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Old Norse-Icelandic language and literature: Collections

Intended for students and researchers studying Old Norse-Icelandic at the University of Oxford

Introduction

The English Faculty Library's Old Norse-Icelandic collections are housed in the St Cross Building separately from the main lending collections in the Ground Floor and First Floor Reading Room of the library. Visitors wishing to consult these collections must apply via staff at the the library help desk (see the 'Help' box below). On this page you will find more information on each of the English Faculty Library's Old Norse-Icelandic collections. 

Lending collection

Books from this collection can be borrowed. It includes texts, critical works, journals and important facsimile editions. It has benefited from the addition of volumes from the personal library of Professor E.O.G Turville-Petre (1908–1978), Professor of Ancient Icelandic Literature and Antiquities at Oxford, much of which was donated on his death in 1978.

  • Shelf mark: CJ

Turville-Petre collection

Professor Turville-Petre's remaining books, journals and offprints comprise a mixture of works on Old English and other Scandinavian languages and literature. 

  • Shelf mark: TP

W. P. Ker collection

This collection contains some of the Old Norse books of W.P. Ker (1855–1923) including some antiquarian material. It is on permanent loan from All Souls College, where Ker was a Fellow. About 60% of the collection is held in the Bodleian Library.

  • Shelf mark: EE

York Powell collection

The York Powell collection consists of volumes from the libraries of Guðbrandur Vigfússon (1827–1889) (Oxford's first Lecturer in Ancient Icelandic Literature and Antiquities from 1884) and Frederick York Powell (1850–1904). It contains many rare editions of important Icelandic, Scandinavian and German works from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and some of Vigfússon's personal documents. It is on permanent loan from Christ Church College.

  • Shelf mark: A., B. and C. 

Collections outside of the English Faculty Library

Collections held by the following libraries may be of interest:

Finding books

The best way to find books held by the English Faculty Library is through SOLO. Find out more by visiting the Finding English Faculty Library Items guide.

Help

For help finding and consulting English Faculty Library books, please visit the help desk or contact the library in the first instance. Visit the link below for details.

Additional sources of support are available. Visit the link below for more information.

Inter-library loans

If the Bodleian Libraries don't have the book you are looking for, we may be able to source it through Oxford's inter-library loan service.

Recommend a book

If the Bodleian Libraries don't have the book you are looking for, you can make a recommendation by completing the form below (Oxford Single-Sign On required).