Finding resources
As a student at the University of Bristol, you have access to a wide selection of useful, relevant, cross-disciplinary resources. This section shows how you can make the most of this range of material.
To find books Library Search is an excellent place to start. It helps you to discover the wider range of books, articles and other resources available at the Library in physical and online formats, and is an essential resource for your study and research.
Use databases if you want to search for original research articles on a topic. Databases search across lots of journals at the same time and their search engines are more powerful and advanced search engines than Google or Library Search. You may need to search across multiple databases to find a broader range of literature.
You may want to view theses or dissertations in your subject area. You can access work by previous students at the university, but we also have access to works from other institutions.
The library subscribes to lots of newspapers - past and present - as well as streaming video services.
Sometimes you may need to look beyond academic books or journals for information. This section includes useful information about "grey literature" and where to find it.
Resource lists
If your course has an online Resource List, you will find a link in the Blackboard area for the unit. Look for the logo below to identify your list and unit resources - please consult this carefully as it contains details of core and recommended readings.
Watch this video to learn more how to make the most of your resource list- further guidance can also be found on this page.
Looking beyond your reading list
Learn how to expand your assignment research beyond the unit reading list. This tutorial shows you how to research your topic with Library Search, and introduces you to subject databases.
Further help with Library Search
- Library search tips This link opens in a new window
Everything you need to know about using Library Search in one handy place.
Tutorials: using databases
This interactive tutorial guides you through the process of using databases optimally to find information on your topic.
Grey Literature Tutorial
Accessing resources off-site
Help and advice on accessing the Library's resources both on and off-site.