Kentucky, USA, gives the second talk in session 3B in the seminar. Jack Swab 12 May 2021
406 Where are all the women? The case of the Halls Debbie Hall, Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford, gives the first talk in session 3B in the seminar. Debbie Hall 12 May 2021
405 The political cartographies of Marthe Rajchman Mike Heffernan and Benjamin Thorpe, University of Nottingham, give the first talk of session 3A in the seminar. Mike Heffernan, Benjamin Thorpe 12 May 2021
404 From body as territory to feminicides mapping: discourses and mapping languages by Latin American feminist cartographies Manuela Silveira, State University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, gives the third talk in the second session of the seminar. Manuela Silveira 12 May 2021
403 Mapping toward equitable solutions in public transit planning Suzie Birdsell, Nelson\Nygaard Consulting, Boston, USA, gives the second presentation, in the second session of the seminar. Suzie Birdsell 12 May 2021
402 ‘Octavia always enjoyed a map’: Octavia Hill, maps, and Victorian social reform Elizabeth Baigent, University of Oxford, gives the first talk in the second session of the seminar. Elizabeth Baigent 12 May 2021
401 Women and children first: gender, flood and victimhood in Dutch eighteenth-century maps of dike-breaks Anne-Rieke van Schaik, University of Amsterdam, gives the third in the first session of the seminar. Anne-Rieke van Schaik 12 May 2021
400 The rise, persistence and surprising end of female personifications of the continents on maps Chet Van Duzer, University of Rochester, NY, USA, gives the second presentation in the first session of the seminar. Chet Van Duzer 12 May 2021
399 Where are the women on sixteenth-century French World maps? Camille Serchuk, Southern Connecticut State University, USA, gives the first talk in the first session of the seminar. Camille Serchuk 12 May 2021
398 Welcome and Introduction Catríona Cannon, Deputy Librarian, Bodleian Libraries, introduces the seminar. Catriona Cannon 12 May 2021
397 Singing Together; Apart: Gregorian Chant Workshop for Candlemas Building on the repertoire from our previous workshop, we will add further pieces for Candlemas where everybody is invited to join in by singing the communal response Henrike Lähnemann, Nick Swarbrick, Andrew Dunning 29 Mar 2021
396 Meet the Manuscripts: judging a book by its cover The covers can tell us as much about a book as its contents. This workshop explores the secrets which bookbindings reveal about the uses and histories of medieval manuscripts. Matthew Holford, Andrew Honey 29 Mar 2021
395 Learning since our mothers day Oxford's registrar gives a personal account of her mother's journey through education and early career, and the expectations for women at the time, and how that has shaped her own career. Gill Aitken 02 Mar 2021
394 The architecture of women’s higher education in England, 1869–1914 How University architecture reflects the presence of women and their perceived needs, and the generosity of female benefactors Geoffrey Tyack 02 Mar 2021
393 Diversifying portraiture: women’s place in a project to change the representation of Oxford success Alice Prochaska discusses the Diversifying Portraiture project designed by the Equality and Diversity Unit at Oxford University Alice Prochaska 02 Mar 2021
392 A subject ‘for Honours men’: women in the early School of Geography A look at early women geography students at Oxford Elizabeth Baigent 02 Mar 2021
391 Women of the Bodleian: personal stories behind progressive steps A look at the early women librarians of the Bodleian Library Anne Lawrence 02 Mar 2021
390 The domestic work of women at Oxford colleges A look at the history of the women service sector workers at Oxford Colleges and upon whom the comfortable academic life depended Kathryne Crossley 02 Mar 2021
389 Women college principals and their views on degrees, 1879–1920 Anne Keene explores the views of the 10 women principals of the 5 women's colleges estabished between 1879-1920 Anne Keen 02 Mar 2021
388 The most woman-studentish? Somerville College and student life A look at early women students at Somerville College Oxford Mo Moulton 02 Mar 2021
387 'The Lady Collationers': women and the study of medieval manuscripts in the Bodleian Libraries A look at the careers of the Parker sisters known as the Lady Collationers Hope Williard 02 Mar 2021
386 All but absent from history? Women in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography Womens roles in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography Jane Garnett 02 Mar 2021
385 ‘Must it be a man?’: the women who helped to make the Oxford English Dictionary Peter Gilliver discusses the contribution women made to the Oxford English Dictionary Peter Gilliver 02 Mar 2021
384 Women workers at OUP A look back at women who worked at the Oxford University Press. Delivered by Peter Gilliver on behalf of Martin Maw Martin Maw, Peter Gilliver 02 Mar 2021
383 Women in the Oxford English Dictionary A fascinating insight into the role of women in the Oxford English Dictionary Charlotte Brewer 02 Mar 2021
382 Introduction Richard Ovenden, head of the Bodleian Library, gives a short introduction to the event Richard Ovenden 02 Mar 2021
381 Singing Together; Apart: Gregorian Chant Workshop – Song of Simeon In this online choir workshop you will learn to sing along with a simple voice part from the Candlemas Nunc Dimittis and see the 15th-century manuscript from the Cistercian nunnery of Medingen where the music is preserved in the Bodleian Libraries Henrike Lähnemann, Nick Swarbrick, Andrew Dunning, Alexandra Burgar 15 Dec 2020
380 Reynard the Fox In this BodCast from the Friends of the Bodleian, Professor Dame Marina Warner interviews Anne Louise Avery, writer and art historian, on the subject of Avery's recent book, Reynard the Fox https://bodleianshop.co.uk/products/reynard-the-fox Dame Marina Warner, Anne Louise Avery 09 Dec 2020
379 Panel Discussion 4: Working to Establish Tomorrow's Names Taous Dahmani chairs a discussion with Fiona Rogers, Max Houghton and Anna Fox Taous Dahmani, Fiona Rogers, Max Houghton, Anna Fox 17 Nov 2020
378 Panel Discussion 3: Feminist Multi-taskers: Being a Photographer, a Writer and a Curator Taous Dahmini chairs a discussion with Patrizia Di Bello and Deborah Cherry Taous Dahmani, Patrizia Di Bello, Deborah Cherry 17 Nov 2020