LibGuides: History Subject Guide: Online library support

Library Essentials @ Exeter

Your Librarian at Exeter

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Subjects: Archaeology, Art History and Visual Culture, Communications, Drama, Engineering, Film Studies, History, Modern Languages and Cultures

Your History Librarian at Penryn

Rachel Browning

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Subjects: English, History, Law, Politics and International Relations

Penryn Library Essentials

Email : library@fxplus.ac.uk

Phone : +44 (0) 1326 370441

History Dissertation workbook

History UG Dissertation workbook

Where to start your search

The Library Search services will help you discover books, journals, articles, audio visual material and more on your chosen topic. This is a good place to start when you are beginning to research a topic as you can draw on content from a variety of different sources.

Library Search

Search for print and online books, journals, articles + more. Library Search LibGuide available for guidance.

Penryn Library Search

Search the print and streaming media collections that you have access to at Penryn campus.

Key History Databases

These databases allow you to quickly search across the global literature and identify academic publications in your research field.

The collections below are multidisciplinary and extensive. They contain journal articles, books, research reports, conference proceedings and more.

One of the key benefits of using these databases is that every search searches across multiple sources. Another is that the sophisticated search functions enable you to carry out more in-depth and complex searches than Library Search.

ACLS Humanities E-Books This link opens in a new window Full text access to academic Humanities monographs, critical studies, annotated primary sources, and essays; ranging from the 1880s to the present. This collection is provided by the American Council of Learned Societies.
Bibliography of British and Irish History This link opens in a new window Index to book and journal literature to British and Irish history from the Roman period to the present day.
eHRAF World Cultures This link opens in a new window Ethnographic collection covering all aspects of cultural and social life. Document indexing includes books, dissertations, journal articles, monographs, essays, and some photo collections.
Historical Abstracts This link opens in a new window Index to scholarly literature across world history from the 15th century to present day.
Humanities Index This link opens in a new window Index to scholarly literature across the Humanities.
Humanities International Complete This link opens in a new window Index to scholarly literature in the Humanities from around the world.
International Medieval Bibliography This link opens in a new window Multidisciplinary bibliographic database of the European Middle Ages covering Europe, the Middle East and North Africa from 400-1500.
JSTOR This link opens in a new window Full text archive of back issues of journals and e-books in all subject areas.
Project Muse This link opens in a new window Full text versions of scholarly journals and books from many leading University presses and Scholarly Societies, covering the humanities and social sciences. Full text access is available for material subscribed to by UoE. Table of contents access is freely available for all non subscribed material.
SCOPUS This link opens in a new window An Index to scholarly literature across the life sciences, medicine, social sciences and humanities, supporting comprehensive literature searching.

Reference sources provide an overview of a topic area or period and often include key works, thinkers and scholars in your area of study.

Here are a selection of reference sources recommended for history students and researchers:

American National Biography Online This link opens in a new window Access to thousands of biographies of the individuals who have shaped American history. Intuitive search and browse options are available to facilitate searching by name, date, occupation and more.
Oxford Bibliographies Online This link opens in a new window Scholarly research guides on a variety of academic topics. Use it for short introductions and in depth bibliographies on relevant topics.
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography This link opens in a new window Online reference work for information about people who have helped shape British history, life and culture. The Dictionary offers concise, up-to-date biographies written by named, specialist authors.
Oxford Handbooks Online This link opens in a new window Full text access to the Oxford Handbooks in the Archaeology, Business and Management, Classical Studies, Criminology and Criminal Justice, Economics and Finance, History, Law, Literature, Philosophy, Political Science, Religion and Sociology collections.
Oxford Reference Online This link opens in a new window Online dictionaries, reference books and encyclopedia covering general reference, language and quotations and subject topics across, Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences, and Sciences.
Who's Who This link opens in a new window Online listings and biographical information on influential people across the world who have had an impact on British life, from 1997 to today.

Use the A-Z Database List to access the full list of databases the library subscribes to.

You can browse by subject e.g. History or by type (e.g.maps, news, images etc.) or search to find your required resources.

Explore the full A to Z Database list:

Early Modern Studies databases

The following databases will help you discover material related to Early Modern studies.

A more extensive list, which has been organised by location, time period and theme, can be found in the Primary Sources LibGuide.

You have access to further resources via the History subject list area in the A-Z Databases list.

