Step inside the Queen’s Library and you’ll find more than just books: you’ll discover a building with layers of character. In this blog, three students take us on a journey through their favourite corners of each level, as we explore the hidden personalities of the College Library. From peaceful hideaways to sunlit study spots, every floor has its own charm. Which one will be your favourite?
The New Library (basement level) with Audey Kang, MSc in Clinical and Therapeutic Neuroscience & Tayo Dada, MSc in Public Policy
In three words, what’s the vibe?
Tayo: Vibrant, bright, and motivating.
Audrey: Cozy, convenient, conducive (to locking in).
What’s the thing you love most about studying there?
Tayo: The atmosphere in the New Library has incredibly energising quality that’s absolutely contagious. There are times when I arrive feeling completely exhausted but seeing so many students deeply focused on their work and studying motivates me to study too.
Audrey: The convenience! Second screens make doing work so much more convenient (I have never had a monitor before, so this is life changing), and having the toilets and water refill on the same floor makes working for long periods of time easy.
Do you have a “go-to” seat or hidden corner that’s your secret study haven?
Tayo: I love sitting right by the monitors and directly under the skylights where I can look up and see the sky and trees above.
Audrey: It’s just any seat with a second screen, but usually the one second from the left. It’s also funny because I often end up sitting next to the same people, so coming in and waving hi before opening my computer can feel a bit like clocking in for a shift.
Why does it suit your study style or personality?
Tayo: It suits my study style because I thrive in high-energy, well-lit environments. The combination of natural light from the skylights above and the vibrant atmosphere created by the students keeps me alert and engaged. It’s hard to doze off here even when you are extremely tired.
Audrey: I think it’s common to come to Oxford from America with this whole dark academia thing (reading Babel probably helps), but the truth as a neuroscience student is that squinting at your code and graphs on your laptop in the Upper Library just doesn’t work as well as having a second screen. Also, I very much do most of my work in the evening, I’m a night owl, so I prefer not to know the passing of time, and I feel like you get the most isolation from that with the bright lights of the New Library. I do love the skylight though and being able to see the weather changes, from a thunderstorm and lightning one day to sunny blue skies the other. Coming from California, I always find a rainstorm exciting.
What’s unexpected about this space?
Tayo: What really surprises me is just how extraordinarily quiet this level is. I know libraries are supposed to be quiet spaces, but this floor is really quiet compared to other levels where you can easily hear footsteps, people moving around, and the constant sound of students going up and down the stairs.
Which library level do you think would surprise prospective students the most, and why?
Audrey: Definitely the Upper Library. It’s completely different in feeling than the rest of it, and the coolest part of it is that it existed first and the rest of the library was built underneath it, which I think is an insane architectural and conservational feat.
Any memorable moments while studying in the library?
Tayo: One of my memorable moments in the library was when my friend Julia came to study with me. It was at the peak of assessment season. Having her company made what could have been a stressful time much more enjoyable – we shared silly jokes between study sessions and captured the moment with plenty of photos.
I also have fond memories of randomly running into my flatmate Audrey while we were both studying. We’d secretly snap photos of each other looking intensely focused and send them to our other flatmate in our group chat.
Audrey: My friends and I all have very different study habits. They really like the Upper Library but it’s still great to have them close by because I can ask one of them for hand cream if my hands are dry and they’ll run down from the Upper Library and I’ll run up from the New Library and we’ll meet in the middle in the Lower Library!
The Lower Library (ground level) with Mari-May, First-year BA in Chinese
In three words, what’s the vibe?
Intimate. Timeless. Warm.
What’s the thing you love most about studying there?
It’s the perfect blend between the dark academia aesthetic true to Oxford, and functionality. The window grillwork is gorgeous, and if you are doing some light reading then the armchairs are mega comfy. Also, I’m a night owl, so it being open 24/7 is a blessing.
Do you have a “go-to” seat or hidden corner that’s your secret study haven?
The Sanskrit Desk in the very back corner of the library is my absolute favourite.
Why does it suit your study style or personality?
It is sandwiched in between the shelves for Asian Middle Eastern Studies. As an AMES student, it’s very handy to just be able to lean back in my chair and grab a book. Also, it is probably the most isolated spot, which helps with my abysmal attention span.
How do you make the space your own?
All of my stationery is either pink or glittery, and I make sure to set up the desk all cute. Music is a necessity, and I usually listen to the Final Fantasy video game soundtracks while studying!
Any memorable moments while studying in the library?
Once, I left my desk to fetch a book and my headphones disconnected. Music blasted from my laptop in the middle of the library. No one could figure out how to turn the volume down using the keys, so they had three people faff about on the laptop trying to turn it off. When I returned one of my friends relayed the happenings with much amusement. It was so embarrassing I couldn’t go back for a week.
The Upper Library (first floor) with Mads Proitz, DPhil in Classical Archaeology and Klara Zhao, MPhil in Egyptology
In three words, what’s the vibe?
Mads: Historic, inspiring, subdued.
What’s the thing you love most about studying there?
Mads: The atmosphere and aesthetics are second to none. I can always count on it to be a nice and quiet study space, and the occasional creaking floor fits the mood nicely. It feels secluded enough so that you can easily forget that you’re in there with other readers.
Klara: It can be a silent haven: with large desks and comfy red leather chairs, and almost total privacy between the booths formed by those thick wooden shelves.
Do you have a “go-to” seat or hidden corner that’s your secret study haven?
Mads: Any of the nooks are lovely, but if I can choose a nook that has a view of either one of the globes or the orrery, that is a bonus just for the visuals of it.
Klara: The desk on the east side of the orrery has always been my favourite: the orrery blocks the view of the person opposite and instead you have a fine view of the golden Apollo in the ceiling plasterwork overhead.
Why does it suit your study style or personality?
Mads: I often study at home when I know the Upper Library’s opening hours won’t suit my own study hours and this because a lot of the larger libraries can feel crowded or busy. I prefer to work in a dead silent area where you 1. Have room to spread out all your books and writing material, 2. Can enjoy privacy when studying: I get very self-conscious if I know that someone can see my screen/writing. I am also doing a DPhil in Classical Archaeology, so I think my love for old and historic spaces comes with the territory.
How do you make the space your own?
Mads: I like to lay out my books, laptop, and notebooks across the desk and put on a quiet playlist without lyrics/voice.
What’s unexpected about this space?
Mads: I might be spoiled at this point, but many of the guests I’ve brought in to unashamedly show off our library for have been impressed and surprised that we are allowed to use the space actively.
Which library level do you think would surprise prospective students the most, and why?
Klara: The Upper Library is stunning but the New Library has its own Egyptology library (the Peet), which lies behind some canopic jars, and that might well be a bit of a surprise for some.
Any memorable moments while studying in the library?
Mads: All study sessions in the Upper Library are memorable 🙂
Klara: Duckling day! On 9 May 2021, a mother and her ducklings entered College and made their way into the New Library through the entrance that had been opened up on account of the Covid-19 one-way policy. A very exciting time for us all, and a refreshing revision break.
