Welcome to your virtual reference library. You can search the online resources in the subject groups listed below. Some of them are only available
on the computers at the library, but some are available via the internet using
your library membership number.
General reference, dictionaries and encyclopaedia
Updated daily, the site includes over 38,500 current, draft and historic British
Standards, more than 16,000 of which are BSI adopted European and International
standards.
Access:
this sevice is only available in libraries, so a member of staff will have to log you in
Gazetteers Plus provides access to travel data including detailed country information such as health and visa requirements, independently researched resort and accommodation reviews and 'who goes where' guides of UK tour operators.
Access: this sevice is only available in libraries, so a member of staff will have to log you in.
The ODNB provides access to 55,000 biographies of people who shaped the history of the British Isles and beyond, from the earliest times to the year 2002. No living person is included: the Dictionary's articles are confined to people who died before 31 December 2000. It covers people who were born and lived in the British Isles, people from the British Isles who achieved recognition in other countries, people who lived in territories formerly connected to the British Isles at a time when they were in contact with British rule, and people born elsewhere who settled in the British Isles for significant periods or whose visits enabled them to leave a mark on British life.
Access: enter your library membership number to access this resource.
The Oxford English Dictionary is widely acknowledged to be the most authoritative and comprehensive dictionary of English in the world. It also traces the evolution of more than 600,000 words over the last 1,500 years through 2.5 million quotations from a wide range of sources – from classic literature and periodicals to film scripts and pop songs.
Access: enter your library membership number (with the first 3 letters in CAPITALS) to access this resource.
Oxford Reference Online brings together language and subject reference works from one of the world's biggest reference publishers. It is a fully-indexed, cross-searchable database of over 100 dictionary, language reference, and subject reference works published by Oxford University Press, plus detailed information across a broad subject range from titles in the world-renowned Oxford Companions Series
Access: enter your library membership number to access this resource.
Which? magazine's website provides access
to reports, buying guides and Which? magazine's recent research.
Access: this subscription service is only available in the library, so a
member of staff will need to log you in
Credo Reference is a giant online reference library that provides access to a selection
of reference books, including encyclopaedia, dictionaries, thesauri and books
on quotations, biographical information, art, literature and law. Search by keyword
across all books, search by category or search a single volume.
Access: enter your library membership number to access this resource.
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Arts & humanities
Grove Art Online contains the full text of The Dictionary of Art and The Oxford Companion to Western Art. Since its launch in 1998, Grove Art Online has added over 700 new articles and over 5,500 updated articles. This resource also offers over 1500 colour images and line drawings, links to the Art Resource searchable image database and links to over 40,000 images on museum and gallery websites.
Access: enter your library membership number to access this resource.
Grove Music Online was first launched in January 2001. It contains over 47,000 articles from The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, The New Grove Dictionary of Opera, and The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz. You can listen to musical samples, but you will need to download plugins in order to do so. For more information on this please go to the guided tour once you are logged in. You will need to enter your library membership number to access this resource.
Access: enter your library membership number to access this resource
Credo Reference is a giant online reference library that provides access to a selection
of reference books, including encyclopaedia, dictionaries, thesauri and books
on quotations, biographical information, art, literature and law. Search by keyword
across all books, search by category or search a single volume. You will need
to enter your library membership number to access these resources.
Access: enter your library membership number to access this resource.
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Business information
Marketline Business Information Centre (MBIC) provides business information and includes 2500 market reports, 10000 company profiles and 700 SWOT analyses, covering over 50 countries. Company information includes an overview and business description, history, major products and services, key employees, locations, subsidiaries and top competitors. The information covers a range of subjects and is also linked to the latest newswires supported by comments and opinions from a team of in-house analysts. Available in Brighton Library only.
Access: available in Brighton Library only - use the link above to go straight in.
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Careers
Online access to careers information. There are 530 leaflets covering
over 1200 jobs, careers and lifestyle topics to provide the most current information
available. All leaflets are thoroughly researched and revised annually by subject
experts. Available in Brighton Library and Hove Library.
This service is only available in the library, so a member of staff will need
to log you in.
Access: this subscription service is only available in the library, so a
member of staff will need to log you in.
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Genealogy
Ancestry.com is the largest family history site online with over 4 billion names in worldwide historical records, family tree services and genealogy.
Access: this subscription is only available in the library, click the link above to access.
Grants and funding
GRANTfinder is a funding database carrying details of over 4,000 UK and EU grants, loans, venture capital and advisory programmes. The information is constantly growing and continuously updated. Organisations benefiting from GRANTfinder’s services include: local authorities, universities, housing associations, the health sector, business support agencies, leading accountancy firms, national charities, and blue chip companies. Available in Brighton Library and Hove Library.
This is a self-service resource, but helpsheets are available from staff.
Access: this subscription service is only available in the library, so a
member of staff will need to log you in.
Newspapers & periodicals
Online access to the Argus for the last 3 days.
Access: this subscription service is only available in the library, so a
member of staff will need to log you in.
Full-text content of local and regional newspapers, some covering 1998 onwards.
Access: enter your library membership number to access this resource.
Search the Times newspaper online in its original published context.
This is a digital version of the microfilm of every issue of The Times (London)
from 1785 to 1985.
Access: enter your library membership number to access this resource, but please use capitals for the letters, eg BHA not bha.
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Disabilities information
The Council for the Advancement of Communication with Deaf People (CACDP) is a registered charity that is raising standards of communication between deaf and hearing people.
CACDP online directory lists BSL/English interpreters and other registered Language Service Professionals (LSP) services. The directory provides detials of those who are qualified and registered to provide particular interpreting or other communication services, how to contact those who are available for booking and how to use them effectively.
Access:
this subscription service is only available in the library, so a
member of staff will need to log you in.
