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Inevitably, the majority of my final year at Oxford was spent in libraries. So I made it my mission to explore as many of them as possible – faculty libraries, college libraries and university libraries, we really are spoilt for choice at Oxford!

This is a list of just 8 that I really loved and think are the best libraries in Oxford, but there are many, many more out there that remain unexplored by me. So here’s a peak inside eight of Oxford University’s most beautiful libraries:

Radcliffe Camera (1749)

I thought I’d start with the most iconic library in all of Oxford. It’s really Rad. Sorry, I had to. It’s lame, I know.

The Radcliffe Camera, known to students as the Rad Cam, is the central library to the university. There is no one “Oxford University library” but I suppose this one comes up close.

The iconic round exterior is a big hit with the tourists and you’ll usually find the square around it flooded with groups of them.

Thankfully the tourists aren’t usually allowed inside so it remains a quiet place to work for students all over Oxford.

It’s situated between Brasenose and All Souls, two other Oxford colleges mentioned on this list.

RELATED: Find out where you can get the best view of the Radcliffe Camera in Oxford!

Christ Church (1562)

Magnificent both inside and out, Christ Church library is one of my all-time favourite Oxford libraries (not biased or anything). It is an absolutely enormous building in the beautiful Peckwater quad.

The upstairs and the downstairs are two very different floors, with the upstairs section holding the special collections. Stand just one centimetre too close to the stacks of old books and you’ll set the alarm off.

The upper section is only open to finalists so I guess there are some perks to drowning in finals fear.

Over the last year they’ve started adding a large number of general fiction books, which isn’t all that common with college libraries.

Most tend to be filled with books for academic use with a couple of general fiction ones thrown in.

These large armchairs were also installed which are great for curling up if you want some peace and quiet, surrounded by books.

Check out these posts on reasons to apply to Christ Church and fascinating facts about Christ Church for more info!

Duke Humfrey’s Library, The Bodleian (1480)

If Duke Humfrey’s Library seems familiar to you, it’s because it is the very library that is used in the Harry Potter films. Whilst at Hogwarts it was known as the restricted section, in real life it is part of the Bodleian Library at Oxford University.

The wifi in this library is not particularly strong so it’s a great place to go if you want to hole yourself up with your books, much like Harry in the restricted section!

This is one of the most iconic Harry Potter filming locations in Oxford but, unfortunately, it isn’t open to the public. However, there are a select number of Bodleian Library tours each day, which will give you a quick glimpse inside this beautiful Oxford library. Find out more here.

For more Harry Potter locations in Oxford, check out my Oxford Harry Potter tour here!

The Old Library, Oxford Union (1879)

The Union Library in Oxford is only accessible by Union members (though if the door has been left open, non-members could just walk right in).

It is one of the only libraries in Oxford that stocks a decent amount of general fiction available for students to borrow, which is why it’s one of my favourites.

A lot of my friends abandoned reading for pleasure when they got to Oxford and many didn’t realise that there was a resource like this available to them. This is also where I came to find translated versions of my French texts (shh).

Buying membership of the Oxford Union comes at a hefty price but it gives you lifetime access to this institution.

On the whole, this library is fairly peaceful but at peak times seats can fill up. Around the room, there are several leather armchairs which I’ve noticed a lot of old Union members like to come back and read the daily paper in, which is rather sweet.

RELATED: 16 Beautiful Oxford Quotes by Oxford Authors

Codrington Library, All Souls (1751)

Access to All Souls library is sought after by many Oxford students but not granted to many. Mostly because people seem to be under the impression that it’s very difficult to gain access, when in fact you just need a reference from your tutor.

I sorely regret only managing to visit this library in my last week at Oxford as it is one of the best Oxford libraries.

Codrington Library is a very spacious library where you can work peacefully with a huge amount of space between you and the next desk. Perfect when you just want to be a hermit for the day. It’s the sort of space where you think you should be writing with a quill and ink, not typing away on a macbook.

Check out this post for more info on the prettiest Oxford colleges.

Brasenose Library (1664)

This is one of my post liked pictures on Instagram and it was taken in about 4 seconds when I quickly ducked my head into Brasenose library. This library is much cosier than the others featured on this page but the ceiling is just so gorgeous, I had to feature it!

In between each row of shelves, there’s a desk where students can sit and study. Although it’s not very spacious, it does afford the students a lot of privacy, which is a huge plus if you have the attention span of a gnat like me.

Would you have guessed this space holds approximately 55,000 titles?

Lincoln Library (1975)

I spent a large part of my fourth year trying to find someone who could take me into this library. Once I managed to sneak in past the first gate but then when I got inside the library doors, I saw you needed some sort of pass to get in – I was gutted!

So the photo below was originally taken by fellow Oxford instagrammer, @musingsofemma!

This library is absolutely enormous and the high ceilings and grand architecture make it one of the most impressive in all of Oxford. It’s actually housed in All Saints Church, an eighteenth-century building.

Taylor Institution Library (1845)

Last but by no means least is the Taylorian, which is the Oxford University Modern Languages Faculty library. This is where I spent a large part of my final year and I definitely didn’t appreciate just how beautiful this room was until it was nearly time to leave.

Modern Languages are very fortunate to have such a wonderful library as some of the other faculty libraries I’ve been in have been .. less than inspiring.

There are many study rooms within the faculty but this large study space is everybody’s favourite.

There’s a spiral staircase leading up to another floor where there are 6 window seats, which are highly sought after by finalists in Trinity term.

People actually queue for these seats before 9am on weekdays, cementing my opinion that this is the best library in Oxford.

Et voilà, there’s a little look inside eight of Oxford University’s most beautiful libraries! These are the eight best according to me but there are many, many other Oxford libraries worth checking out!

For more info, check out these Oxford University blog posts:

8 Do’s and Dont’s When Choosing an Oxford College

10 Most Beautiful Oxford Colleges

11 Best Restaurants for Brunch in Oxford

The Harry Potter Tour of Oxford University