Wellbeing

The Bodleian Health Care Libraries provide a range of activities and resources to help support the wellbeing of our members.

Book clubs

Join one of our friendly book clubs to take part in thought-provoking discussions of a diverse range of books:

  • Cairns Library, John Radcliffe Hospital: 3rd Monday of the month,12–1pm
  • Online: 3rd Monday of the month, 1–2pm
  • Horton Hospital Library, Horton Hospital: 3rd Tuesday of the month, 6–7.30pm

Staff and students from Oxford University Hospitals and the University of Oxford are welcome to attend our book clubs. For details of upcoming meetings, and details of what we are reading please check the events calendar.

Craft and chat sessions

We run lunchtime ‘craft and chat’ sessions where you can bring a craft project (any welcome, e.g. knitting, crochet, cross stitch, embroidery, origami) and meet other crafters.

  • Knowledge Centre, Old Road Campus: every Tuesday, 12–1pm
  • NOC Library, Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre – last Tuesday of the month, 12.30–1.30pm.

Staff and students from Oxford University Hospitals and the University of Oxford are welcome to attend. For details of upcoming craft and chat sessions please check the events calendar.

 A place to relax

Our libraries aren’t just spaces for work and study. You can use them as a quiet space to take a break.

To support this, we have activities such as colouring, jigsaws and sudoku set out in each of our libraries.

The Cairns Library at the John Radcliffe Hospital also has a dedicated space for quiet relaxation.

Wellbeing and leisure reading collections

Whether you are seeking practical advice, solidarity or escapism we’ve got something for everyone.

Browse our wellbeing and leisure reading collections on the shelves at your closest library, or search our collections using SOLO, the Bodleian Libraries library catalogue.

If you would like to suggest a book to add to our collections, please let us know by email: hcl-enquiries@bodleian.ox.ac.uk.