The Vere Harmsworth Library is a dependent library of the

Bodleian Library The Bodleian Library () is the main research library of the University of Oxford. Founded in 1602 by Sir Thomas Bodley, it is one of the oldest libraries in Europe. With over 13 million printed items, it is the second-largest library in ...

at the

University of Oxford The University of Oxford is a collegiate university, collegiate research university in Oxford, England. There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the List of oldest un ...

in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

. The library is the university's principal research library for the study of

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

history and politics and is housed on the upper floors of the Rothermere American Institute, located on South Parks Road in central

Oxford Oxford () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and non-metropolitan district in Oxfordshire, England, of which it is the county town. The city is home to the University of Oxford, the List of oldest universities in continuou ...

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

. It is named in honour of

Vere Harmsworth, 3rd Viscount Rothermere Vere Harold Esmond Harmsworth, 3rd Viscount Rothermere (27 April 1925 – 1 September 1998), known as Vere Harmsworth until 1978, was a British newspaper magnate. He controlled large media interests in the United Kingdom and United States. Earl ...

, chairman of

Daily Mail and General Trust Daily Mail and General Trust (DMGT) is a British multinational media conglomerate, the owner of the '' Daily Mail'' and several other titles. The 4th Viscount Rothermere is the chair and controlling shareholder of the company. The head office ...

, who was prominent in raising funds and support for the construction of the building. The Vere Harmsworth Library has an extensive collection of printed primary and secondary literature, and a wide range of microfilm and online primary sources. About 80% of the library's printed collection is available as open-shelf material, with the remainder, including all works published before 1920, held underground in a climate-controlled bookstack. The library and institute were opened by US President

Bill Clinton William Jefferson Clinton (né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician and lawyer who was the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, ...

in May 2001. Between December 2019 and September 2024, the Vere Harmsworth Library hosted the

Radcliffe Science Library The Radcliffe Science Library (RSL) is the main teaching and research science library at the University of Oxford in Oxford, England. Being officially part of the Bodleian Libraries, the library holds the Legal Deposit material for the sciences a ...

whilst the latter was under refurbishment. File:Vere Harmsworth Library interior 1.jpg, Ground floor File:Vere Harmsworth Library interior 2.jpg, First floor

References

External links

Vere Harmsworth Library website

Vere Harmsworth Library blog
from

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2001 establishments in England Organizations established in 2001 Libraries of the University of Oxford Historiography of the United States American studies Bill Clinton {{area-studies-stub