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Library resources &
e-resources

Resources and e-resources

We offer a wide selection of resources to support your studies, research or teaching. All registered UWL students and employees can also access the Library e-resources collection. These e-resources are provided through subscriptions and maintained by the Library.

Note: Access rights for staff or students at franchise institutions may vary. Please contact us to confirm.

Resources and e-resources

  • Books & ebooks

    Books will help you to get a general overview of a subject and will give you background detail. You may want to supplement the information found in books with a search in the journal literature as well as reports, newspapers and other types of material.

    All printed books within the library stock are included in LibSearch and their entries will include a shelf number so that you can find where they are located in the Library. See our borrowing pages for information on how to borrow books from the Library, how long you can keep them and more.

    We currently have over 6,000 individually bought ebooks available. This figure includes about 350 items added as a result of ‘patron-driven acquisitions’ exercise. The ebooks are mainly provided by ProQuest and Askews & Holts. You can search for ebook titles and link to the full text of the ebooks from LibSearch.

    Open access ebook sites

    Beside the ebooks bought by the library, the sites below provide free access to a wide range of titles, including many classics and out of copyright titles:

    OAPEN Open Access

    The OAPEN Library contains freely accessible academic books, mainly in the area of humanities and social sciences.

    OAPEN works with publishers to build a quality controlled collection of open access books and provides services for publishers, libraries and research funders in the areas of deposit, quality assurance, dissemination and digital preservation.

    There are currently over 2,500 titles which include non-English language titles.

    Project Gutenberg

    The first ebook site and is maintained by volunteers. Most of the items in its collection are the full texts of public domain books.

    Page by Page Books

    Online access to texts in the public domain. Allows page by page reading and bookmarking.

    Google Book Search

    This service allows searching of the full text of ebooks held in the Google database. Google has entered into a partnership with a number of leading libraries to digitise books in their collections.

    The database includes out of copyright and some copyrighted material (in the United States) and material added by authors and publishers.

  • Databases A-Z

    See our list of databases 

  • DVDs

    We have a large audio-visual collection including DVDs, which are available for loan just like our other resources. The collection includes documentary and educational videos as well as popular feature films and television series.

    Most of our DVDs, in particular our feature films, are located in the mobile shelving on Floor 1 of the Paul Hamlyn Library.

    Others can be found throughout the Library with their other subject materials. Our DVDs can be searched for using LibSearch, which will give you their exact location in the Library. You can also filter your results so that only DVDs related to your search appear.

    If we do not have an audio-visual resource that you are looking for in stock, we advise you try Box of Broadcasts, an e-resource with a huge archive that allows users to record scheduled programming.

  • Fiction collections

    A London Fiction collection is located on the Ground Floor of the Paul Hamlyn Library, near the self-issue machines. Other fiction, poetry, and drama titles can also be found on Floor 3 Park side, shelved under 810-899. There is also a fiction and memoir collection in the Reading Campus Library.

  • Journals & e-journals

    The majority of the journals available via the library are digitally available via the e-journals list. The A-Z list of University of West London's e-journals is an integrated list of the full-text electronic journals available to members of UWL from a range of different sources. It is searchable by title, subject or supplier.

    • To access most e-journals you will need your UWL network login details​.
    • Some e-journals require an additional username and password for access.
    • Login using your My Password details to see the list of passwords (you need to log in to Blackboard first to access this page).

    E-journals: searching by topic

    If you are searching for a particular topic, then the databases and LibSearch provide a much easier and more effective way of finding information. The library subscribes to a wide range of databases, and these can be accessed via Databases A-Z. Searches can normally be carried out under author, date, keyword, subject, journal title as required.

    Electronic databases contain information from journals in various formats: 

    • abstract (summary), eg IBSS 
    • full text (whole articles), eg Academic Search Elite 
    • a mixture of abstract and full text, eg EBSCOhost

    If the library doesn’t subscribe to the journal-title or the year that you need is unavailable, then we can try and obtain a copy for you via the interlibrary loan scheme.

    Printed journals

    At the Paul Hamlyn Library, archived print journal issues are kept in the mobile shelving on Floor 2, with shelving nearby displaying the current and most recent issues. Some law journals are located on Floor 3 in the law collection. The Berkshire Institute for Health Library in Reading also subscribes to a number of professional journals in Nursing and Midwifery

    • To find printed journals in the Library, use LibSearch.