Age of Exploration This link opens in a new window Explore five centuries (1420 - 1920) of journeys across the globe, scientific discoveries, the expansion of European colonialism, new trade routes, and conflict over territories. Featuring rare manuscript and early printed material, highly illustrated maps and documents, diaries and ships' logs from some of the most well-known voyages in history. Note: Scanned documents are in original language and have not been translated.
Area Studies: China and Southeast Asia This link opens in a new window A varied array of records of traders, travellers, missionaries and diplomats, from the mid-seventeenth century to the late twentieth century, offering Western perspectives on all aspects of Chinese culture and society.
British History Online This link opens in a new window A collection of printed primary and secondary sources from the medieval and early modern periods of British history. Subject coverage includes biographies, religious history, local and parliamentary histories and urban history.
Cecil Papers‎ This link opens in a new window The Cecil Papers is a major collection of early-modern historical documents from the reigns of Elizabethan I and James I/VI. More than 150,000 pages have been digitised in full colour to create a definitive online archive of almost 30,000 manuscript documents written by some of the most significant figures of Elizabethan and Jacobean history. These are accompanied by the complete Calendar of the Cecil Papers, featuring summaries and/or transcripts of many documents and two eighteenth-century volumes of selected transcriptions.
Early English Books Online (EEBO) This link opens in a new window Full text digital versions of nearly every work printed in England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales and British North America, spanning from 1473 to 1700, plus works in English printed elsewhere. The collection includes pamphlets, books, broadsheets, manuscripts and periodicals.
Early European Books: Collections1-4 This link opens in a new window Digitised images of most of the early printed books in Europe from before 1701. Content is in the original language.
East India Company This link opens in a new window Digitised primary source archive covering all aspects of British trade with, and government of, India from 1595 to 1947, under the East India Company itself and under the British Crown.
Eighteenth Century Collections Online This link opens in a new window Full text digital versions of over 180,000 works published during the 18th Century. The collection includes books, pamphlets, essays, broadsides and more, reflecting the social, cultural and literary history of the time.
Eighteenth Century Journals This link opens in a new window Bringing together rare journals printed between c.1685 and 1835, this resource illuminates all aspects of eighteenth-century social, political and literary life.
Empire Online This link opens in a new window Manuscripts, maps, essays, printed and visual historical sources on colonialism and Empire from the 16th to 20th Centuries.
Empire Studies This link opens in a new window This collection offers a rich array of sources for the study of the British Empire. It features material on British colonial policy and government; perspectives on life in British colonies. Content dates from the mid 18th to mid 20th centuries.
English Short Title Catalogue This link opens in a new window Provides bibliographic records for all known British printed material before 1801. Useful for researching printed works from the early modern period of British history.
Historical Abstracts This link opens in a new window Index to scholarly literature across world history from the 15th century to present day.
Historical Texts This link opens in a new window Search across a number of historic book collections in one go. Comprising of Early English Books Online (EEBO), Eighteenth Century Collections Online (ECCO), the UK medical Heritage Library and 65,000 texts from the British Library 19th Century collection.
Iter Bibliography This link opens in a new window Bibliography comprised of secondary source material pertaining to the Middle Ages and Renaissance (400-1700).
Jewish Life in America, c1654-1954 This link opens in a new window Jewish Life in America will enable you to explore the history of Jewish communities in America from the 17th century right through to the mid-20th century. The collection brings to life the communal and social aspects of Jewish identity, culture and Jewish involvement in the political life of American society.
Literary Print Culture This link opens in a new window The archive of the Stationers Company with records dating from 1554 to the 20th century relating to the history of printing, publishing, the book trade and the development of copyright.
Medieval and Early Modern Studies This link opens in a new window The collection covers a range of subject over the time period including sources on the Black Death to the Restoration of the English monarchy and the Glorious Revolution.
Perdita Manuscripts This link opens in a new window The Perdita Project was set up to find and digitise early modern women authors who were lost because their writing existed only in manuscript form. The digitised manuscripts in this collection were written or compiled by women in the British Isles during the 16th and 17th centuries. Content includes accounts and receipt books, diaries, biographies, prose, poetry, psalms, travel writing, historical writing and more.
State Papers Online This link opens in a new window Digitised manuscripts of British government papers from 1509 to 1782. Content includes correspondence, reports, memoranda, and parliamentary drafts. Parts I-IV Early Modern and Parts I-IV 18th Century available: Parts I & II: The Tudors, 1509-1603 Henry VIII-Elizabeth I . Parts III & IV: The Stuarts and Commonwealth, James I - Anne I, 1603-1714 . C18 Parts I-IV: 1714-1782, papers domestic and foreign Stuart and Cumberland papers from the Royal Archives
Enhanced access: Parts I-IV Early Modern, Parts I-IV 18th Century, Stuart and Cumberland papers now available.
Virginia Company Archives This link opens in a new window This resource documents the founding and economic development of Virginia as seen through the papers of the Virginia Company of London, 1606-1624. It provides a rich source for the study of trade between Britain and America.
Witchcraft in Europe and America This link opens in a new window Writings on the subject of witchcraft dating from the 15th to the early 20th century, sourced from the Cornell University Library. Rare and fragile manuscripts containing eyewitness accounts and court records of the trials of witches, including depositions obtained under torture.

Imperial and global history databases

The following databases will help you discover material related to the subject of Imperial and global history.

A more extensive list, which has been organised by location, time period and theme, can be found in the Primary Sources LibGuide.

You have access to further resources via the History subject list area in the A-Z Databases list.

