Oxford Students put Bodleian Libray and books on eBay UK over debt protest
Published May 31st, 2006
Cheeky students put Oxford University’s Bodleian library and its entire stock of books up for sale on Internet auction website eBay in a protest over debt.
The historic building and its contents have a reserve price of £189m the estimated student debt incurred by Oxford’s 11,000 undergraduates.
Bids were up to £10m by yesterday afternoon before eBay took the auction off its site.
Student union president Emma Norris, who organised the stunt with rent campaign co-ordinater Martin McCluskey, said rents at the university halls had increased by more than 30 per cent in the past five years.
Mr McCluskey said: “College officials seem intent on putting an unreasonable price on our education by charging us ridiculous amounts for rent. By putting the Bodleian up for sale, we hope to meet this absurd price.”
A university spokesman said the Bodleian library was “not theirs to sell”.
Related Articles C S Lewis Narnia Books Raise £34,000 for Oxford ChurchWinchester students barred from using eBayStudents auction raises £300 for Children’s Hospice Association ScotlandComplete Set of Signed Harry Potter Books for Charity AuctionOxford undergraduate auctions dignity
