Bodleian Libraries – Collections Storage Facility
Swindon, Swindon, Wiltshire, SN1 1AH
We would like to offer you the exciting opportunity to visit The Collections Storage Facility (CSF) at Swindon which is managed by the Bodleian Libraries and opened October 2010. The warehouse is not open to the public, so this is a unique and first-ever chance to see a warehouse of such scale where there are 153 miles (246 km) of shelving and 5 levels of map storage on a Mezzanine level.
We are currently storing 11+ million items and the building brings together collections that were stored in many locations across Oxford and beyond. There are 31 Very Narrow Aisles (VNA) and 11 metres high shelving. Bays are configured to accommodate the different sizes of materials to maximise storage density and very item is barcoded. Books are ordered on the library catalogue known as ‘SOLO’ and retrievals are run six times per day. ‘SOLO’ talks to our warehouse management system ‘BSFIS’ which is an inventory of every book and its location in the warehouse. We deliver to Oxford twice on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and once on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Books ordered before 10.30 a.m. will arrive in Oxford reading-rooms on the same day. We ingest new legal-deposit books, purchases and donations & weeded material/library book moves. We also offer a ‘Scan-and-Deliver’ service for chapters of books and articles subject to copyright restrictions. There are plans for a 5th Chamber for both the Bodleian Libraries and Museums – building work hoped to start autumn 2024.
Timings & Tours
- Friday 13 September:
- 0915–1045, 1100–1230, 1300–1430 & 1445–1630
Location & directions
Swindon, Swindon, Wiltshire, SN1 1AH
- Directions:
- Full address will be shared with booked attendees only (for security reasons)
- Contact on day:
- Stephen Dawson
- Telephone number:
- +441865242918
Booking information
- Pre-booking requirement:
- Pre-booking required
- Booking conditions:
- Book through the Bodleian website.
- Booking email:
- [email protected]
- Booking website:
- https://visit.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/event/sep24/oxford-open-doors
Additional information
Practical details: Full location details, directions and recommended footwear will be sent to pre-booked attendees. The tour will involve walking and standing in one position. The building is on one level apart from the Mezzanine which has stairs but no lift. Please notify on arrival if you cannot climb the stairs.
