Marginalia and other crimes - Concluding Notes 3

Should the library introduce a declaration that readers recite on joining the library?

The Bodleian Library Declaration - made by all readers at that library

By signing the form you subscribe to the Bodleian declaration, which reads:

I hereby undertake not to remove from the Library, nor to mark, deface, or injure in any way, any volume, document or other object belonging to it; not to bring into the Library, or kindle therein, any fire or flame, and not to smoke in the Library; and I promise to obey all rules of the Library.

With such a system, at least readers could not say that they did not know it was wrong to mark the books.

What ideas do you have on this subject?

Please contact:

Mr Tony Harper
Head of Reader Services
ach33@cam.ac.uk

I will collect readers contributions and work them into an article for the Readers' Newsletter. And should the discussion grow too large for that I will publish it on the library website.

Thank you.