👀Spotted during the stock check 😊 (Thank you, we are getting through it one beep at a time!)

Over the next two weeks, library staff will be carrying out an inventory of all our books in the Longwall. The reading rooms will be a bit noisier than usual, as the scanners we're using make a beeping noise. There are earplugs in the library foyer.

Today is the feast day of #StMaryMagdalene, one of Christianity’s most important saints (as well as our namesake). Magdalen has a long history of celebrating this day. This record is from the College's liber computi [Account Book] for 1502-3. It reads:

Ref. LE.83.BL.51 The pub is still there today. Although the sign has since been updated, the original ironwork design for it remains - as you can see in this Google image screenshot.

Take this as your sign to go to the pub. (See what we did there). In 1948, Magdalen let a pub called Home Sweet Home in Roke a small piece of land at the edge of the main road so they could put up a sign to direct visitors. Its leaseincludes this lovely plan showing the design for the sign.

This image is from 'Tortoises, Turtles and Terrapins' by James Sowerby. Published in 1872, the book was a landmark in natural history illustration & features 60 lithographed plates, illustrated by Edward Lear, including this turtle. Best known as a poet, he was also a talented zoological illustrator

This kingfisher is from volume 1 of the 8-volume work 'Coloured Figures of the Birds of the British Islands' by Lord Lilford, published between 1885-1897. One of Britain's most colourful birds, lucky visitors may spot a kingfisher while walking around Addison's Walk. (ref. o.15.18 ).

Today the College is hosting a Gaudy for students who matriculated between 1982 and 1984. Here we have a speech, in Latin, delivered by C. S. Lewis at a Gaudy 100 years ago.

July is Disability Pride Month! Celebrated every year in the UK since 2015, we're marking the month with this selection of books from our welfare collection on display in the Longwall library. Can you recommend any books to add to our collection?

Today is Magdalen's Commemoration Ball. Here we have a poster for the 1964 ball, which featured up-and-coming 'rock group' The Rolling Stones. They weren't even the headline act! Who knows what tonight's acts will go on to achieve? We hope everyone has a blast at the ball. 🎉🎊💃🕺

Good things come in small packages! (Pen for size comparison). It's always nice to hear that our students appreciate us; this teeny thank you card, and not so teeny message, brought huge smiles to our faces. The homemade biscuits were delicious, by the way 😋

🔎👑Can you spot the future King of England, Edward VIII, in this photograph from the Magdalen College Archives? Born #OnThisDay in 1894, Edward studied at Magdalen between 1912 and the outbreak of the First World War.

Happy Long Vacation! To all Finalists, please remember to return your library books - looks like a lot of you already have! 📚📚📚

You are cordially invited to an Early Modern gender reveal party? This anatomical flapbook has multi-layered engravings of male and female bodies, including this pregnant torso. Readers can 'dissect' the body, peeling back layers to reveal veins, nerves, and skeleton underneath.

In honour of England's first #WorldCup match this evening, here is a photo of Magdalen's starting 11 from the 1884/5 academic year. The attached slip provides the names of these players, which include 2 brothers: A. L. and H. P. Hansell. [Archival ref: P201/P1/1]

The Blackwell family lived on estate in Appleton and Tubney. This first plan shows the swimming pool and which part of the stream was to be diverted. The Blackwell family later purchased part of the Tubney Manor Farm estate. The second map here, which also shows the swimming pool, is from the 1980s

In 1928, the College agreed to allow Basil Henry Blackwell (of the brilliant Blackwell's bookshop on Broad Street) to divert a stream of water for the purpose of supplying a swimming pool at Holt Copse near Appleton, for the price of 5 shillings a year.

What would you do after a long day of bookselling to the Oxford public? Go for a refreshing dip in your own private pool, of course. #FromTheArchives we have some maps relating to land owned by Magdalen.

If you're looking for something new to read, we've received this selection of books from the 2026 Women's Prize shortlists for non-fiction and fiction - on display now in the Longwall library foyer. 📚👀 Winners announced tomorrow...📣

Happy Pride Month 🏳️‍🌈 Did you join the Pride parade in Oxford today? If today's celebrations have inspired you to learn more, take a look at the books in our Pride display in the Longwall Library. You'll also find some very prideful origami paper, if you fancy helping us decorate the display ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🩵🩷🤍

Following a request on our Graffiti Wall, we have added a whiteboard to the breakout room at the end of the Beckwith Reading Room. We hope it helps aid your studies ✏️👩‍🏫

Vacation loans now apply. If you'd like to take your library books home over the long vacation, you can. Renew your loans now for a due date of 15th October! 📚📚📚

Did you hear about the success of our women's crew during this year's Summer VIIIs? They bumped three times over the course of the competition, bumping Keble, Christ Church, and Wolfson. Congratulations to all involved! This photograph shows the ‘Maids of Magdalen’ in action

This week is National #VolunteersWeek. We are lucky to have a number of volunteers, who regularly help us out with tasks like shelving, creating book displays, and invigilating our Old Library exhibitions. A huge thank you to Aidan, Caitlin, Rawdah, Marilyn, Fin, Maddy, and Pam for their help 🙏⭐

This season's crop of roses, in the Longwall Library quad, are pretty magnificent 😍🌹🥀

5th week is always a bit of a milestone as we pass the halfway point of term. Here in the library we have 'Welfare Week', where we provide various activities and resources aimed at improving student wellbeing. Students can:

We endorse this message. Found in the Beckwith Reading Room. ❤️

We can't believe it's been 10 years since the grand reopening of the Longwall Library, following its renovation. Prince William joined us for the occasion, speaking to Magdalen students and staff, and unveiling the engraving on our wall. Happy 10th to the Longwall Library. 🎉🎈🔟 📸credit John Cairns

We're celebrating Trans+ History Week in the Longwall library with this book display - a date deliberately chosen as the anniversary of the Nazi raid on the world’s first ever trans clinic in 1933, May 6.

How did you get so wise, Yoda? Use the library, I do often. All these books, I read. #maythe4thbewithyou