Category Archives: Library

On trial: State Papers Online

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Thanks to a request from the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures (LLC) the Library currently has trial access to 3 further collections from the State Papers Online database from Gale. State Papers Online offers original historical materials across the widest range of government concerns, from high level international politics and diplomacy to the charges against a steward for poisoning a dozen or more people.

You can access the 3 collections on trial via the E-resources trials page.
Access is available on and off-campus.

Trial access ends 30th June 2020.

The 3 collections the Library has trial access to are: Continue reading →

On trial: National Geographic Magazine Archive

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Thanks to a request from a HCA student the Library currently has extended trial access to the National Geographic Magazine Archive, 1888-1994 from Gale. This databases allows you to explore over a century of iconic images and fascinating narratives that capture the wonder of our planet and beyond.

You can access National Geographic Magazine Archive, 1888-1994 from the E-resources trials page.
Access is available on and off-campus.

Trial access ends 30th June 2020. Continue reading →

On trial: Gale Primary Sources (even more content!)

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I’m very pleased to let you know that the Library has been given extended trial access to an extensive range of primary source databases and collections from Gale. This is an exciting opportunity to access a wide range of these digital primary sources that wouldn’t normally be available to us but also compliment the wide range of primary source databases we already have access to from Gale.

You can access all of these trial databases via the E-resources trials page.
Access is available on and off campus.

Trial access to these databases ends 30th June 2020. Continue reading →

On Trial: The Sunday Times Historical Archive, 1822-2016

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Thanks to a request from a HCA student I’m happy to let you know that the Library has extended trial access to The Sunday Times Historical Archive from Gale, giving you online access to the complete run of this important UK newspaper from 1822 until 2016.

You can access from The Sunday Times Historical Archive, 1822-2016 the E-resources trials page.
Access is available on and off-campus.

Trial access ends 30th June 2020.

The Sunday Times launched on the 20th October 1822 and since that first issue, the newspaper has consistently provided thoughtful analysis and commentary on the week’s news and society at large. Murder, theatre, sport and politics-all collide in its pages in an abundance of colourful detail. Continue reading →

On Trial – The Making of Modern Law: Foreign, Comparative, and International Law, 1600-1926

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Thanks to a request from staff in HCA the Library current has extended trial access to The Making of Modern Law: Foreign, Comparative, and International Law, 1600-1926 from Gale. This resource provides you with instant, full-text access to primary source documents previously found only at the largest and oldest repositories.

You can access The Making of Modern Law: Foreign, Comparative, and International Law from the E-resources trials page.
Access is available on and off-campus.

Trial access ends 30th June 2020. Continue reading →

Digital archives and primary sources for your dissertation

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Not sure where to access digital archives and primary sources? Suddenly having to change the focus of your disseration and unsure what online resources may be available to you instead of physical archives? In this blog post I have pulled together some (hopefully) useful information and links for you to explore. Read through the whole thing or click on link below to read a particular section.

What digital archives and primary sources are already available to you?
Open access digital archives and primary sources
Trial access to digital primary source databases
Temporary access to resources in light of Covid-19 outbreak

What digital archives and primary sources are already available to you?

At the University Library we have access to, something like, over 400 digital primary source databases. Between them these databases cover 100s of years of history and contain a wide range of different document types e.g. newspapers, periodicals, official and legal documents, correspondence, diaries, books, pamphlets, sermons, audio and video recordings, images, objects, ephemera and much more. Continue reading →

On trial: South Asia Archive

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*The Library now has permanent access to the South Asia Archive. See New to the Library: South Asia Archive *

Thanks to a request from a HCA staff member the Library has been given extended trial access to South Asia Archive from Taylor & Francis, providing online access to documents ranging from the mid-18th to the mid-20th Century.

You can access South Asia Archive from the E-resources trials page.
Access is available on and off-campus.

Trial access ends 1st June 2020. Continue reading →

British Online Archives – full access until 30th June 2020

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*Access has been extended until 30th June 2020*

I’m happy to let you know that British Online Archives (BOA) are providing 30 days free access (starting from 23rd March) to its entire collection of digital primary sources in light of the Covid-19 outbreak.

BOA provide students and researchers with access to unique collections of primary source documents. Their website hosts over 3 million records drawn from both private and public archives. These records are organised thematically, covering 1,000 years of world history, from politics and warfare to slavery and medicine. Continue reading →

JSTOR – expanded set of content freely available now

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*JSTOR have extended their expanded access to e-journals and digital primary source databases until 31st December 2020 and their expanded access to e-books until 31st August 2020.*

I’m delighted to let you know that JSTOR, and their participating publishers, are making an expanded set of content freely available to participating institutions where students have been displaced due to COVID-19.

What this means at the University of Edinburgh is that we are getting access to journals and primary source collections that we do not already have a licence for and a collection of ebooks freely available through June 30, 2020.

To see the journals and primary source collections included see JSTOR’s Expanded access to journals and primary sources page. To see the participating publishers for the e-books (not all of their partner publishers are participating) see JSTOR’s Expanded access to ebooks page.

While at the University we already have access to 2 of JSTOR’s primary source collections, 19th Century British Pamphlets and Struggles for Freedom: Southern Africa, this expanded offer from JSTOR gives us access for a limited period to World Heritage Sites: Africa and Global Plants. Continue reading →

Bloomsbury Digital Resources – full access until June 2020.

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I’m pleased to let you know that Bloomsbury Digital Resources are providing us with full access to their online resources until 30th June 2020 in light of the Covid-19 outbreak.

Bloomsbury Digital Resources products cover a range of disciplines in the Humanities, Social Sciences, Visual Arts, and Performing Arts. Their collections include primary documents, critical texts, historical archives and the latest in video and audio resources.

While at the Library we already have access to some of these collections, this current offer from Bloomsbury Digital Resources gives us access to a wide range of further resources including Bloomsbury Medieval Studies, Bloomsbury Cultural History and Arcadian Library Online. Continue reading →