  • Law collection

    Law reports - what is a law report?

    A law report, presents the legal proceedings and/or judgment(s) of a case heard in a court of law. Typically the cases are heard in the High Court and the Court of Appeal in the UK. Law reports from the same year are collected together and published in a printed volume, or a set of volumes, and/or they may be published online. There are number of series of publications – for example The All England Law Reports – and the particular series will determine the citation (reference) of the law report.

    How to find law reports

    Our law collection can be found in the Mobile Shelving on Floor 3 and current titles can be found in the law stock of the Paul Hamlyn Library.

    • If you have the full citation (reference) of the law report, you can determine the series of law reports, and individual volume the case is in.
    • If you only have the name of the case (parties concerned), or name and year, use a case citator (index of cases) to determine the full citation (reference) of the case and then you can find it.
    • A useful set of citators are Current Law Case Citators. Using online sources, such as Westlaw or LexisLibrary, bypasses the need to know the citation first, as you can search using just the name, and then narrow down to retrieve the full text of the law report.
    • Full citation searching is also possible with LexisLibrary. 

    How to use law reports

    Law reports comprise a set of elements or parts, common to all law reports. For example, the names of the parties (plaintiff & defendant), the judge(s), the court in which the case was heard, dates of the hearing or judgment, the 'headnote' and other cases referred to in the judgement.

    The 'headnote' summaries the facts of the case leading to the action, and following the arguments, the decision(s) of the courts. This is worth reading first to get an overview of the case.

  • Multimedia resources

    Archival Sound Recordings

    The British Library Sound Archive, one of the worlds largest sound archives, offers a ground-breaking online digital resource of sound recordings reflecting the broad spectrum of its holdings. Access available via UWL network logon details. Worldwide access available.

    BFI InView

    BFI InView is an online resource which offers a unique window on Britain’s changing political, economic and social landscape in the age of film and television, containing some one thousand hours of non-fiction moving image titles to view or download, alongside eight thousand pages of related documents. Access available via UWL logon details. Click on the Log in now button to access.

    BMJ Group podcasts

    Free podcasts on medical subjects from the publishers of the British Medical Journal Worldwide access available.

    Box of Broadcasts (BoB)

    Box of Broadcasts (BoB) is an off-air recording and media archive service. This scheduling service allows University staff and students to record films and programmes which will be broadcast on TV or radio over the next seven days, as well as retrieving programmes from the last seven days of recorded channels.

    Emerald management podcasts

    These podcasts are drawn from reviews in the Emerald Management Reviews database, which is updated monthly with independent reviews of every article in the world's top management publications. Worldwide access available.

    Euromonitor International Podcast Series Globalcast

    A podcast series bringing you the latest trends and insight on industries, countries and consumers worldwide. Worldwide access available.

    Naxos Music Library

    An online collection of recorded music in streaming audio, primarily classical music, plus smaller collections of world music and jazz. It contains 85,000 tracks from over 5,500 CDs from the Naxos Music and Marco Polo catalogues. Login using your network logon details. This is listed in A-Z databases. 

    Television and Radio Index for Learning and Teaching (TRILT)

    UK television and radio programmes including terrestrial, cable, and satellite television, and all national and many local radio stations. The system also enables users to set up email alerts ahead of transmission. Access available via UWL network logon details. Worldwide access available.

    The John Johnson collection: An archive of printed ephemera

    The John Johnson collection is widely recognised as one of the most important collections of printed ephemera in the world. Containing 1.5 million items ranging in date from 1508 to 1939, it spans the entire range of printing and social history. Via the ProQuest platform. Off-site access available via UWL network logon details – click on Remote users: login via your home organisation.

    Visual Arts Data Service

    Digital resources for research, learning and teaching. Includes a searchable image database. Worldwide access available.

  • Newspaper collections

    Regional Business News

    This database provides comprehensive full text coverage for regional business publications.

    • Regional Business News incorporates coverage of more than 80 regional business publications covering all metropolitan and rural areas within the United States via the EBSCOhost platform.
    • Access available via UWL network logon details.
    • Worldwide access available.

      Go to Regional Business News UWL login page

    European Newstream - previously UK Newsstand

    Full text to the European and UK national daily and Sunday papers - for a full list of titles available click on the Publications tab. Via the ProQuest platform.

