William Bennett Bizzell Bible Collection
Information
William Bennett Bizzell, president of The University of Oklahoma from 1925 to 1941, purchased his first old Bible for $1 while a college student in Boston. That Geneva Bible is just one of the 665 Bibles included in the Bizzell Bible Collection.
In addition to more common European languages such as Greek, Latin, German, French and Spanish, President Bizzell collected many Bibles in numerous other languages such as Cherokee, Muscogee (Mvskoke), Hindi, Swahili, Javanese, Mongolian, Tartan, Mooltan, and Turkish. Additional related works include commentaries, textual studies, illustrations, geographies and histories of the holy land, works on the life of Jesus Christ, prayer books and hymnals. The collection includes several incunabula (books published in the infancy of printing, before 1500). The oldest book is a hand-painted manuscript prayer book written on vellum in the fifteenth century.
The collection was given to the University in 1949 by Bizzell's family, with the provision that it be kept intact. Since 1987, the collection has been housed in the Gaylord Room of the Bizzell Memorial Library. President Bizzell's love for scholarship and books is reflected in his drive to complete the University Library in 1930. A statue of President Bizzell gazes perpetually on the south entrance to the library which now bears his name.
All visitors are required to follow the Special Research Collections' reading room policies. The policies include no food or drinks and leaving bags in the designated lockers.
Plan a Research Visit
Anyone can use the William Bennett Bizzell Bible Collection materials regardless of their university affiliation or geographic location. We require appointments to view collections in person, as many of our materials are stored offsite. Our staff are available for in-person, virtual, and email consultations if you need assistance with your research. Collection materials may not be checked out and are made available for use in the Duane H.D. Roller Reading Room on the 5th floor of Bizzell Memorial Library.
To view materials in person, request an appointment.
To request assistance with distance research, please email us.
Visit our Research Services page for more information.
Plan an Instruction Session
The Special Research Services user services team welcomes discussions with faculty about integrating primary sources from our collections into teaching and research activities.
Visit our Instruction Services page to learn more.
Search Our Collections
You can use these links to identify research materials:
- Library Catalog: This database includes records for books, journals, and archival collections located in the Special Research Collections at the University of Oklahoma Libraries.
- Digital Collections: This repository provides access to digitized archival collections and rare books. Please note that any collection available online is not available for in-person research.
You can also find these resources on the Search Special Research Collections page.
Notable Initiatives
New Digital Collections Platform
The University Libraries is beta testing a new digital repository platform. The purpose of the University of Oklahoma Libraries' digital collections is to provide free online public access to high-resolution digital images of OU Libraries Special Research Collections materials to enhance scholarship, teaching, and community engagement. We invite you to explore the new beta site and share your feedback to help us improve.
FAQ
The Gaylord Room is currently closed to the public. The curatorial team offers occasional tours of the Bizzell Bible Collection. Contact us for more information about these tours.
We do not accept walk-in tours, but we do provide the display in Murphy Hall that highlights items from each of our collecting areas.
Researchers are advised to make appointments and to check the catalog for materials prior to a visit to ensure that materials are ready for viewing during their visit. The Bizzell Bible Collection is housed on site and can be viewed within the same day, except for a few items that may be out for conservation or catalog work. It may take time (15 or more minutes) for a request to be fulfilled.