Magdalen College, Oxford has a large circulating library, a significant early printed & manuscript books collection, and an extensive archive.https://bsky.app/profile/magdlibandarch.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/magdlibandarch.bsky.social/post/3mx5bwzvmzu2lBlack History Month book display is up in the Longwall library. Want to suggest a book? Email us at library.desk@magd.ox.ac.uk05 Oct 2026 16:00 +0000at://did:plc:cafuzxvouuiugkumsbscqqsi/app.bsky.feed.post/3mx5bwzvmzu2lhttps://bsky.app/profile/magdlibandarch.bsky.social/post/3mwqnyrmc7z24Would you go to a party if the dress code was 'slimy and decomposed'?! A recent find in the college archives encourages exactly that!30 Sep 2026 15:31 +0000at://did:plc:cafuzxvouuiugkumsbscqqsi/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwqnyrmc7z24https://bsky.app/profile/magdlibandarch.bsky.social/post/3mwky2e46t225As the nights draw in and the leaves are turning crisp, Basil's getting ready to hibernate with a good book🦡 🍂 📖 Check out our display of cosy autumnal reads, in the Longwall library foyer, and let us know your favourite seasonal read in the comments!28 Sep 2026 09:15 +0000at://did:plc:cafuzxvouuiugkumsbscqqsi/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwky2e46t225https://bsky.app/profile/magdlibandarch.bsky.social/post/3mwdgniu6at2fToday is #InternationalDoodleDay Sometimes in our Library and Archives we come across doodles and drawings – particularly in the margins or on the reverse of documents, even ones of an official nature.25 Sep 2026 09:15 +0000at://did:plc:cafuzxvouuiugkumsbscqqsi/app.bsky.feed.post/3mwdgniu6at2fhttps://bsky.app/profile/magdlibandarch.bsky.social/post/3mw72oruhcq2nSometimes simple changes make a difference! We've improved our stationery offering and organised items into 'Stationery Stations.' Our guides tell you where you can find things in the library. Thanks to whoever left the positive comment about it on our graffiti wall - that's made our day! ✏📏🖇💕23 Sep 2026 15:30 +0000at://did:plc:cafuzxvouuiugkumsbscqqsi/app.bsky.feed.post/3mw72oruhcq2nhttps://bsky.app/profile/magdlibandarch.bsky.social/post/3mvrtf7epw22fOne of Magdalen's most legendary figures, Martin Routh was born #OnThisDay in 1755. He served as our President for 63 years, between 1791–1854. This daguerreotype of Routh was taken on his 99th birthday on 18 September 1854, making him one of the earliest born people to be photographed.18 Sep 2026 09:15 +0000at://did:plc:cafuzxvouuiugkumsbscqqsi/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvrtf7epw22fhttps://bsky.app/profile/magdlibandarch.bsky.social/post/3mvfb2gyvgl2nAs part of the annual Oxford Open Doors weekend, our Old Library will be open today from 11am to 3pm. Take a look at this historic space, where there's been a library for over 500 years, and take a good sniff of that old-book-smell. There's also a small exhibition on animals in special collections.13 Sep 2026 09:15 +0000at://did:plc:cafuzxvouuiugkumsbscqqsi/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvfb2gyvgl2nhttps://bsky.app/profile/magdlibandarch.bsky.social/post/3mvcqlkgnyp2tAs part of the annual Oxford Open Doors weekend, our Old Library will be open tomorrow 11am to 3pm. Take a look at this historic space, where there's been a library for over 500 years, and take a good sniff of that old-book-smell. There's also a small exhibition on animals in special collections.12 Sep 2026 09:15 +0000at://did:plc:cafuzxvouuiugkumsbscqqsi/app.bsky.feed.post/3mvcqlkgnyp2thttps://bsky.app/profile/magdlibandarch.bsky.social/post/3muyopxize22nIt's not often you can trace exactly where and when a book was read. With our first edition copy of Hobbes' Leviathan, we know that its first owner read it at least twice: finishing it in August 1651 in Amsterdam and a second time in January 1659 in London, as they recorded the fact inside the book.08 Sep 2026 09:15 +0000at://did:plc:cafuzxvouuiugkumsbscqqsi/app.bsky.feed.post/3muyopxize22nhttps://bsky.app/profile/magdlibandarch.bsky.social/post/3mutnryld4624Today is #NationalReadABookDay 📚📚📚 Is your TBR as stacked as these shelves in our office? What are you reading at the moment?06 Sep 2026 09:15 +0000at://did:plc:cafuzxvouuiugkumsbscqqsi/app.bsky.feed.post/3mutnryld4624https://bsky.app/profile/magdlibandarch.bsky.social/post/3mupe4rkjaw2b1 afternoon. 