  • Non-renewable loans

    Many of the items marked as 'Non-renewable loans' in LibSearch must be requested at a Help Zone.

    Non-renewable loans are a collection of expensive or rare books including out of print titles.

    If you wish to borrow non-renewable loan items, please ask at the Library Desk on the Ground Floor of the Paul Hamlyn Library during staffed hours as a member of staff will need to find the item for you. Non-renewable Loan items are issued for one week and cannot be renewed.

  • Printed and recorded music

    We have a large collection of sheet music and a collection of CDs which are available for loan just like our other resources.

    These are located separately in the mobile shelving on Floor 1 of the Paul Hamlyn Library (Literature on the subject of music is located elsewhere in the collections and can be found via LibSearch). Our music can be searched for using LibSearch. You can also filter your results so that only the format you are looking for appears, eg CDs. Use LibSearch to search for items by author, composer, performer, title and keyword.

    Our music can be searched for using Summon and the Library Catalogue. You can also filter your results so that only the format you are looking for appears, eg CDs.

    Use the Library Catalogue to search for items by author, composer, performer, title and keyword. You may limit your search to printed music scores and CDs by specifying music in the Type of Materials box.

    You can find digital music scores and music on Databases A-Z.

  • Special themed collections

    There are special collections of LGBT+ and Healthy Living resources in the ground floor reception area of the Paul Hamlyn Library. The Reading Campus Library also has a collection of Healthy Living resources.

  • Theses

    Image of student on a bed with books

    Theses held by University of West London libraries

    To see theses held by us, please ask at the Library Information Point. Some theses are available electronically through our repository. These can be searched for using LibSearch or request our list from a Help Zone.

    Obtaining theses from other institutions

    It is now possible to access theses online from other institutions using the EThOS service from the British Library.

  • Trial resources

    The Library has an extensive collection of e-resources but we are always looking to expand it even further. When we are looking for new resources that could support our users, we occasionally request a trial so that we can see how it works and how our users respond to it.

    Current trial resources

    Please refer to A-Z databases new/trial section for currently trialled resources if any.

    Feedback

    If you have used one of our trial resources then we want to hear from you. Your comments will help us decide whether we should purchase a resource after a trial. Please send your feedback to library@uwl.ac.uk

Shelf locations

Shelf numbers, subjects and locations

From Accounting to Typography, all of our books are assigned a shelf number, which can be used to identify their location in the library and the subject area they belong to.

  • Search for your subject alphabetically
  • Find the corresponding shelf numbers
  • See which floor the item is located on

  • A-C

    • Accounting, shelf 657, floor 2
    • Advertising & public relations, shelf 659, floor 3
    • Air transportation, shelf 387.7, floor 1
    • Airports, shelf 387.736, floor 1
    • Architecture, shelf 720, floor 3
    • Biochemistry, shelf 572, floor 1
    • Blues, shelf 781.643, floor 3
    • Building construction, shelf 690, floor 3
    • Child rearing, shelf 649, floor 2
    • Childbirth, shelf 618.4, floor 2
    • Cinematography, shelf 778, floor 3
    • Civil engineering, shelf 624, floor 2
    • Commerce, communications & transportation, shelf 380-388, floor 1
    • Composers, shelf 780.92, floor 3
    • Composition, shelf 781.3, floor 3
    • Computer art (Digital art), shelf 776, floor 3
    • Computer graphics & multimedia systems, shelf 006, floor 1
    • Computer programming, shelf 005, floor 1
    • Computer science, shelf 004, floor 1
    • Costume & personal appearance (fashion), shelf 391, floor 1
    • Criminology, shelf 364, floor 3 Law
    • Customs & etiquette. shelf 390-399, floor 1

  • D-F

    • Digital media, shelf 302.231, floor 1
    • Digital photography, shelf 775, floor 3
    • Diseases, shelf 616, floor 2
    • Drama, shelf 822, floor 3
    • Economics & economic systems, shelf 330, floor 1
    • Education, shelf 370-379, floor 1
    • Electronic music, shelf 786, floor 3
    • Engineering, shelf 620-629, floor 2
    • English as a second language, shelf 428.24, floor 1
    • Ethnic & national groups, floor 305.8, floor 1
    • Events & event management, shelf 394.2068, floor 1
    • Executive management, shelf 658.4, floor 2
    • Fiction, shelf 823, floor 3
    • Financial economics, shelf 332, floor 1
    • Fine & decorative arts, shelf 700-799, floor 3
    • Folk music, shelf 781.62, floor 3
    • Food & drink, shelf 641, floor 2
    • Food technology, shelf 664, floor 3
    • Forensic medicine, shelf 614, floor 2