African American Communities This link opens in a new window From communal struggle to creative outpourings: uncover the everyday lives of African Americans spanning two turbulent centuries (Early 19th to early 21st century).
African American Newspapers 1827-1998 This link opens in a new window 270 searchable newspapers drawn from over 35 US states. A unique record of African American history, culture and daily life.
Age of Exploration This link opens in a new window Explore five centuries (1420 - 1920) of journeys across the globe, scientific discoveries, the expansion of European colonialism, new trade routes, and conflict over territories. Featuring rare manuscript and early printed material, highly illustrated maps and documents, diaries and ships' logs from some of the most well-known voyages in history. Note: Scanned documents are in original language and have not been translated.
Aluka: Struggles for Freedom: Southern Africa This link opens in a new window An archive of objects, documents and images relating to 20th Century Southern Africa’s fight for independence. Materials include periodicals, pamphlets, speeches, interviews, personal papers, letters and official documents from this time with an emphasis on Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.
America in Records from Colonial Missionaries, 1635-1928 This link opens in a new window Records from the United Society Partners in Gospel missionary organisation, providing an insight into British missionary changing attitudes towards the American and Canadian Colonies over 300 years.
American Indian Histories and Cultures This link opens in a new window Explore manuscripts, artwork and rare printed books dating from the earliest contact with European settlers (early 16th century) and photographs and newspapers right up to the end of the 20th century.
American Slave Trade Records and Other Papers of the Tarleton Family, 1678-1838 This link opens in a new window Papers from a prominent slave-trading and slave-owning Liverpool merchant family with business interests in Britain and the West Indies. Documents date from the late 17th to early 19th centuries.
American West This link opens in a new window Explore the fact and the fiction of westward expansion in America from the early eighteenth to the mid-twentieth century. Browse printed books, journals, historic maps, broadsides, periodicals, advertisements, photographs, artwork and more.
Antigua, Slavery and Emancipation in the Records of a Sugar Plantation This link opens in a new window Records of the Tudway family’s Antiguan sugar plantation during the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. Documents span the period from the early slave trade to the post-slavery economy.
Apartheid South Africa, 1948-1980 This link opens in a new window This is an essential resource for the study of the apartheid era in Southern Africa, sourced exclusively from The National Archives UK. It provides unparalleled analysis of South African politics, trade relations, international opinion and humanitarian dilemmas.
Area Studies: China and Southeast Asia This link opens in a new window A varied array of records of traders, travellers, missionaries and diplomats, from the mid-seventeenth century to the late twentieth century, offering Western perspectives on all aspects of Chinese culture and society.
Area Studies: India This link opens in a new window A vital resource for the study of the British Indian Empire and the history, culture and literature of the Indian subcontinent from 1712 to 1942.
Area Studies: Japan This link opens in a new window A wide range of sources, by writers, diplomats, tourists, businessmen, missionaries and others, documenting the political, cultural and social history of Japan from 1400 to the 20th century.
Canada in Records from Colonial Missionaries, 1722-1952 This link opens in a new window Records, letters, charters and reports from the Canadian branch of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts (SPG), an Anglican missionary organisation.
Caribbean Newspapers This link opens in a new window 1718-1876. Over 140 searchable historical newspapers from 22 Caribbean islands. Offers insight into nearly two centuries of colonial history, the Atlantic slave trade, New World slavery and more. English, Spanish, French and Danish language titles are available.
China, America and the Pacific - Trade and Cultural Exchange This link opens in a new window Exploring the cultural and trading relationships that emerged between America, China and the Pacific region from the early 18th to 20th centuries. The collections includes manuscripts, rare printed texts, visual images, objects and maps.
Civil War Era This link opens in a new window Almost 2000 U.S. pamphlets and 8 newspapers from 1840-1865 covering a vast range of topics including the formative economic factors and other forces that led to the abolitionist movement, the 600,000 battle casualties and the emancipation of nearly 4 million slaves.
Colonial Africa in official statistics, 1821-1953 This link opens in a new window Statistics covering the history of thirteen colonies across Africa. The statistics captured how the British Empire was performing as a business.
Colonial America This link opens in a new window Colonial America makes available around 1,400 volumes from The National Archives, UK, covering the period 1606 to 1822. This consists of the original correspondence between the British government and the governments of the American colonies.
Colonial Law in Africa 1808-1919 This link opens in a new window Originally known as the 'Government Gazettes', these resources contain the colonial laws for the year they were published. The legal records also include property for sale, probate records and bankruptcy notices. This is the first part of the three part series 'Colonial Law in Africa'. This resource covers the Napoleonic Wars, the Boer War and the First World War. It also covers the abolition of the legal status of slavery. These gazettes were published alongside the African Blue Books of Statistics during the 19th and 20th centuries.
Colonial Missionaries Papers from America and the West Indies, 1701-1870 This link opens in a new window Letters, proceedings, journals and reports from the Anglian missionary organisation United Society Partners in Gospel, formerly the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts (SPG) covering 18th to early 20th century. The collection provides insight into the relationship between colonisers and the colonised.
Colonial State Papers‎ This link opens in a new window The Colonial State Papers offers access to over 7,000 hand-written documents and more than 40,000 bibliographic records with this incredible resource on Colonial History. In addition to Britain's colonial relations with the Americas and other European rivals for power, this collection also covers the Caribbean and Atlantic world. It is an invaluable resource for scholars of early American history, British colonial history, Caribbean history, maritime history, Atlantic trade, plantations, and slavery.
East India Company This link opens in a new window Digitised primary source archive covering all aspects of British trade with, and government of, India from 1595 to 1947, under the East India Company itself and under the British Crown.
Empire Online This link opens in a new window Manuscripts, maps, essays, printed and visual historical sources on colonialism and Empire from the 16th to 20th Centuries.
Empire Studies This link opens in a new window This collection offers a rich array of sources for the study of the British Empire. It features material on British colonial policy and government; perspectives on life in British colonies. Content dates from the mid 18th to mid 20th centuries.
Ghana in Records from colonial missionaries, 1886-1951 This link opens in a new window A collection of six volumes of records highlighting the role and influence of colonial missionaries in Ghanaian society between 1886-1951. Records include letters sent and received, missionary reports and additional correspondence.
India Raj and Empire This link opens in a new window Explore the history of South Asia between the foundation of the East India Company in 1615 and the granting of independence to India and Pakistan in 1947.
Migration to New Worlds This link opens in a new window Full text access to a wide range of primary source material focused on migration to the New Worlds.
Missionary Studies This link opens in a new window These primary sources are a resource for the study of missionary work, educational work, medical work, evangelism, political conflict, and the emergence of indigenous churches.
Race Relations in America This link opens in a new window Documenting three pivotal decades in the fight for civil rights, this resource showcases the speeches, reports, surveys and analyses produced by the Departments staff and Institute participants, including Charles S. Johnson, Dr Martin Luther King, Jr., and Thurgood Marshall.
Slavery, Abolition & Social Justice This link opens in a new window Bringing together documents from archives and libraries across the Atlantic world, spanning from 1490 to 2007, this resource allows to explore and compare unique material relating to the complex subjects of slavery, abolition and social justice. Includes original manuscripts, pamphlets, books, paintings and maps.
Slavery Through Time: from Enslavers to Abolitionists, 1675-1865 This link opens in a new window This collection contains a wide range of documents concerning the African slave trade during the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. The papers focus primarily on Jamaica and the West Indies, but also cover the experience of other nations and regions.
Slavery in America and the World: History, Culture & Law via HeinOnline This link opens in a new window Historical legal materials on slavery in the United States and the English-speaking world. Includes statute, case law, commentary and analysis on slavery issues.
Travel Writing, Spectacle and World History This link opens in a new window Hundreds of accounts by women of their travels across the globe from the early nineteenth century to the late twentieth century. Includes unique manuscripts, diaries and correspondence to drawings, guidebooks and photographs. The resource also includes a gallery with hundreds of items of visual material, including postcards, sketches and photographs.
Virginia Company Archives This link opens in a new window This resource documents the founding and economic development of Virginia as seen through the papers of the Virginia Company of London, 1606-1624. It provides a rich source for the study of trade between Britain and America.
Women in The National Archives This link opens in a new window This collection consists of two distinct elements: A finding aid to women's studies resources in The National Archives. Original documents on the suffrage question in Britain, the Empire and colonial territories.

