New England
Shakespeare Oxford
Library

Welcome to the library...

The New England Shakespeare Oxford Library is a private special library located in Somerville, Massachusetts dedicated to the study of Shakespearean literature and history and the study of the Shakespeare Authorship question. The Library is comprised of a permanent collection of books, journals, articles, and various media made available to subscribers.

While the library is operated by individuals who accept the Oxfordian theory of the authorship of the Shakespeare canon (and the authorship portion of our collection concentrates on this theory), we welcome all who are interested in general Shakespeare studies. Indeed, it is our conviction that knowing the true author of the canon and the circumstances under which he wrote will greatly increase one's understanding and appreciation of the plays and poems.

Our Catalog

Our book catalog is freely available to the general public via the World Wide Web. Anyone may access the catalog by logging on to this site and clicking on NESOL Catalog. We also maintain a separate database/catalog of articles and essays (from newsletters, journals, magazines and books) published over the past 100-plus years on the authorship debate and the Oxfordian theory. This database/catalog, SOAR (Shakespeare Online Authorship Resources), is available to the general public. However, some of the article links are to licensed materials that are available to NESOL library members or Shakespeare Authorship Research Centre members only. Anyone may become a library member for an annual fee. Members can also gain physical access to the Library's book collection, the services of a reference librarian who specializes in Shakespeare studies and the Shakespeare Authorship question, photocopying/delivery services for materials (i.e. journal and newsletter articles) not available on the Web, and borrowing privileges. Members may borrow materials by visiting the library in person, or via a mail service with prior agreement with the Library (details to be announced).

Catalog records in both NESOL and SOAR will provide links to material anywhere it is available on the Internet (i.e. other Shakespeare authorship and/or Shakespeare websites, publisher websites, archival websties, Google books, etc.). Links may be to freely available material or to sites (such as mainstream magazines or licensed databases) where the material is available only by subscription (our copying service for members will be only for those materials not available on the web).

Our Collection

A long-time Shakespearean researcher and writer began our collection with a generous donation of books collected over a lifetime. We have also been adding publications to this collection with donations from several other local researchers, and purchasing a selection of newly published books to provide patrons with up-to-date materials on many subjects related to Shakespeare studies and the Renaissance in general, its culture, philosophy, history, literature, politics, and music, with a particular interest in the life and reign of Queen Elizabeth I, and the Shakespeare Authorship question. We shall make available to our members research and publications related to all Shakespeare Authorship theories, with emphasis on the Oxfordian theory that Edward de Vere, Seventeenth Earl of Oxford (1550-1604), was the true author of the Shakespeare canon. Our goal is to provide a useful core collection of publications and research materials for study.

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Donations

While we have on hand a good starting collection of both Oxfordian and general authorship materials, basic Shakespeare texts and criticism, and Elizabethan/Jacobean history and biographies, new material is published continually and there is much older material which we would love to acquire. Therefore, in order for the library to be a dynamic organization in the New England region we will need ---like any good library--- to purchase books and to subscribe to journals and newsletters on an on-going basis. So, we welcome your donations of books, journals (or subscriptions to journals), or other related items. If you wish to help us financially, consider making a donation,

or becoming a sustaining member for $100.00. See below for details, under "Membership."

We would also be most grateful for any in-kind (i.e. books or subscriptions) donations you may be able to give to help us build the Library. For more information, please contact librarian@shakespeareoxfordlibrary.org

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Membership

Even as we continue building our catalog, we can now offer those in the Boston area the ability to borrow books from our collection by becoming subscribing members for just $35.00 per year. Members from anywhere in the US are eligible to request from us copies of essays in journals, newsletters or books and have them sent to them via fax or email attachment (see Member Services). We expect later this year to announce how members may borrow books by mail. Books eligible for loan-by-mail will be noted in the catalog. Sustaining memberships are available for those who wish to help underwrite the costs of building and maintaining our catalog, housing the collection, and acquiring new materials.

Contact membership@shakespeareoxfordlibrary.org with any questions about membership.

Subscribing member ($35.00, one year):

Sustaining member ($100.00, one year):

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