Britain – Page 10 – Library Blogs Migration

On trial: primary source databases

I’m happy to let you know that Adam Matthew Digital are very kindly giving us trial access to 7 of their fabulous primary source databases. This gives you a unique opportunity to access some extensive digitised primary source collections that between them cover the 16th to the 21st century.

So if you’re interested in the history of the book or history of publishing, theatre history, socialism in the 20th century, Japan in the 20th century, social and cultural history, 17th to 19th century poetry, Shakespeare, Wordsworth, etc., there may be something here for you.

Left: Advertisement for the New Music of Country Dance executed by several celebrated horses at the Olympic Pavilion (1807) from Eighteenth Century Drama. Right: Architectural plan for Oxford University Press, Amen Corner (1913) from Literary Print Culture.

All the databases can be accessed via the E-resources trials page.
Access is available on and off-campus.

Trial access to all the Adam Matthew Digital databases ends 20th November 2017.

I’ve already highlighted Socialism on Film and Foreign Office Files for Japan in previous blog posts so this post will round up the further 5 databases available to us for the trial period. Continue reading “On trial: primary source databases”

Oct 26, 2017

On trial: Foreign Office Files for Japan

Are you interested in Japanese history in the twentieth century? Do you want to know more about Anglo-Japanese ties in the first half of the twentieth century?

The Library currently has trial access to Foreign Office Files for Japan, 1919-1952 from Adam Matthew Digital. This database makes available extensive coverage of British Foreign Office files dealing with Japan between 1919 and 1952.

You can access the database via the E-resources trials page.
Access is available both on and off-campus.

Trial access ends 20th November 2017. Continue reading “On trial: Foreign Office Files for Japan”

Oct 25, 2017

On trial: Illustrated London News 1842-2003

*The Library has now purchased access to this resource. See New to the Library: Illustrated London News Historical Archive*

Thanks to a request from a member of staff in HCA the Library currently has trial access to the Illustrated London News Historical Archive, 1842-2003. Illustrated London News was the world’s first pictorial weekly newspaper and this archive gives access to the full run of this iconic illustrated newspaper.

You can access this online archive via the E-resources trials page. Access is available both on and off-campus.

Trial access ends 31st October 2017.

The first issue of Illustrated London News was published on Saturday 14 May 1842 and as the world’s first fully illustrated weekly newspaper, it marked a revolution in journalism and news reporting. Continue reading “On trial: Illustrated London News 1842-2003”

Sep 29, 2017

On trial: State Papers Online: Eighteenth Century

Following a request from a student in HCA I’m pleased to let you know that the Library currently has trial access to State Papers Online: Eighteenth Century, 1714-1782, Part II: State Papers Foreign: Low Countries and Germany from Gale Cengage.This contains the papers written or received by the secretaries of state in the course of British diplomacy in the Low Countries and Germany through the 18th century.

You can access this resource at State Papers Online: Eighteenth Century, 1714-1782. Access is available on-campus. Off-campus access is only available if using the VPN.

Trial access ends 6th October 2017.
Continue reading “On trial: State Papers Online: Eighteenth Century”

Sep 12, 2017

Archives abound in Archives Unbound

Exciting major online primary source database now available at the Library.

I’m really pleased to let you know that the Library has got a 1-year subscription to the fantastic primary source database Archives Unbound from Gale Cengage. Archives Unbound currently has 265 collections of primary source material, with new collections added every year. It is a huge database and covers a wide range of subject areas and time periods.

You can access Archives Unbound from the Databases A-Z list and appropriate Database by Subject lists. The Library has already previously purchased permanent access to 9 collections from Archives Unbound and you can find out more about these at Spotlight on Archives Unbound.

What is Archives Unbound?

Archives Unbound presents topically-focused digital collections of historical documents that support the research and study needs of students and academics. Collections cover a broad range of topics from the Middle Ages forward-from Witchcraft to the Second World War to 20th century political history and the collections are chosen for Archives Unbound based on requests from scholars, archivists, and students.