Maritime Historical Studies Databases

The following databases will help you discover material related to Martime Historical studies.

A more extensive list, which has been organised by location, time period and theme, can be found in the Primary Sources LibGuide.

You have access to further resources via the History subject list area in the A-Z Databases list.

Age of Exploration This link opens in a new window Explore five centuries (1420 - 1920) of journeys across the globe, scientific discoveries, the expansion of European colonialism, new trade routes, and conflict over territories. Featuring rare manuscript and early printed material, highly illustrated maps and documents, diaries and ships' logs from some of the most well-known voyages in history. Note: Scanned documents are in original language and have not been translated.
Colonial State Papers‎ This link opens in a new window The Colonial State Papers offers access to over 7,000 hand-written documents and more than 40,000 bibliographic records with this incredible resource on Colonial History. In addition to Britain's colonial relations with the Americas and other European rivals for power, this collection also covers the Caribbean and Atlantic world. It is an invaluable resource for scholars of early American history, British colonial history, Caribbean history, maritime history, Atlantic trade, plantations, and slavery.
Global Commodities : trade, exploration and cultural exchange This link opens in a new window Full text access to primary sources documenting the trade of global commodities around the world from c1500 onwards.
Grand Tour This link opens in a new window Taking the phenomenon of the Grand Tour as a starting point, this resource explores the relationship between Britain and Europe from c.1550 to 1850, exploring the Anglo-European response to continental travel for pleasure, business and diplomacy.
History of International Law via HeinOnline This link opens in a new window Full text titles dating back to 1690 on international law. Subjects include: war & peace, Nuremberg Trials, law of the sea, international arbitration, Hague conferences and conventions.
Rasor Bibliography This link opens in a new window British naval and maritime history bibliography from 55 B.C. to present day.

War, State and Society databases

The following databases will help you discover material related to war, state and society.

A more extensive list, which has been organised by location, time period and theme, can be found in the Primary Sources LibGuide.

You have access to further resources via the History subject list area in the A-Z Databases list.

