Richard Ovenden
@richove.bsky.social
Bodley's Librarian, @bodleian.ox.ac.uk & Head of Gardens, Libraries & Museums @ox.ac.uk OBE. FSA. FRHistS, FRSE. President, DPC. Fellow, @Ballioloxford.Bsky.social. Member, @AmPhilsociety.Bsky.social Hon. Fellow @britishacademy.bsky.social
Serene Port Meadow
November 25, 2025 at 7:28 AM
Serene Port Meadow
Apologies about the link. Sometimes Bluesky wont let me paste into a message, so putting a screenshot in here so you can see the URL
November 23, 2025 at 7:45 PM
Apologies about the link. Sometimes Bluesky wont let me paste into a message, so putting a screenshot in here so you can see the URL
Come and apply to be the Professor of Bibliography & Modern Book History @engfacoutreach.bsky.social & @jesusoxford.bsky.social (and work closely with us @bodleian.ox.ac.uk). Following a long line of great scholars: Don McKenzie, Kathryn Sutherland, & Dirk van Hulle ... my.corehr.com/pls/uoxrecru...
my.corehr.com
November 23, 2025 at 7:37 PM
Come and apply to be the Professor of Bibliography & Modern Book History @engfacoutreach.bsky.social & @jesusoxford.bsky.social (and work closely with us @bodleian.ox.ac.uk). Following a long line of great scholars: Don McKenzie, Kathryn Sutherland, & Dirk van Hulle ... my.corehr.com/pls/uoxrecru...
Come along today to the Exam Schools on the High Street for the 2025 Oxford Indie Book Fair!
November 23, 2025 at 10:45 AM
Come along today to the Exam Schools on the High Street for the 2025 Oxford Indie Book Fair!
It is really wonderful news - at least for now!
November 22, 2025 at 9:02 PM
It is really wonderful news - at least for now!
A golden Weston Library (@bodleian.ox.ac.uk) this morning
November 20, 2025 at 8:30 AM
A golden Weston Library (@bodleian.ox.ac.uk) this morning
James Hill brilliant last night @orieloxford.bsky.social talking about the ethics of photojournalism - masterful!
November 20, 2025 at 7:23 AM
James Hill brilliant last night @orieloxford.bsky.social talking about the ethics of photojournalism - masterful!
Come and visit her archive @bodleian.ox.ac.uk
Lovely short thread (with a v good piece at the end). I think Ruth's point at the end is entirely right. Also I think shows that 'being an effective minister' is a skillset in itself. Castle was not a transport wonk or labour market wonk or a welfare wonk, yet she was v effective in all three roles.
This week is Road Safety Week & a chance to talk about Barbara Castle!
Barbara was Transport Minister for three years yet she was able to introduce the Breathalyzer, a proper integrated transport strategy & more!
This was done despite fierce opposition.
📸 Photo from the Parliamentary Achieve
Barbara was Transport Minister for three years yet she was able to introduce the Breathalyzer, a proper integrated transport strategy & more!
This was done despite fierce opposition.
📸 Photo from the Parliamentary Achieve
November 19, 2025 at 4:54 PM
Come and visit her archive @bodleian.ox.ac.uk
Good to see the problems facing our colleagues @britishlibrary.bsky.social being raised here by @hetanshah.bsky.social (of @britishacademy.bsky.social). If this had happened in France it would be considered a national problem to be urgently addressed! www.cityam.com/the-british-...
The British library is in crisis: why does nobody care?
The widespread indifference to the British Library's crippling cyberattack demonstrates a perilous failure to value the knowledge infrastructure vital for national prosperity
www.cityam.com
November 18, 2025 at 7:58 AM
Good to see the problems facing our colleagues @britishlibrary.bsky.social being raised here by @hetanshah.bsky.social (of @britishacademy.bsky.social). If this had happened in France it would be considered a national problem to be urgently addressed! www.cityam.com/the-british-...
Modern constellation on Port Meadow
November 17, 2025 at 7:17 AM
Modern constellation on Port Meadow
Delighted to have been given the chance to review ‘Don’t burn anyone at the stake today’ the new and thought-provoking book from @naomialderman.bsky.social (published by Penguin/FigTree) in today’s @theobserveruk.bsky.social
November 16, 2025 at 10:58 AM
Delighted to have been given the chance to review ‘Don’t burn anyone at the stake today’ the new and thought-provoking book from @naomialderman.bsky.social (published by Penguin/FigTree) in today’s @theobserveruk.bsky.social
Extremely saddened to learn of the death of Rachel Cooke. She was a brilliant writer & journalist, great fun to be around. I will miss our emails & dms & occasional get togethers. The world is significantly diminished by her passing. Appreciate this from Tim Adams in @theobserveruk.bsky.social
November 14, 2025 at 7:29 PM
Extremely saddened to learn of the death of Rachel Cooke. She was a brilliant writer & journalist, great fun to be around. I will miss our emails & dms & occasional get togethers. The world is significantly diminished by her passing. Appreciate this from Tim Adams in @theobserveruk.bsky.social
Delighted with this insightful review by @boydtonkin.bsky.social in the new issue of @thetls.bsky.social of our show marking the arrival of the archive of John le Carré at @bodleian.ox.ac.uk ‘Tradecraft’ curated by Jessica Douthwaite and Federico Varese! www.the-tls.com/arts/visual-...
