Further remarks on the policy of lending Bodleian printed books and manuscripts

"Further Remarks on the Policy of Lending Bodleian Printed Books and Manuscripts" by Henry W. Chandler is a compelling argument against altering the Bodleian Library's core function. Written as a critique of proposed policy changes in 1887, the text voices strong concerns about the potential damage that lending printed materials and manuscripts could inflict on the library's invaluable collections. Chandler uses persuasive reasoning and examples from other libraries to show how lending leads to loss, damage, and a decline in the overall quality of a library’s holdings. He champions the importance of preserving the Bodleian as a reference library, a place of scholarly research and a guardian of irreplaceable texts for future scholars, rather than a lending service that risks its own destruction. Chandler is passionate about guarding the library's mission and tradition, so making it into a typical circulating library is dangerous.