Age of Exploration This link opens in a new window Explore five centuries (1420 - 1920) of journeys across the globe, scientific discoveries, the expansion of European colonialism, new trade routes, and conflict over territories. Featuring rare manuscript and early printed material, highly illustrated maps and documents, diaries and ships' logs from some of the most well-known voyages in history. Note: Scanned documents are in original language and have not been translated.
America in World War Two : Oral Histories and Personal Accounts This link opens in a new window Uncover the stories of American military personnel and civilians during the Second World War through their oral histories, correspondence, diaries, photographs, artifacts, and military records.
American Indian Histories and Cultures This link opens in a new window Explore manuscripts, artwork and rare printed books dating from the earliest contact with European settlers (early 16th century) and photographs and newspapers right up to the end of the 20th century.
Atheism and Anti-War Sentiments in the Bradlaugh Family, 1833-1948 This link opens in a new window Full text papers (1833-1948) of Bradlaugh's parliamentary activities and personal life. Documents include his involvement with and views on : secularism & the National Secular Society, the National Reformer publication, Indian Home Rule, birth control, the Fenian Manifesto and Boer War protests. Some of his daughter's papers are also included (Hypatia Bradlaugh Bonner).
British Union of Fascists: newspapers and secret files, 1933-1951 This link opens in a new window These papers cover the growth of the British Union of Fascists and the impact of World War 2 upon them. The documents include both their official publications and the imprisonment of their leader Oswald Mosley. The pre-war fascist newspapers include Fascist week, The Blackshirt and The East London Pioneer. Action was published from February 1936 until June 1940, by which point a growing number of the BUF were interned. Sir Oswald and Lady Diane Mosley’s imprisonment caused much debate. These papers include government records of why they were arrested and Oswald Mosley’s time in prison. Other items include official intelligence reports upon both Mosleys.
Churchill Archive: a window on history This link opens in a new window Full text documents amassed by Winston S. Churchill throughout his lifetime, providing insights into his career and the wider social and political history of the time. Complementary commentary and pedagogical materials are also included.
Civil War Era This link opens in a new window Almost 2000 U.S. pamphlets and 8 newspapers from 1840-1865 covering a vast range of topics including the formative economic factors and other forces that led to the abolitionist movement, the 600,000 battle casualties and the emancipation of nearly 4 million slaves.
Economy and War in the Third Reich This link opens in a new window Official statistical source with detailed data on the German economic situation during the Third Reich up to and throughout World War II (1933-1944).
Establishing the Post-War International Order, 1944-1961 This link opens in a new window Collection of global governance, geopolitics, and international political economy documents from the early Cold War. Sources from the National Archives, United Nations, Marshall Plan, International Monetary, British Board of Trade, Cabinet Office, Foreign Office, Treasury and more are included.
First World War This link opens in a new window Comprehensive archive of primary and secondary source material relating to the First World War, containing the following collections: Personal experience, propaganda & recruitment, and visual perspectives & narratives.
Medical Services and Warfare This link opens in a new window Explore multiple perspectives on the history of injury, treatment and disease on the front line. Chart scientific advances through hospital records, medical reports and first-hand accounts, and discover how war shaped medical practice across the centuries.
Service Newspapers of World War Two This link opens in a new window This digital resource reveals the story of war as told by the newspapers that brought information, entertainment and camaraderie to the forces at home and overseas.
Socialism on Film: The Cold War and International Propaganda This link opens in a new window This collection of films from the communist world reveals war, history, current affairs, culture and society as seen through the socialist lens. It spans most of the twentieth century and covers the USSR, Vietnam, China, Korea, much of Eastern Europe, the GDR, Britain and Cuba.
Spanish Civil War Collection This link opens in a new window Rare pamphlets from Germany, Spain, Portugal, Latin America and the Philippines (1936-1939), providing insights on the opinions and philosophies of the insurgents, anarchists, socialists and communists at the time of the Spanish Civil War.
Testaments to the Holocaust This link opens in a new window Archive of the Wiener Library, containing primary source materials on the Holocaust and anti-Semitic activities of the German Nazi Party from 1889 -1965. Content includes eyewitness accounts, photographs and propaganda materials, bibliographies of major Nazi figures; and Wiener Library publications. 75% of the content is written in German.
Trench Journals and Unit Magazines of the First World War This link opens in a new window Digital archive of rare magazine by and for servicemen and women of all nations during the First World War.
Interwar Culture This link opens in a new window Interwar Culture showcases popular and lesser-known periodicals published during the interwar period (1919-1940) in Britain, the US, France and Australia. Articles cover culture, entertainment, fashion, home and family life, world current affairs, class, social and welfare issues.

Medical History databases

The following databases will help you discover material related to Medical History.

A more extensive list, which has been organised by location, time period and theme, can be found in the Primary Sources LibGuide.

You have access to further resources via the History subject list area in the A-Z Databases list.

Bibliography of British and Irish History This link opens in a new window Index to book and journal literature to British and Irish history from the Roman period to the present day. Tip: Use the Subject Tree in Advanced Search to find Medical History and Health related content
British Association for the Advancement of Science (Collections on the History of Science: 1830-1970) This link opens in a new window The BAAS collection documents the efforts of the British scientific community to establish science as a professional activity and make Britain into a globally competitive centre for science. This collection features content from the BAAS archives and connected UK university collections. Explore historical documents on astronomy, biology, technology, industrial design, chemistry, engineering, mathematics, agriculture, meteorology, physics, history of science and STEM. Content includes administrative records, correspondence, illustrations, manuscripts, photographs, prototypes, news clippings, personal papers, gray literature and government scientific research grants. The University of Exeter's Norman Lockyer collection is included in this database.
British Library Newspapers This link opens in a new window Full text UK and Irish national, regional and local newspapers from the mid 18th to the mid 20th century. Cross searchable with other newspaper archives via Gale NewsVault. We have access to the full collection (parts 1-6).
View more info about the collections
Disability in the Modern World: History of a Social Movement This link opens in a new window Focusing on the disabled community and its contributions to society, this collection includes primary sources, supporting materials, and archives, along with 125 hours of video. The archive can be searched or browsed by place, people, publisher, organisation and discipline.
Early English Books Online (EEBO) This link opens in a new window Full text digital versions of nearly every work printed in England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales and British North America, spanning from 1473 to 1700, plus works in English printed elsewhere. The collection includes pamphlets, books, broadsheets, manuscripts and periodicals.
Historical Texts This link opens in a new window Search across a number of historic book collections in one go. Comprising of Early English Books Online (EEBO), Eighteenth Century Collections Online (ECCO), the UK Medical Heritage Library and 65,000 texts from the British Library 19th Century collection.
In Response to the AIDS Crisis: Records of the National Commission on Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, 1983-1994 This link opens in a new window The U.S. National Commission on Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (NCAIDS) advised U.S. Congress and the president on the development of a national policy concerning the HIV epidemic. This collection includes briefing books, hearing and meeting transcripts, press clippings and the various reports created by the commission in their investigations into the AIDS epidemic and its impact on society.
Medical Services and Warfare This link opens in a new window Explore multiple perspectives on the history of injury, treatment and disease on the front line. Chart scientific advances through hospital records, medical reports and first-hand accounts, and discover how war shaped medical practice across the centuries.
Medieval and Early Modern Studies This link opens in a new window The collection covers a range of subject over the time period including sources on the Black Death to the Restoration of the English monarchy and the Glorious Revolution.
Missionary Studies This link opens in a new window These primary sources are a resource for the study of missionary work, educational work, medical work, evangelism, political conflict, and the emergence of indigenous churches.
Popular Medicine in America, 1800-1900 This link opens in a new window This collection showcases the development of 'popular' medicine in America during the 19th century, through an extensive range of material that was aimed at the general public rather than medical professionals. It includes printed sources, including rare books, pamphlets, trade cards, and ephemera.
Public Health: Global Origins of Modern Health Policy and Management, 1957-1995 This link opens in a new window Journal articles and reports covering modern Public Health policies during the second half of the 20th century, 1957-1995.
Sex & Sexuality This link opens in a new window Access to collections from prominent sex researchers and sexologists. Papers from Dr. John Money and Dr. Harry Benjamin document advances in areas such as diverse as biology, health and medicine, sociology, anthropology, and psychology, whilst collected research from Alice Withrow Field and James W. Edwards offer important investigations into criminology and global attitudes towards sex. Covering early nineteenth century to the early twenty-first century.

