Somervillian authors, and a significant donation of Classics our website, with many of the exhibitions reproduced fully texts from Jane Everson (Medieval and Modern Languages, in digital form. We also mounted several exhibitions outside 1974). We also received a donation of ceramics from Ann of the library in support of the many events hosted by the Squires (English, 1962) and a collection of the works of college, including a well-received exhibition about Dorothy Victor Hugo from Sarah Danby (Modern Languages, 1970), Hodgkin, when we celebrated the 60th anniversary of her both donated on the understanding they would raise funds for being awarded the Nobel Prize. the college. In our continued promotion of one of our most treasured In terms of usage of the various collections, we had 53 collections, the John Stuart Mill Library, we hosted several enquiries from external readers about material held in our open days and private viewings of the collection, welcomed library collection, of whom 24 visited the library in person to supporters of the library to Tea with Mill and were honoured consult material. We also lent 7,427 items during the year, that historian Catherine Hall delivered the 2024 John Stuart with term-time loans remaining low at almost two-thirds of Mill Lecture. what they were pre-pandemic. This perhaps reflects another shift in how students study, with many students as happy Throughout the year, we welcomed alumni and visitors, consulting online texts as printed. Our archives welcomed 42 providing them with tours of the college, of the library and of visitors (18 to the archives, and 24 to the special collections) the artworks. Finally, in September 2023 we supported the and answered 160 enquiries (102 about the archives and 58 opening of the college as part of Oxford Open Doors Day, about the special collections). Both figures are significantly up something which we will be repeating this coming year. All on the previous year’s statistics, with an increase of over 50% events, we hope, promote the current role of the college, and in visitor numbers and a 40% increase in enquiries – increases highlight its impressive history to an ever-larger audience. with which we are very pleased. Our Events Our Sta昀昀 Once more all of our achievements reported above would Having the new exhibition space in the library has proved have been impossible without the dedication, knowledge and a delight. We have been able to present a wide range of hard work of our library and archives team, namely Susan exhibitions, from the Mary Somerville through Portraiture, Purver, Assistant Librarian, Matthew Roper, Library Assistant, ably researched and beautifully curated by our colleague and Kate O’Donnell, Archivist. My thanks to them for another Matthew Roper, to the fun and light-hearted Somerville in successful year. Film and Fiction. We also hosted an exhibition of the work of Somervillian Fanchon Fröhlich (B Litt, 1949), curated by Terry Duffy, CEO of BADA. A record of all our exhibitions is held on SARAH BUTLER, College Librarian 21