The Mansfield Library is designed to support students in their academic journey. With quiet study spaces for students wishing to work outside of their rooms and specific tutorial areas, the library is the perfect space to maintain a high standard of academic rigour.
The College Library is named in honour of John Leslie Stephen Mansfield (1906-65), a Pauline, a major benefactor and the architect of the Chapel and Chapel Court.
The Library’s sections
Divided into six sections, the Mansfield Library holds a vast array of books and further academic resources.
The Main Library is found on the first and ground floors, with open shelves that house both books relevant to current university coursework and books of general interest, including novels.
The Cannington Law Library, also on the first floor, is home to law books, journals and periodicals.
The Old Library is found in the Archives room, containing books belonging to the College from before World War I. Here rests the oldest book on site (Spectator, 1711), although the oldest book belonging to the Library dates from 1517. The Library’s more valuable books, including a number of publications from the English Civil War period (including an edition of Hobbes’ Leviathan), are housed in the Rare Books section of the University Library.
The Pauline Collection is also on the ground floor in the Archives room. It contains books about individuals associated with the College; books once owned by these individuals, especially while in College; books and music scores by former students, Wardens and tutors; books relevant to the College’s Anglican and broader Christian foundation and local histories from the neighbourhood, as well as books about schools and colleges relevant to St Paul’s.
Undergraduate
Friendship and community are at the heart of the Paul’s experience. Paul’s is a place where you are welcomed, respected and recognised for who you are. The College has a strong commitment to providing the best all-round educational experience for our students. The benefits of sharing the learning experience with fellow students are significant to all students who walk through these doors.