Medieval Studies databases

The following databases will help you discover material related to Medieval studies.

A more extensive list, which has been organised by location, time period and theme, can be found in the Primary Sources LibGuide.

You have access to further resources via the History subject list area in the A-Z Databases list.

Age of Exploration This link opens in a new window Explore five centuries (1420 - 1920) of journeys across the globe, scientific discoveries, the expansion of European colonialism, new trade routes, and conflict over territories. Featuring rare manuscript and early printed material, highly illustrated maps and documents, diaries and ships' logs from some of the most well-known voyages in history. Note: Scanned documents are in original language and have not been translated.
Bloomsbury Medieval Studies This link opens in a new window High quality secondary sources (e-books), and visual and textual primary sources (including maps, manuscripts & incunabula, museum images and translated Medieval primary texts). The collection also offers a brand new reference work, and research and learning tools.
British Library Digitised Manuscripts This link opens in a new window A collection of digitised manuscripts and archives in the British Library’s collections.
Early English Books Online (EEBO) This link opens in a new window Full text digital versions of nearly every work printed in England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales and British North America, spanning from 1473 to 1700, plus works in English printed elsewhere. The collection includes pamphlets, books, broadsheets, manuscripts and periodicals.
Exeter Medieval Online This link opens in a new window Monographs, guides, collaborative studies, edited volumes, and translations of important texts - making available critical and contextual studies by leading scholars in the field.
Global Medieval Sourcebook This link opens in a new window A digital repository of Medieval texts developed by Stanford University. View medieval texts from around the world, dating from 600 to 1600, in their original language alongside new English language translations.
Iter Bibliography This link opens in a new window Bibliography comprised of secondary source material pertaining to the Middle Ages and Renaissance (400-1700).
Medieval and Early Modern Studies This link opens in a new window The collection covers a range of subject over the time period including sources on the Black Death to the Restoration of the English monarchy and the Glorious Revolution.
Medieval Family Life This link opens in a new window Primarily a collection of medieval letters from five prominent families (The Paston, Cely, Plumpton, Stonor and Armburgh Papers), but also including supporting material, such as wills, deeds, account books, etc., that help to round out the picture of life in a medieval family. Documents have been scanned and transcribed in the original language.
Medieval Travel Writing This link opens in a new window This collection presents manuscripts of some of the most important works of European travel writing from the later medieval period. The chief focus is on journeys to central Asia and the Far East. The collection also includes a number of important accounts of travels to or through the Holy Land.
Parker Library On the Web This link opens in a new window Digitised images of rare Medieval and Renaissance manuscripts and early printed books from the historic Parker Library collection at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge.

Gender & sexuality

The following databases will help you discover material related to the subject of Imperial and global history.

A more extensive list, which has been organised by location, time period and theme, can be found in the Primary Sources LibGuide.

You have access to further resources via the History subject list area in the A-Z Databases list.

Archives of Sexuality & Gender: LGBTQ History and Culture since 1940 This link opens in a new window Full text archive of material drawn from hundreds of institutions and organizations. The documents in this collection present important aspects of LGBTQ life in the second half of the twentieth century. The archive illuminates the experiences not just of the LGBTQ community as a whole, but of individuals of different races, ethnicities, ages, religions, political orientations, and geographical locations.
British and Irish Womens Letters and Diaries This link opens in a new window British and Irish Women's Letters and Diaries includes the immediate experiences of approximately 500 women, as revealed in over 90,000 pages of diaries and letters, spanning from the 1550s to the 1950s. The collection also includes biographies and an extensive annotated bibliography of the sources in the database.
Defining Gender This link opens in a new window UK primary source materials from 1450 to 1910 relating to the study of history, literature, sociology and education from a gendered perspective. Documents include ephemera, pamphlets & periodicals, education documents, books, personal writings, business records, government papers, ballads and literature.
Everyday Life & Women in America c.1800-1920 This link opens in a new window Unique primary source material for the study of American social, cultural, and popular history in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Gender: Identity and Social Change This link opens in a new window Primary sources from the 19th to 21st century documenting women's lived experiences of suffrage, gender roles, the feminist movement, the mens movement, employment, education, the body, the family, and government and politics.
Harper's Bazaar Archive This link opens in a new window Full colour magazine archive covering from 1867 - current. A chronicle of American, British, and international fashion, culture, and society, offering unique insights into the events, attitudes, and interests of the modern era.
Independent Voices This link opens in a new window Independent Voices is an open access digital collection of alternative press newspapers, magazines and journals. These materials were produced by feminists, dissident GIs, campus radicals, Native Americans, anti-war activists, Black Power advocates, Hispanics, LGBT activists, the extreme right-wing press and alternative literary magazines during the latter half of the 20th century.
LGBT Magazine Archive This link opens in a new window Archival runs of 26 of the most influential, longest-running serial publications covering LGBT interests. Includes the pre-eminent US and UK titles – The Advocate and Gay Times, respectively. Chronicles more than six decades of the history and culture of the LGBT community. In addition to LGBT/gender/sexuality studies, this material also serves related disciplines such as sociology, political science, psychology, health, and the arts. Some publications may contain explicit content.
LGBT Thought and Culture This link opens in a new window Books, periodicals, and archival materials documenting LGBT political, social and cultural movements throughout the twentieth century and into the present day.
Sex & Sexuality This link opens in a new window Access to collections from prominent sex researchers and sexologists. Papers from Dr. John Money and Dr. Harry Benjamin document advances in areas such as diverse as biology, health and medicine, sociology, anthropology, and psychology, whilst collected research from Alice Withrow Field and James W. Edwards offer important investigations into criminology and global attitudes towards sex. Covering early nineteenth century to the early twenty-first century.
Soviet Woman Digital Archive This link opens in a new window English language archive of the Russian magazine. Published by the Soviet Women’s Anti-Fascist Committee and the Central Council of Trade Unions of the USSR to counter anti-Soviet propaganda, and introduce Western audiences to the lifestyle, role and achievements of Soviet women. Publication spans from 1945 to 1991.
Vogue Archive This link opens in a new window Archive of the magazine American Vogue. Includes all editions from 1892 to the present. The collection provides an insight into US fashion, culture and society.
Women's Magazine Archive This link opens in a new window Archive of leading women’s interest consumer magazines from the late-19th century to 2005. Mainly US titles, but now expanded to include major UK titles as well. Subject coverage includes gender studies, social history, economics/marketing, media, fashion, politics, and popular culture. Collections I, II and III available.
Women in The National Archives This link opens in a new window This collection consists of two distinct elements: A finding aid to women's studies resources in The National Archives. Original documents on the suffrage question in Britain, the Empire and colonial territories.

