AN interesting quotation is writ large on the walls of the Oxford Spires Academy in East Oxford to inspire its students.

It reads: “When I got my library card, that’s when my life began” – the words of American author and civil rights activist Rita Mae Brown.

Interesting because Oxfordshire County Council is one of the academy sponsors. The same county council that is proposing to shut almost half of Oxfordshire’s libraries.

The Oxfordshire Youth Awards boasted a very special guest at its awards gala last month: BBC Radio Two treasure Ken Bruce.

The pop master, who lives in Oxfordshire, was there to present the arts award.

But the presence of radio royalty was lost on a fellow guest of honour.

Oxford Lord Mayor John Goddard did not recognise Mr Bruce, or his rich Scottish tones.

Apparently the Wolvercote councillor is not a regular listener of Radio Two.

The Insider has him pegged as a Kiss FM man.

IN a struggling economy, big business is glad of any endorsement. But The Insider is not sure how Mini will react to the devotion shown by one German.

Andreas Mueller, 39, is such a huge fan of the Oxford-built Mini Cooper that when his local radio station offered one to the listener who performed the craziest stunt, he put his thinking cap on.

Then he took it off – along with other items of clothing, revealing he had the word ‘MINI’ tattooed on a sensitive area of his body, certainly one where you would not want the legend ‘MINI’ inscribed.

And, yes, he did win the car.

At least he wasn’t a fan of the 1970s classic the Dodge Swinger.

Oxford’s latest library campaigner, the award-winning author Mark Haddon revealed a self-confessed “puerile” sense of humour this week.

The writer’s latest book, Boom!, has been translated into several languages, but Mr Haddon was particularly tickled by the Hungarian edition, where the title translates as 'Bumm!'

He blogged: “I love this for puerile reasons, obviously. But for aesthetic reasons, too.”