The Mecca Library

I was meeting a writer friend in Oxford but had about five hours to kill, never a problem in an interesting place.

I thought I'd do a hop on hop off tour UNTIL I saw the Bodleian Library, the mecca of all libraries and they were giving a TOUR.

 (The entrance to the philosopher's room at the Bodleian library)

Started in the 14th century with 128 books it now has over 10 million. Since 2003 it has received one copy of every book published or about 5,000 a week. Not all can be stored in the medieval buildings. A series of tunnels run under Broad Street and there is off-site storage.

(The stone carved ceiling of the Philosopher's room)

Users of the library must take an oath. I hereby undertake not to remove from the Library, nor to mark, deface, or injure in any way, any volume, document or other object belonging to it or in its custody; not to bring into the Library, or kindle therein, any fire or flame, and not to smoke in the Library; and I promise to obey all rules of the Library. Much of Harry Potter had been filmed there and all the actors had to take the oath before being allowed in.

The tour guide ducked around the white haired librarian, (who would have made a wonderful character in any BBC series and who always thought those tours made too much noise) to give us an appreciation of the history, an explanation of why the books had been chained (their value matched that of a new automobile today), where Nelson Mandala received an honourary degree, and the dock where students had to face the chancellor for their crimes. Although he no longer has the power, students who committed murder back in the 15th century were hanged.

 (The money chest with a series of locks and keys given by one of the first benefactors to the library)

There was a first edition copy of the Malleus Maleficarum, or Hammer of Witches, published in Speyer Germany in 1487. I'd read a translation and to see one of the original copies of the book that tells how to root out witches, was indeed a moving experience. Scholars estimated that between 40,000 to 50,000 were executed for witchcraft much of the justification coming from that book. Something that tiny contributed to so much death...located in place storing the knowledge of the ages.