Reference resources online

Access to Research provides free access to more than 30 million academic articles in public libraries across the UK

Offers free access to a range of resources for business start-ups and SMEs including market reports, company data and a funding finder.

An archive of digitised local newspapers from across the UK, ideal for family or local history research.

Guides to over 600 business opportunities and factsheets about all aspects of running a business, plus links to relevant legislation, information on current market trends, trade and regulatory bodies and trade events

Find My Past helps you research your UK family history through census records, birth, marriage and death records, parish records including Nottinghamshire, military, education and cemetery records.

Insight Mapping is a free tool from Nottingham City Council allowing exploration of maps of the city, including current, historical and aerial views.  It also includes postcode search facility and the ability to add layers to the map showing boundaries and a wide range of datasets such as schools, health services, electric vehicle charging points and much more.

The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) is widely regarded as the accepted authority on the English language. It is a guide to the meaning, history, and pronunciation of 600,000 words— past and present—from across the English-speaking world.

Our online archive library hosts thousands of historical photos documenting the people, places and landscape of Nottingham.  Use Picture Nottingham as a research tool, or buy an art poster, framed print or gift made with your favourite images.

An online simulation of the UK’s driving theory test. It contains the official practice question bank, hazard perception video clips and an online version of the highway code.