Methods and materials
In 1974, David Cornwell visited Hong Kong, just prior to the publication of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, the seventh novel he had published as “John le
www.the-tls.com
November 12, 2025 at 8:03 PM
Delighted with this insightful review by @boydtonkin.bsky.social in the new issue of @thetls.bsky.social of our show marking the arrival of the archive of John le Carré at @bodleian.ox.ac.uk ‘Tradecraft’ curated by Jessica Douthwaite and Federico Varese! www.the-tls.com/arts/visual-...
There is still time to apply for one of our 50+ Visiting Fellowships @bodleian.ox.ac.uk for the 2026-27 academic year! A vibrant interdisciplinary research centre in the heart of one of the world’s great libraries!
VISITING FELLOWSHIPS: Applications are now open for 2026-27!
The deadline for applications is Friday 28 November 2025.
For more information on how to apply: https://www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/csb/fellowships/bodleian-visiting-fellowships
The deadline for applications is Friday 28 November 2025.
For more information on how to apply: https://www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/csb/fellowships/bodleian-visiting-fellowships
November 12, 2025 at 4:22 PM
There is still time to apply for one of our 50+ Visiting Fellowships @bodleian.ox.ac.uk for the 2026-27 academic year! A vibrant interdisciplinary research centre in the heart of one of the world’s great libraries!
The @ashmoleanmuseum.bsky.social looking mighty fine!
November 11, 2025 at 9:20 AM
The @ashmoleanmuseum.bsky.social looking mighty fine!
In this weekend’s @theobserveruk.bsky.social I review the thought provoking new book by @naomialderman.bsky.social ‘Don’t burn anyone at the stake today’ (Fig Tree) which examines our current information crisis. HTTPS://observer.co.uk/culture/books/article/how-to-survive-an-information-crisis
How to survive an information crisis | The Observer
observer.co.uk
November 11, 2025 at 8:01 AM
In this weekend’s @theobserveruk.bsky.social I review the thought provoking new book by @naomialderman.bsky.social ‘Don’t burn anyone at the stake today’ (Fig Tree) which examines our current information crisis. HTTPS://observer.co.uk/culture/books/article/how-to-survive-an-information-crisis
The most incredible library in the world, @bodleian.ox.ac.uk opened to OTD 1602, through the energy, money & commitment of Sir Thomas Bodley. It began with 5k books, & now more than 22m, with 2m+reader visits a year, & multi-million online users across the globe. Privilged to be its 25th librarian!
November 8, 2025 at 7:20 AM
The most incredible library in the world, @bodleian.ox.ac.uk opened to OTD 1602, through the energy, money & commitment of Sir Thomas Bodley. It began with 5k books, & now more than 22m, with 2m+reader visits a year, & multi-million online users across the globe. Privilged to be its 25th librarian!
Please apply!
The idea of spending more time at the Bodleian Libraries sounds tempting
ARCHIVAL FUNDING: Ann Ball Bodley Visiting Fellowship in Women’s History, to use Bodleian Libraries collections to advance scholarship in women’s history, of any geographical area and historical period. Deadline 28th Nov. www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/csb/fellowsh...
October 31, 2025 at 8:27 AM
Please apply!
So lucky to have been in conversation with the amazing and pioneering photographer Joel Meyerowitz, for the 2025 Richard Benson Lecture in the Reproduced Image @bodleian.ox.ac.uk part of our contribution to PhotoOxford!
October 30, 2025 at 12:44 PM
So lucky to have been in conversation with the amazing and pioneering photographer Joel Meyerowitz, for the 2025 Richard Benson Lecture in the Reproduced Image @bodleian.ox.ac.uk part of our contribution to PhotoOxford!
Very sad to see this - I enjoyed meeting him - a great man!
@richove.bsky.social John was a great fan of your book 'Burning the books' He was delighted to have met you.
Just heard the sad news that John Osman, the doyen of BBC foreign correspondents and an inspiration to people like me, has died. A life really well lived. Farewell dear friend.
October 30, 2025 at 12:33 PM
Very sad to see this - I enjoyed meeting him - a great man!
Reposted by Richard Ovenden
ARCHIVAL FUNDING: Ann Ball Bodley Visiting Fellowship in Women’s History, to use Bodleian Libraries collections to advance scholarship in women’s history, of any geographical area and historical period. Deadline 28th Nov. www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/csb/fellowsh...
Bodleian Visiting Fellowships in Special Collections
www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk
October 28, 2025 at 3:36 PM
ARCHIVAL FUNDING: Ann Ball Bodley Visiting Fellowship in Women’s History, to use Bodleian Libraries collections to advance scholarship in women’s history, of any geographical area and historical period. Deadline 28th Nov. www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/csb/fellowsh...
Reposted by Richard Ovenden
Come and join me and @carosanderson.bsky.social at @stroudbookfestival.bsky.social on Bonfire Night. No books will be harmed during the event - even though I will be talking about 'Burning the Books' (available from @johnmurrays.bsky.social & @harvardpress.bsky.social)!
🔥 Firewords Night🔥
Ten Stroud authors will read from books that have inspired their writing. And our special guest for the evening is Richard Ovenden, author of “Burning the Books: A History of Knowledge Under Attack”.
Profits from this evening’s event will be donated to @readforgood 📚
Ten Stroud authors will read from books that have inspired their writing. And our special guest for the evening is Richard Ovenden, author of “Burning the Books: A History of Knowledge Under Attack”.
Profits from this evening’s event will be donated to @readforgood 📚
October 24, 2025 at 7:20 AM
Come and join me and @carosanderson.bsky.social at @stroudbookfestival.bsky.social on Bonfire Night. No books will be harmed during the event - even though I will be talking about 'Burning the Books' (available from @johnmurrays.bsky.social & @harvardpress.bsky.social)!