South Asia databases

The following databases will help you discover material related to South Asia.

A more extensive list, which has been organised by location, time period and theme, can be found in the Primary Sources LibGuide.

You have access to further resources via the History subject list area in the A-Z Databases list.

Area Studies: China and Southeast Asia This link opens in a new window A varied array of records of traders, travellers, missionaries and diplomats, from the mid-seventeenth century to the late twentieth century, offering Western perspectives on all aspects of Chinese culture and society.
Area Studies: India This link opens in a new window A vital resource for the study of the British Indian Empire and the history, culture and literature of the Indian subcontinent from 1712 to 1942.
East India Company This link opens in a new window Digitised primary source archive covering all aspects of British trade with, and government of, India from 1595 to 1947, under the East India Company itself and under the British Crown.
Foreign Office Files for India, Pakistan and Afghanistan, 1947-1980 This link opens in a new window This collection of files from the Foreign Office (later the Foreign and Commonwealth Office) and Dominions Office focuses on the political and social history of India, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
India Raj and Empire This link opens in a new window Explore the history of South Asia between the foundation of the East India Company in 1615 and the granting of independence to India and Pakistan in 1947.
South Asia Archive This link opens in a new window Indian Sub-Continent archive covering the colonial and post-colonial periods of South Asia (18th Century to Mid 20th Century). Source materials include journals, maps, reports, and books,.
South Asian Newspapers This link opens in a new window Searchable 19th and 20th century newspapers from India, Parkistan and Sri Lanka. The newspapers are mostly English language titles with some Bengali and Gujarati content also available.
Foreign Office Files for South East Asia, 1963-1980 This link opens in a new window Extensive collection of Foreign Office Files exploring South East Asia between 1963 and 1980 in a time of conflict, growth and change. Organised into 2 parts: Cold War in the Pacific, Trade Relations and the Post-Independence Period, 1963-1966 Foundations of Economic Growth and Industrialisation, 1967-1980

Early English Books Online (EEBO) Full text digital versions of nearly every work printed in England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales and British North America, spanning from 1473 to 1700, plus works in English printed elsewhere. The collection includes pamphlets, books, broadsheets, manuscripts and periodicals.

EEBO is an excellent resource for primary research.

It contains full-texts of early printed books from the 16th and 17th centuries.

You can view the material as originally published, in order to appreciate the text in its original form and also examine similarities and differences between variant versions of the texts.

Comprehensive online help is available to help you make the most of the service.

Mass Observation was a pioneering social research organisation which encouraged British people to submit diary entries, reports, essays and photographs about their lives between 1937-1965.

Mass Observation Project 1981 -2009 relaunched the project, again recruiting volunteers to write about their lives and opinions.

The archives are available online and provide insight into the cultural and social history of Britain.

You can access the online archives using the links below:

Mass Observation Online (1937-1967) This link opens in a new window The papers of Mass Observation, a pioneering social research organisation. Provides insights into the cultural and social history of Britain from 1937 to 1967.
Mass Observation Project: 1981-2009 This link opens in a new window Documenting the social history of Britain by recruiting volunteers to write about their lives and opinions. This collection consists of the directives (questionnaires) sent out by Mass Observation in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s and the thousands of responses to them from the hundreds of Mass Observers. An important source of qualitative social data in the UK.

Box of Broadcasts This link opens in a new window An online service for off-air recording, media streaming and archiving of TV and radio programmes from all scheduled free to air broadcast channels. BoB provides a facility for recording, creating clips and playlists of programmes.

Box of Broadcasts (BoB) is an extensive archive of free-to-air TV programmes and radio shows

Search the archive to find programmes relating to your subject
Record programmes from over 65 free-to-air channels and add to the archive for others to view
Create your own clips and playlists

Statistics is the science of collecting, analysing and presenting numerical data.
Statistical data can be found on a huge variety of subjects, for example the economy, employment, the environment, government, health, international trade, manufacturing, and population.
They can be a vital source of information for your studies.

