Magdalen Libraries & Archives
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Magdalen Libraries & Archives
@magdlibandarch.bsky.social
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Magdalen College, Oxford has a large circulating library, a significant early printed & manuscript books collection, and an extensive archive.
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We're delighted to join the BlueSky community. Sadly, today's weather is not playing ball! Here are some GreySky pics of College, which we think still looks pretty lovely.
Basil has a Halloween joke for you 🎃👹👻
The actor Robert Hardy was born #OnThisDay 100 years ago. Hardy was a Demy student at Magdalen in 1944 and 1947-8. Here we have a programme for a Magdalen Players production of "The Flies", by Jean-Paul Sartre, performed at Magdalen from 28 May to 2 June 1948 in which Hardy took a leading role.
This week is #GreenLibrariesWeek2025. We've put together a book display showcasing titles which explore the relationships between humans and the natural world. 💚🌿🌱🍀
Stop scrolling and get back to your studies! The Longwall Library now has a brick device. The brick lets you temporarily suspend distracting apps and notifications on your smartphone - effectively turning it into a brick. You'll find our brick in the foyer. We hope you'll find it helpful.
We have (ref. v.2.21) a pocket Greek New Testament, (ref. D.1.32) an 18th century miniature edition of classical Greek poetry, and (ref. Magd. LAW-T QUR (res.)) a tiny Qur'an used as a protective amulet by Muslim soldiers in the First World War. Pencil included for scale.
Thanks to everyone who came to this afternoon's Meet a Rare Book session. Today we had not 1 but 3 books to showcase. They may be tiny but we think they are also fascinating. Ranging from 3 to 9cm high, these are some of the smallest books in our collection.
19- 25th October is Ace Week, an annual campaign to raise awareness of asexuality. Here we have a few books that we think are ace.

Do you have any suggestions for more ace (in both senses of the word) reading material. Let us know! 🖤🩶🤍💜
The writer Alan Garner was born #OnThisDay in 1934. He studied classics at Magdalen in the 1950s. Here we have two of his works which are part of our Magdalen Authors Collection, Red Shift and The Owl Service. Both books have been signed by the author. Many happy returns to Mr Garner 🎉🎂🎈
#WeeklyWildeWitticism Oscar Wilde was born #OnThisDay in 1854. Last 16th Oct, we opened our exhibition, Magdalen's Wilde, celebrating the writer's time as a student at Magdalen and his life afterwards. You can see the online version of our exhibition on our website: magdalenswilde.magd.ox.ac.uk
Fed up of people badgering you during your study session? Why not follow Basil's lead and use the library's new Brick? The brick lets you temporarily suspend distracting apps and notifications on your smartphone - effectively turning it into a brick. You'll find our brick in the Longwall foyer🦡
It's the beginning of Michaelmas Term! Happy 1st week and welcome back to all our returning students. Here are some words of wisdom from a former Magdalen student! #WeeklyWildeWitticism
Betjeman was a Magdalen student in the 1920s and the collection begins with a poem about another Magdalen student, Oscar Wilde, and his arrest at the Cadogan Hotel in London in 1895.
One of the latest additions to our Special Collections is this copy of John Betjeman's Continual Dew, signed by the author. Published in 1937, this was the first time Betjeman's famous poem 'Slough' appeared in print.
Pam dw i'n dysgu Cymraeg? To annoy C.S. Lewis, of course! Here we have one of our latest acquisitions to Magdalen's archive. A note typed by the poet John Betjeman. Betjeman was a student at Magdalen in the 1920s and was taught by C.S Lewis. Lewis described Betjeman as 'an idle prig.'
This October marks Black History Month, a reminder to educate ourselves on Black history, experiences and culture. The theme this year is Standing Firm in Power and Pride. This book display showcases a selection of fiction, non-fiction, essay collections and poetry by Black British writers.
Tomorrow is the beginning of 0th week, a busy week for the library - we'll be welcoming our new students at their Longwall Library inductions. We hope our new students like Magdalen as much as former student, Oscar Wilde, did. (Let's not focus on the last part of the quote...) #WeeklyWildeWitticism
Here's a drawing of Martin Routh, President of Magdalen College 1791-1854. Routh was very traditional and continued to wear a wig (made of horsehair) long after it was fashionable to do so. After his death, Charles Daubeny had it fossilised in a petrifying spring. IYKYK. #MeanGirlsDay #ItsOctober3rd
Today is #nationalpoetryday
So we've put together this book display
Featuring poets from across the world
Many of whom, we're sure you'll have heard
So why not visit the library today
To pick one out for yourself, hooray?

We promise that the poems in these collections are much better than this one!
We suppose Oscar Wilde would have approved of this statue of him in Dublin #WeeklyWildeWitticism
Happy #NationalDoodleDay. Here's our copy of Tallis's Litany - a collection of prayers and psalm tunes. Here we can see some of our choristers may have been a bit distracted during their choir practice. One of them has signed his name, Richard Redhead - who was a chorister in the 1830s.
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 (who had his own teddy bear, Aloysius) in Brideshead Revisited.
Last week, we very much enjoyed hosting The John Betjeman Society to view an exhibition on the poet, and former Magdalen student, in our Old Library. Items on display included two of Betjeman's teddy bears, Archie and Jumbo.
Check out our latest addition to Digital Bodleian!

MS Lat 217, a collection of scholastic questions from the late 1200s, is now available for you to consult online.
What do you call a pirate who loves to read? Captain Hooked, of course! Happy #InternationalTalkLikeAPirateDay. Get hooked on these books, featuring captains and pirates, available in the Longwall Library. ☠📚
It's Open Day! Be sure to join one of the College's student-led tours. They'll show you the most important places - including the library!