7 libraries. Countless unexpected treasures. On 28 September, 7 Oxford college libraries (including us!) are opening their doors for a free afternoon exploring their extraordinary historic collections. 📅 28 September, 2–5pm 🎟️ Free, no need to book 🔗 Find out more: ow.ly/qplE50ZAqE804 Sep 2026 16:11 +0000at://did:plc:cafuzxvouuiugkumsbscqqsi/app.bsky.feed.post/3mupe4rkjaw2bhttps://bsky.app/profile/magdlibandarch.bsky.social/post/3mu7k2pzcxf2tHave a great Bank Holiday 😎29 Aug 2026 09:15 +0000at://did:plc:cafuzxvouuiugkumsbscqqsi/app.bsky.feed.post/3mu7k2pzcxf2thttps://bsky.app/profile/magdlibandarch.bsky.social/post/3mu4zlt74au2tJohn Betjeman was born #OnThisDay in 1906. He studied English at Magdalen College from 1925-8. As a Magdalen student, Betjeman’s behaviour was so flamboyant, it inspired his friend and contemporary Evelyn Waugh to create the character of Sebastian Flyte in Brideshead Revisited.28 Aug 2026 09:15 +0000at://did:plc:cafuzxvouuiugkumsbscqqsi/app.bsky.feed.post/3mu4zlt74au2thttps://bsky.app/profile/magdlibandarch.bsky.social/post/3mu32f2yvkc2pYesterday was #InternationalDogDay. We recently acquired a photograph album which belonged to Hartley Graham, who studied History at Magdalen from 1894-7. We love this photo in particular, as it names of the dogs featured: including Rhoda, Rufus, and Roy. Graham stands in the back row, holding Twist27 Aug 2026 14:23 +0000at://did:plc:cafuzxvouuiugkumsbscqqsi/app.bsky.feed.post/3mu32f2yvkc2phttps://bsky.app/profile/magdlibandarch.bsky.social/post/3mt6tyo4lsv2pT. E. Lawrence, Lawrence of Arabia, was born #OnThisDay in 1888. Lawrence was a postgraduate student here from 1911-1914. He was given a scholarship - a Senior Demyship- which funded him to work on archaeological digs at Carchemish in Syria.16 Aug 2026 09:15 +0000at://did:plc:cafuzxvouuiugkumsbscqqsi/app.bsky.feed.post/3mt6tyo4lsv2phttps://bsky.app/profile/magdlibandarch.bsky.social/post/3msvspeos242vSome of the latest books we've added to the library. All these books were donated by a generous Magdalen student. We appreciate it - and we're sure lots of Magdalen students will appreciate them in the future, too. 📚😊🎉12 Aug 2026 18:58 +0000at://did:plc:cafuzxvouuiugkumsbscqqsi/app.bsky.feed.post/3msvspeos242vhttps://bsky.app/profile/magdlibandarch.bsky.social/post/3mskqbed5mr27Happy #InternationalCatDay🐾 This early printed book is Sophologium, an influential 15th-century compendium of moral, philosophical, and theological wisdom. Written around 1370, the text was designed to provide guidance on virtue, vice, and proper conduct by drawing from both classical and08 Aug 2026 09:15 +0000at://did:plc:cafuzxvouuiugkumsbscqqsi/app.bsky.feed.post/3mskqbed5mr27https://bsky.app/profile/magdlibandarch.bsky.social/post/3msgecfsf2s2pMagdalen has won University Challenge four times to date: in 1996-7, 1997-8, 2003-4, and 2010-2011. After the third victory, we were allowed to keep this trophy. It's displayed in the Longwall Library. Let's hope for similar success in this evening's match, where Magdalen take on Warwick University.06 Aug 2026 15:30 +0000at://did:plc:cafuzxvouuiugkumsbscqqsi/app.bsky.feed.post/3msgecfsf2s2phttps://bsky.app/profile/magdlibandarch.bsky.social/post/3msgbgcokvy22Have you seen Christopher Nolan's latest film, The Odyssey? Can you tell us if the Greek God Eros features in it? Here's an entry in our Senior Common Room betting book. It shows that C. S. Lewis and Ancient History Fellow C. E. Stevens placed a wager over whether Eros appears in Homer’s Odyssey.06 Aug 2026 14:38 +0000at://did:plc:cafuzxvouuiugkumsbscqqsi/app.bsky.feed.post/3msgbgcokvy22https://bsky.app/profile/magdlibandarch.bsky.social/post/3mrwkirvli222👀Spotted during the stock check 😊 (Thank you, we are getting through it one beep at a time!)31 Jul 2026 08:38 +0000at://did:plc:cafuzxvouuiugkumsbscqqsi/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrwkirvli222https://bsky.app/profile/magdlibandarch.bsky.social/post/3mrmkoe47xm2kOver the next two weeks, library staff