Find out more on the Statistics LibGuide.

Explore research materials available elsewhere

Library Hub Discover - Search the catalogues of over 100 major UK and Irish national, academic and specialist libraries to find books, journals and other materials
WorldCAT - Search the collections of over 10,000 worldwide libraries
The European Library - Access to the collections of the 48 National Libraries of Europe and leading European Research Libraries.
The Library of Congress - Catalogue records of the print and digital resources held in the Library of Congress collections (USA)
LibWeb - Find online library catalogues worldwide
CORE - Search the world's largest collection of open access research papers

Primary Sources

The University has access to an extensive range of online primary source materials. These contain digitised copies of documents, letters, books, photographs and other primary sources.

The Primary Sources Libguide will help you identify the best databases for your research. The collections have been categorised by Country, Time Period and Theme so that you can quickly find the most relevant collections for your research.

Our comprehensive online news collections range from local news to news publications from around the world and span a wide range of dates.

Find out more on the Archival News LibGuide

The Library's Special Collections department houses primary sources in many formats including letters, diaries, manuscripts and photos, which can be accessed via their dedicated reading room in the Research Commons, Old Library.

Visit the Archives and Special Collections LibGuide for more information.

Find out how to search the archives for rare books and materials here.

Use the Archive Catalogue Search to find out what is available.

Devon & Cornwall have a number of local archives that you can use when searching for primary sources. Find out more here.

These databases are nationally significant archives of the UK, covering many different themes, subjects and sources.

Archives Hub This link opens in a new window
A gateway to archive collections held in UK universities. Subject coverage includes the arts, humanities, social science, sciences and health, and source materials include personal writings, documentation, images and ephemera.
British Library Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue This link opens in a new window
Search for information about the British
Library’s rich and unique archive and manuscript collections.
The catalogue contains descriptions of the majority of the British Library's manuscripts,
paper-based archives, photographs and an increasing number of digital archives.
The Library's sound archive collections and moving image collections are not included and Asian and African manuscripts are only partially represented.
British Library Digitised Manuscripts This link opens in a new window
A collection of digitised manuscripts and archives in the British Library’s collections.
British Library Newspapers This link opens in a new window
Full text UK and Irish national, regional and local newspapers from the mid 18th to the mid 20th century. Cross searchable with other newspaper archives via Gale NewsVault. We have access to the full collection (parts 1-6).
View more info about the collections
British Library Sounds This link opens in a new window
Sound recordings from the British Library collections. Recordings include music, drama and literature, oral history, wildlife and environmental sounds as well as an interactive sound map of regional accents and dialect.
Digital Bodleian This link opens in a new window
A collection of primary and contemporary material across a wide range of subjects, with scanned images of the Bodleian Libraries special collections, including rare books and manuscripts, classical papyri, maps, music, art and printed ephemera.
Discovery, the National Archives Catalogue This link opens in a new window
Full catalogue of the holdings of the National Archives and thousands of other archives in the UK. The National Archives is home to millions of historical documents, which were created and collected by UK central government departments and major courts of law. Wide subject coverage.

National Register of Archives for Scotland
The NRAS provides details of papers of historical significance in private hands in Scotland. The Register now contains over 4,200 surveys of private papers including the records of landed estates, private individuals, businesses, law firms and societies.

UK Government Web Archive This link opens in a new window
Archive of UK government information published on the web, from official documents, policy and acts, to a twitter archive.

Effective Searching & Referencing

It is important to plan your search strategy, and manage your search results so that you get the most from your online searching.

Keep a record of all the material you need to cite in your assignments, papers, projects etc.

Use the Search Techniques and Referencing guidance to assist you.

It is easy to be overwhelmed by the sheer breadth of information available to you.

Invest time in planning an effective online search strategy so that you can quickly and easily discover relevant and high quality information.

Use the Search Techniques LibGuides for lots of hints and tips on successful online searching

As you search you need to keep track of all the material you will be using in your academic work so that you can cite and reference it appropriately.

Top Tip

Always check your module handbook for specific departmental guidance on the style required for your assessed works and dissertations. Check with your personal tutor or dissertation supervisor if you need clarification.

For more guidance take a look at:

Library's Referencing LibGuide: includes guidance on referencing styles and referencing software

Cite them right This link opens in a new window
Use this online referencing tool to create citations and reference lists . Cite Them Right provides comprehensive practical tips and examples on a wide range of referencing styles.

Academic Skills: Skills for Referencing online support

Find out more about the skills support available to help you develop a range of study skills including essay writing, referencing, critical reading and getting the most out of lectures.

Study Skills Support

SAGE Research Methods This link opens in a new window

Sage Research Methods Online (SRMO) is a great resource to use when you are planning and conducting your research.

It is targeted at social science researchers but is useful across all subject areas as it covers key research methodology topics that are applicable across the research spectrum.

Sage have produced a comprehensive LibGuide to help you get the best from the resource.

History online tutorials

Using academic sources and evaluating information

Finding Medieval & Early Modern sources for your dissertation

History: Effective Library Research

Dissertation research

Dissertation students

If you are a dissertation student, at some point in your research, you may need to access resources held outside of the university library collections.

The library offers a number of services to help you access these materials. Find out more by exploring the guides below.

Inter-library loans and journal scans from other libraries

Make a book purchase suggestion

Become a SCONUL member to visit other libraries

Library and Archives Access Bursary
(Financial help to visit other libraries and archives)

Request books from your Library Champion