Festival Hub
The Weston Library’s Blackwell Hall is the festival hub for this year’s Oxford Literary Festival. Find us on Broad Street, opposite the Sheldonian Theatre.
It will house the festival box office, a café and toilets, seating areas and children’s play area, and will host free talks and gallery tours.
We will be running extended opening hours during the festival. Blackwell Hall, the café and our exhibitions will be open:
Weekdays and Saturdays: 9am – 6pm
Sundays: 9am – 4pm
After these times, access will be only for scheduled talks.
Free talks
Emma Smith: Shakespeare's First Folio – Show and Tell
Monday 18 March, 1.30pm | Blackwell Hall, Weston Library
Author and professor of Shakespeare studies Emma Smith showcases the copy of Shakespeare’s First Folio held in the Bodleian archives. No ticket required – just drop in!
Show and Tell with Nichole Fazio: The Julia Margaret Cameron Collection
Saturday 23 March 2024, 1pm | Horton Room, Weston Library
Victorian photographer Julia Margaret Cameron is renowned for her portraiture, and her explorations of the poetic possibilities of photography. Join Nichole J Fazio, author of Julia Margaret Cameron: The Poetry of Photography, for an informal talk about the artist as she explores a selection of Julia Margaret Cameron’s photographs brought up from the Bodleian collections.
Yuval Zommer: The Wild
Saturday 23 March 2024, 1pm | Blackwell Hall, Weston Library
Join children’s author and illustrator Yuval Zommer for an interactive and creative journey through his latest book The Wild, a modern fable with a hopeful and powerful message. Age 4+. No booking required, just drop in.
Free exhibition tours
Chaucer Here and Now exhibition tours are available on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 2pm – 2.45pm and are open to all. These free gallery tours are led by our dedicated volunteer team. Book is required and places are limited. Available dates: Saturday 16 March, Wednesday 20 March and Saturday 23 March
Maps Show and Tell
Discover treasures from the Bodleian’s map collection with our experts. Booking required. Takes place from 11.10am – 11.50am on Monday 18 March, Tuesday 19 March, Wednesday 20 March, Thursday 21 March, Friday 22 March.
Tapestry Talks
Free talks about the Sheldon Tapestry Map, 1–1.30pm on Saturday 16 March and then daily from Monday 18 March to Saturday 23 March. No need to book, just drop in.
Meet the Conservation Team
Thursday 21 March, 12.30pm – 2pm | Blackwell Hall
Join the Bodleian’s conservation team to find out more about their work caring for our fantastic collections. No need to book, just drop in.
Throughout the festival
Ten-minute Book Club
Monday 18 March – Sunday 24 March, 1.40pm | Space for Reading, Blackwell Hall
Take a break from your day and join LitHits to sample a ten-minute book club. LitHits at Oxford University’s Faculty of English is a library of short-form literature starting from the question: how long do you have? If you’ve ever wondered about tackling Ulysses, or Moby Dick, or want to discover the short stories of Kate Chopin and the poetry of Claude McKay, come for a quick hit of literature and a chat with the LitHits team. All you need is 10 minutes! No preparation required – just turn up, listen and share your thoughts if you wish.
Print a keepsake
Print a memento of the Oxford Literary Festival. Come along to Blackwell Hall on Saturday 16 March, Sunday 17 March, Wednesday 20 March, Friday 22 March and Sunday 24 March, from 1 – 3pm.
Creative activities
Relax with our creative activities, perfect for a short break.
Book exchange
Dare you have a blind date with a book? Bring a book you recommend, wrap it up and write a brief description; then exchange it for one that intrigues you.
Festival box office
The festival box office will be situated opposite you as you enter Blackwell Hall. Note: a booking fee of £2 will be added to all sales at the festival onsite box. You can also purchase tickets online or by telephone on 0333 666 3366 right up until the event start time.
Opening hours
Monday–Tuesday: 11am–12pm and 1pm–5pm
Wednesday–Saturday: 9.30am–12pm and 1pm–5pm
Sunday: 9.30am–12pm and 1pm–4pm
Café, toilets and shop
The Weston Library café serves a delicious selection of hot and cold drinks, freshly-made soups, salads, sandwiches, hot dishes, cakes and pastries. Toilets are located next to the café.
Oxford Literary Festival ticket holders can get 10% off in-store at the Bodleian Libraries gift shops – show your ticket to claim your discount. (Exclusions apply, not to be used in conjunction with any other offers. Ask in-store for details.)
