Online resources

information at your fingertips
information at your fingertips

Suffer from information overload? Want to verify information and be confident it’s accurate?

Check out 100s of online reference books, encyclopaedias and articles free. All the resources below marked 'Universal' can be accessed from any computer with an internet connection from home. Just enter your Library Membership Number with no spaces (including LDP) at the library sign in/ log in page. Not a member?  join the library.  

Access these online resources from home, work or the library

Online resource

What it does

Access

COBRA

Complete Business Reference Advisor

Universal

Encyclopaedia Britannica

World-renowned content with many enhanced features unique to the online edition e.g. video clips

Universal

Britannica Student     

As above for 12-18s

Universal

Britannica Junior

As above for 5-11s

Universal

Business and Company ASAP Providing access to a wide range of business and management journals, providing in-depth research on companies, products, markets, industries, and the economy. Universal
Custom UK Journals Gives access to a range of 50 journals and magazines, from Good Housekeeping to New Scientist, most are full text Universal

Grove Art Online   

Comprehensive and authoritative for all history of the visual arts research. Full text of 34 volume Dictionary of Art plus many image links.

Universal

Grove Music Online   

Definitive music reference source. Full text of New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, N.G.D. of Opera, and N.G.D. of Jazz. Regular updates and audio musical examples.

Universal

KnowUK  

Over 100 reference publications - includes NewsUK and is cross searchable

Universal

Naxos Music Library A collection of music available for online listening. It contains the complete Naxos and Marco Polo catalogues, plus selections from other labels. 170,000 plus tracks - mainly classical music but also includes jazz, world, folk and Chinese music. Universal

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography   

50,000 specially written illustrated biographies of those who shaped all aspects of Britain's past, from the fourth century BC to the year 2000. Free online news magazine

Universal

Oxford English Dictionary

The definitive English language reference dictionary

Universal

Oxford Reference Online premium collection

Unparalleled collection of 200+ reference books covers everything from accountancy to zoology.

Universal

Who's Who and Who was Who

Who’s Who: the essential directory of noteworthy and influential people from all walks of life, in the UK and worldwide, and Who Was Who: over 100,000 entries from the archives of Who’s Who dating back to 1898: the definitive roll-call of the last 150 years of British history.

Universal

These are available at Central library and some community libraries

Online resource

What it does

Access

Ancestry.com

Billions of records for family history research

All

Art index

Index to articles on Art and related topics

Central

Art sales Index

Find out the value of fine art

Central

CANS Citizens advice notes

Online UK legal publication that provides low-cost, accurate and up-to-date legal information.

Central

Design and Applied Art Index

Index to articles from 450 international craft and design journals since 1973 and includes data on over 50,000 designers, craftspeople, studios, workshops and companies.

Central

Global bookbank

2 million English language titles worldwide.

HQ

Global writer

Type in over 100 different languages.

Various

MPA Catalogue of printed Music

Internet

Central

Origins network

Family History research resource featuring comprehensive and exclusive British and Irish record collections dating back to the 13thC, as well as rare and unique photos and books.

Central

SearchRED 

Information on music recordings, DVDs

Central

Specialistinfo.com  

UK Consultants and GPs.

Central

SYBWorld

Global affairs /state of the world information for 192 countries - government, politics, geography, history, economics, social policy and culture

Central

Times digital archive

200 years of Times newspaper

Central

Trustfunding

Find grants

Various

Which? Extra online

 Up-to-the-minute consumer buying guides (see pdf on the right hand side of this page)

Various

 


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