will be carrying out an inventory of all our books in the Longwall. The reading rooms will be a bit noisier than usual, as the scanners we're using make a beeping noise. There are earplugs in the library foyer.27 Jul 2026 09:15 +0000at://did:plc:cafuzxvouuiugkumsbscqqsi/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrmkoe47xm2khttps://bsky.app/profile/magdlibandarch.bsky.social/post/3mr7ydrwg7r2kToday is the feast day of #StMaryMagdalene, one of Christianity’s most important saints (as well as our namesake). Magdalen has a long history of celebrating this day. This record is from the College's liber computi [Account Book] for 1502-3. It reads:22 Jul 2026 09:15 +0000at://did:plc:cafuzxvouuiugkumsbscqqsi/app.bsky.feed.post/3mr7ydrwg7r2khttps://bsky.app/profile/magdlibandarch.bsky.social/post/3mqu2yi4hxk2zTake this as your sign to go to the pub. (See what we did there). In 1948, Magdalen let a pub called Home Sweet Home in Roke a small piece of land at the edge of the main road so they could put up a sign to direct visitors. Its leaseincludes this lovely plan showing the design for the sign.17 Jul 2026 15:30 +0000at://did:plc:cafuzxvouuiugkumsbscqqsi/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqu2yi4hxk2zhttps://bsky.app/profile/magdlibandarch.bsky.social/post/3mqof3ft2zg2pThis image is from 'Tortoises, Turtles and Terrapins' by James Sowerby. Published in 1872, the book was a landmark in natural history illustration & features 60 lithographed plates, illustrated by Edward Lear, including this turtle. Best known as a poet, he was also a talented zoological illustrator15 Jul 2026 09:15 +0000at://did:plc:cafuzxvouuiugkumsbscqqsi/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqof3ft2zg2phttps://bsky.app/profile/magdlibandarch.bsky.social/post/3mqje5g6nbq2wThis kingfisher is from volume 1 of the 8-volume work 'Coloured Figures of the Birds of the British Islands' by Lord Lilford, published between 1885-1897. One of Britain's most colourful birds, lucky visitors may spot a kingfisher while walking around Addison's Walk. (ref. o.15.18 ).13 Jul 2026 09:15 +0000at://did:plc:cafuzxvouuiugkumsbscqqsi/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqje5g6nbq2whttps://bsky.app/profile/magdlibandarch.bsky.social/post/3mpspx5ncuf2yToday the College is hosting a Gaudy for students who matriculated between 1982 and 1984. Here we have a speech, in Latin, delivered by C. S. Lewis at a Gaudy 100 years ago.04 Jul 2026 09:15 +0000at://did:plc:cafuzxvouuiugkumsbscqqsi/app.bsky.feed.post/3mpspx5ncuf2yhttps://bsky.app/profile/magdlibandarch.bsky.social/post/3mplwwnsllb2zJuly is Disability Pride Month! Celebrated every year in the UK since 2015, we're marking the month with this selection of books from our welfare collection on display in the Longwall library. Can you recommend any books to add to our collection?01 Jul 2026 16:31 +0000at://did:plc:cafuzxvouuiugkumsbscqqsi/app.bsky.feed.post/3mplwwnsllb2zhttps://bsky.app/profile/magdlibandarch.bsky.social/post/3mpbk3xq7nk22Today is Magdalen's Commemoration Ball. Here we have a poster for the 1964 ball, which featured up-and-coming 'rock group' The Rolling Stones. They weren't even the headline act! Who knows what tonight's acts will go on to achieve? We hope everyone has a blast at the ball. 🎉🎊💃🕺27 Jun 2026 13:15 +0000at://did:plc:cafuzxvouuiugkumsbscqqsi/app.bsky.feed.post/3mpbk3xq7nk22https://bsky.app/profile/magdlibandarch.bsky.social/post/3mp4oodp43e2bGood things come in small packages! (Pen for size comparison). It's always nice to hear that our students appreciate us; this teeny thank you card, and not so teeny message, brought huge smiles to our faces. The homemade biscuits were delicious, by the way 😋25 Jun 2026 14:53 +0000at://did:plc:cafuzxvouuiugkumsbscqqsi/app.bsky.feed.post/3mp4oodp43e2bhttps://bsky.app/profile/magdlibandarch.bsky.social/post/3mox2t7v2r72y🔎👑Can you spot the future King of England, Edward VIII, in this photograph from the Magdalen College Archives? Born #OnThisDay in 1894, Edward studied at Magdalen between 1912 and the outbreak of the First World War.23 Jun 2026 09:15 +0000at://did:plc:cafuzxvouuiugkumsbscqqsi/app.bsky.feed.post/3mox2t7v2r72y