  • G-I

    • Genetics & evolution, shelf 576, floor 1
    • Graphic art, shelf 741.6, floor 3
    • Gynaecology & obstetrics, shelf 618, floor 2
    • Higher education, shelf 378.41, floor 1
    • History & geography,  shelf 900-999, floor 3
    • History of music, shelf 780.9, floor 3
    • Home & family management, shelf 640-649, floor 2
    • Hospitality management, shelf 647, floor 2
    • Human resource management, shelf 658.3, floor 2
    • International trade, shelf 381, floor 1

  • J-L

    • Jazz, shelf 781.65 (see also 781.57), floor 3
    • Journalism, shelf 070.4, floor 1
    • Languages, shelf 400-499, floor 1
    • Law, shelf 340-349, floor 3 Law
    • Learning disability, shelf 362.3, floor 3 Law
    • Libraries & librarianship, shelf 020-028, floor 1
    • Literature, shelf 800-899, floor 3

  • M-O

    • Management, shelf 650-659, floor 2
    • Marketing, shelf 658.8, floor 3
    • Marriage & family, shelf 306.8, floor 1
    • Meals & table service, catering, shelf 642, floor 2
    • Media, shelf 302.23, floor 1
    • Medicine & health, shelf 610-618, floor 2
    • Mental & emotional illness, shelf 362.2, floor 3 Law
    • Modern art & art movements, shelf 709.04, floor 3
    • Motion pictures, radio & television, shelf 302.234 (see also 791.4), floor 1
    • Music, shelf 780-789, floor 3
    • Musicals, shelf 782.14, floor 3
    • Natural sciences & mathematics, shelf 500-599, floor 1
    • News media, shelf 070.1, floor 1
    • Nursing, shelf 610.73, floor 2
    • Nutrition, shelf 613.2, floor 2
    • Occupational ethics, shelf 174, floor 1
    • Opera, shelf 782.1, floor 3

  • P-R

    • Paediatrics & geriatrics, shelf 618.9, floor 2
    • Painting & paintings, shelf 750-759, floor 3
    • Pharmacology & therapeutics, shelf 615, floor 2
    • Photographs, shelf 779, floor 3
    • Photography & computer art, shelf 770-779, floor 3
    • Poetry, shelf 821, floor 3
    • Police services, shelf 363.2, floor 3 Law
    • Pop music, shelf 781.64, floor 3
    • Prisons & related institutions, shelf 365, floor 3 Law
    • Production management, shelf 658.5, floor 2
    • Psychology, shelf 150-158, floor 1
    • Questionnaires, surveys, shelf 001.433, floor 1
    • Research methods, shelf 001.42, floor 1
    • Research methods (social sciences), shelf 300.72, floor 1
    • Rock, shelf 781.66 (see also 782.42166), floor 3

  • S-W

    • Screenwriting, shelf 808.23, floor 3
    • Social problems & services, shelf 360-369, floor 3 La
    • Social work, shelf 361.3, floor 3 Law
    • Sociology & anthropology, shelf 301, floor 1
    • Sound recording, shelf 621.3893, floor 2
    • Stage presentations, acting & performance, shelf 792, floor 3
    • Statistics, shelf 519.5, floor 1
    • Study methods, shelf 371.30281, floor 1
    • Subcultures, shelf 306.1, floor 1
    • Success in business, shelf 650.1, floor 2
    • Supply management, shelf 658.7, floor 2
    • Surgery, shelf 617, floor 2
    • Systems analysis & design, shelf 003, floor 1
    • Tourism, shelf 338.4791, floor 1
    • Typography, shelf 686.22, floor 3
    • Writing for projects/dissertations, shelf 808.066, floor 3

Frequently asked questions

Get in touch

Student reading in library

In-person: Visit the Help Zone, ground floor at our Ealing & Reading sites. Find out the library opening hours.

Email us: library@uwl.ac.uk

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Telephone:  Ealing: 020 8231 2405  /  Reading: 020 8209 4434  (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm)

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