The Weston Library Flashcards
Weston- building it
Over here we have the Western Library, which originally started it’s life in 1940 as the New Bodleian Library.
However in 2015 after some renovations works, with a large amount of money being given buy a guy called…? (Wait for someone to answer) Yes that’s correct, Weston, helping finance the work.
Interestingly, when the New Bodleian library was first being built in 1940 the Weston family gave a lot of money then - when it came to the renovation works a couple of years ago, they gave the Weston family a call and asked them if they were still horrendously wealthy.
They replied yes they were, and gave even more for the modern renovation.
Weston - ugliest building
However, the building is still felt to be one of the ugliest in Oxford.
Jan Morris the travel writer described it as resembling a well-equipped municipal swimming baths.
It can accommodate 5 million volumes. A tunnel beneath Broad Street connects the old Bodleian to the new, and contains a conveyor belt to take books from one side to the other. Part of the D Day landings operation was planned in the vaults here.
At the opening ceremony, King George the sixth himself came to open the building. We’ve heard of George 6th recently from the film the King
Speech, have we all seen this?
Well he himself was presented with an ornate key to open the main ornate door round the side, but as he turned it in the lock, the lock broke and the key snapped in half. The door has never been used since.
Needless to say, he was speechless!
