Oxfordshire County Library, Oxford

The city of Oxford in central southern England has a population of 160 000. It is known for its collegiate university, the second oldest in the world. As a part of the university there are also some famous research libraries like The Bodleian Library and Radcliffe Camera. The main public library is Oxfordshire County Library. It is situated in the busy Westgate Shopping Centre at the popular Bonn Square. The entrance to the library is on the street level but is somehow hidden while no library activities can be seen here. The service areas are on the second and third floor. The collection of books, CDs and DVDs is good but no printed magazines and very few printed newspapers are available. This is a quiet place for study. The lack of comfortable seating and the overall silent atmosphere do not invite to social interaction. There is a makerspace area but behind locked doors. Compared with the enchanting interior of the well-known Blackwells book shop in the same city, the interior of this library is quite tedious. THREE stars: Good