Specialist resources - Arts
Specialist resources to support your studies including primary and visual information.
Resources by type
General reference resources
Reference material can consist of a range of different types of material providing you with background information. The information can either be general or related to specific subject areas. Typical examples of reference material include:
- Dictionaries
- Biographical dictionaries
- Encyclopaedias
- Official publications
Guidance on using general reference resources
You can search for primary information in the following specialist resources:
Primary resources
| Resource | Description |
|---|
| Early English Books Online (EEBO) |
Early English Books Online (EEBO) features page images of almost every work printed in the British Isles and North America, as well as works in English printed elsewhere from 1470-1700. |
| Gale Primary Sources |
Combines dozens of historical archives covering hundreds of years of history. In this exhaustive resource you will find monographs, manuscripts, newspapers, maps, and photographs. Collections availability limited to licensing agreement. |
| Letters of Note |
A collection of the world’s most entertaining, inspiring and powerful letters with art at their heart. Includes letters by Michelangelo, Salvador Dali, Frida Kahlo, Artemisia Gentileschi, Oscar Howe, Martin Scorsese, Henri Matisse, Mick Jagger, Augusta Savage, Vincent van Gogh and many more. |
| National Archives |
The National Archives is a non-ministerial government department. Its parent department is the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. |
| University of Nottingham Manuscripts and Special Collections |
The University’s collections of archives and rare books, dating from the 12th to 21st centuries. They cover social, political, religious, medical, and business history nationally and internationally, but with a focus on the East Midlands. |
Use the following specialist resources to search for visual information:
Visual resources
| Resource | Description |
|---|
| BFI National Archive |
The BFI looks after one of the largest and most important collections of film and television in the world. Its teams of experts ensure that the collection is preserved and developed for future generations and made widely accessible to today’s audiences. |
| BoB |
BoB Is a shared online off-air TV and radio recording service for education institutions. BoB enables all staff and students in subscribing institutions to choose and record any broadcast programme from over 65 free to air TV and radio channels. |
| Google Arts and Culture |
Google Arts and Culture (formerly Google Art Project) is an online platform through which the public can view high-resolution images and videos of artworks and cultural artifacts from partner cultural organizations throughout the world. |
| Kanopy |
Kanopy is an on-demand streaming video service for educational institutions that works directly with filmmakers and film distribution companies to offer thousands of award-winning documentaries, training films and theatrical releases across diverse subjects and disciplines.
|
| Moving Image Archive |
This library contains digital movies uploaded by Archive users which range from classic full-length films, to daily alternative news broadcasts, to cartoons and concerts. Many of these videos are available for free download.
|
Conference proceedings report on presentations or posters delivered at conferences, seminars and workshops. They are often the first announcement of new research.
- Conference Proceedings Citation Index – Social Science & Humanities – access via the Web of Science Core Collection
- Scopus – covers life sciences, social sciences, physical sciences and health sciences
Guidance on finding conference proceedingsConference papers
Theses and dissertations often report original research.
Theses and dissertations resources
| Resource | Description |
|---|
| DART Europe |
Electronic theses repositories from European research libraries |
| EThOS |
The UK's national thesis service, published by the British Library. EThOS is currently unavailable as a result of the cyber attack on the British Library in 2023. You can search for UK Theses using the British Library's search system, by filtering to 'Theses'. |
| Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations |
Resources from universities and libraries worldwide |
| Proquest Dissertations and Theses |
Collections from around the world. |
Guidance on finding thesesTheses and dissertations
Reports, newsletters and discussion papers are often freely available from research and charity organisations.
Guidance on finding reportsReports
As you progress through your degree course, you may want to find information on potential or current employers. This can be done through professional organisations, business databases, careers sites, and news sources.
Guidance on researching employers
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