I am a huge fan of libraries and books of any sort and got my first library card when I was 3, so needless to say I was very excited when I was told that those of us on the UA at Oxford trip were getting Bodleian reader cards. This meant we could go into the Bodleian library and use their databases and most of their books (for some reason, they didn’t want to let us have access to the ones that are centuries old first editions or literally the only edition left. Not sure why…). Our Bodleian journey began on a Monday morning, classes were dismissed so we could all go to what was essentially Bodleian orientation. The people from the library gave us a history of it and told us what we did and didn’t have access to. Going to this orientation was the first time we were allowed inside the actual library because you have to have a library card to go inside. Then, the most exciting part for me, we took the Bodleian oath and were given our library cards. Getting my library card and sitting in the Bodleian library, a library that has been known as a center of academia for centuries, was a moment that gave me a lot of perspective about the trip and how lucky I was to be able to experience that moment. It is something I will never forget.
