Merton College Library

Merton College Library is renowned for its antiquity, its beautiful medieval and early modern architecture and fittings, and its remarkable and important collection of manuscripts and rare books. A nineteenth-century plan to demolish the medieval library and replace it was only narrowly thwarted. This brief history of Europe's oldest academic library traces its origins in the thirteenth century, at a time when a new type of community of scholars was being established, through to the present day. It highlights the library's multiple functions as a working college library, a unique resource for researchers, and a delight for curious visitors.

Drawing on the remarkable wealth of documentation in the college's archives, this is the first history of the library to explore collections, buildings, readers, and staff across more than 700 years. The story is partly told through stunning colour images that depict not only exceptional treasures but also the library furnishings and decorations. These images showcase manuscripts, books, bindings, and artefacts of different periods in their changing contexts. Featuring a timeline and a plan of the college, this book will be of interest to historians, alumni, and tourists alike.