In Archives Unbound you can search through all 265 collections at one time or you can choose to search/browse individual collections or groups of collections.

What’s in Archives Unbound?

Continue reading “Archives abound in Archives Unbound”

Aug 23, 2017

New to the Library: British Library Newspapers, Part V

I’m really pleased to let you know that the Library has purchased access to the final part of Gale Cengage’s British Library Newspapers collection (Part V). This means the Library now has access to the full British Library Newspapers, Parts I-V.

You can access British Library Newspapers via the Databases A-Z list or Newspapers databases list.

British Library Newspapers, Part V: 1746-1950, has a concentration of titles from the northern part of the United Kingdom with 36 individual titles included. This doubles coverage in Scotland, triples coverage in the Midlands, and adds a significant number of Northern titles to the British Library Newspapers collections. Continue reading “New to the Library: British Library Newspapers, Part V”

Jul 10, 2017

Do we have access to the British Newspaper Archive?

A question I get asked quite a lot is if we have access at the Library to the British Newspaper Archive. And it is the sort of question that I would usually be able to give a yes or no answer to but in the case of the British Newspaper Archive it isn’t quite as simple.

In fact the answer I would normally give is either “Yes, BUT…” or “No, BUT…”and I’ll try to explain why.

“Drawers” (https://flic.kr/p/gaUXpW) by Luke McKernan (https://flic.kr/ps/vNbEP) is licensed under CC BY 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/).

Continue reading “Do we have access to the British Newspaper Archive?”

Apr 21, 2017

Spotlight on film and moving images

This is part of an occasional series highlighting some of the online resources available at the Library that will be of interest to students and staff in History, Classics and Archaeology.

While previous posts in this series have looked at groups of online primary source collections, in this post I wanted to highlight resources that give you access to film and moving images, including films, documentaries, TV programmes, public information films, archival film footage, cinema newsreels, advertising, home movies, etc.

Film provides a fascinating insight into the past through documentary, archival and amateur film footage and a deliberately constructed historical world through feature films. However, using film as ‘historical evidence’ is far from straightforward; specific skills are required to understand the complexities of the visual medium, its relationship to the society from which it emerges, the industry which created it and those who consumed it. Despite these obstacles, film is a crucial means for understanding the recent past.¹

Academic Video Online

Continue reading “Spotlight on film and moving images”

Mar 23, 2017

Listen very carefully!

I’m happy to let you know that thanks to an agreement with JISC the Library has been given extended trial access to the primary source database BBC Listener Research Department, 1937-c.1950 from British Online Archives.

You can access the database via the E-resources trials page (listed as British Online Archive – BBC Listener Research Department, 1937-c.1950).
For off-campus access you will need to use the VPN.

Trial access ends 31st December 2017.

Founded in 1936 the BBC’s pioneering Listener Research Department (LRD) examined wireless listening in Britain nationwide and at a regional level. This database reproduces the entire available collection of weekly Audience Summaries, together with the weekly then daily Listening Barometers. Also included are the Audience Reaction Reports on specific programmes and Special Reports on particular themes or issues for the period, as well as some key policy documents produced by the LRD during these years, tracing the early development of what has come to be known as market research within the BBC. Continue reading “Listen very carefully!”

Mar 10, 2017

Trial access: East India Company

I’m very pleased to let you know that the Library has been given trial access to the brand new primary source database East India Company from Adam Matthew. This unique digital resource allows students and researchers to access a vast and remarkable collection of primary source documents from the India Office Records held by the British Library, the single most important archive for the study of the East India Company.

You can access the database via the E-resources trials page. Access is available both on and off-campus.

Trial access ends 5th April 2017.

From 16th-century origins as a trading venture to the East Indies, through to its rise as the world’s most powerful company and de facto ruler of India, to its demise amid allegations of greed and corruption, the East India Company was an extraordinary force in global history for three centuries. Continue reading “Trial access: East India Company”

Mar 9, 2017

Tag: Britain