The Bodleian Oriental Institute Library is one of the major research libraries within the University of Oxford, dedicated to the study of the languages, literatures, histories, and cultures of the Near and Middle East, South Asia, East Asia, and the wider Islamic world. It is part of the Bodleian Libraries network, which is the central library system of the University of Oxford.
The Oriental Institute Library was established as part of the broader Oriental Institute, which was founded in 1961 to bring together Oxford’s expertise in oriental studies under one roof. The institute itself was created to support the teaching and research of the University’s Faculty of Oriental Studies, a department with a long and distinguished history dating back to the 19th century. The library has grown significantly over the years, both in its physical collection and in the scope of its digital resources, to become one of the leading libraries of its kind in the world.
About the Bodleian Oriental Institute
The library holds extensive collections that cover a wide range of subjects within the field of Oriental Studies. These include:
- Islamic Studies: The library has a rich collection of Arabic, Persian, and Turkish texts, including significant works on Islamic law, theology, history, and literature.
- South Asian Studies: The library’s South Asian collections include materials in languages such as Sanskrit, Hindi, Urdu, Tamil, and Bengali, covering topics ranging from classical literature to modern politics.
- East Asian Studies: The library holds a significant collection of Chinese and Japanese texts, with a focus on classical literature, history, and philosophy, as well as modern social sciences and humanities.
- Hebrew and Jewish Studies: The library also maintains a collection of Hebrew texts, including religious texts, rabbinic literature, and modern Israeli publications.
In addition to these regional specializations, the library also holds a variety of manuscripts, rare books, and archival materials that are of great interest to researchers in Oriental studies.
Facilities and Services
The Oriental Institute Library provides a range of facilities designed to support in-depth research and study. These include quiet reading rooms, group study spaces, and access to computers and printing services. The library is also equipped with resources for handling and studying rare and fragile materials, making it a vital resource for scholars working with historical texts.
The library staff offer specialized assistance in navigating the extensive collections, including help with accessing both physical and digital resources. They also provide training and workshops on topics such as research methodologies, bibliographic resources, and language-specific research tools.
While primarily serving the University of Oxford’s academic community, the Oriental Institute Library is also accessible to visiting scholars and researchers from other institutions, subject to certain conditions. This openness reflects the library’s role as a global resource for the study of Oriental cultures and languages.
Where is the Bodleian Oriental Institute?
The Bodleian Oriental Institute Library is an essential resource for anyone engaged in the study of the cultures, languages, and histories of the Near and Middle East, South Asia, and East Asia. Its extensive collections, modern facilities, and dedicated services make it a key part of Oxford’s academic infrastructure in Oriental studies.
