Manchester City Council

Manchester Libraries allow library members to access some of our most popular on line reference sources via these web pages. These includes a huge range of dictionaries, encyclopaedias, news archives and other information sources.

To use a resource, click on a link below. You will need your library borrower number (on your library card) and your Personal Identification Number (PIN) to log in.

Your PIN also allows you to check your borrower details and allows you to renew and reserve items from the library catalogue.

If you are not yet a member joining is easy and most services are free.

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Frequently asked questions

Resources Featured

(See below for further information about these resources).

Art

• Oxford Art Online

Bibliography

• Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
• Who's Who and Who Was Who

Business

• Cobra (Business Advice)

Citizenship

• Go Citizen

Dictionaries

• Oxford English Dictionary
• Oxford Languages Dictionary

Driving

• Theory Test Pro

General Reference & Homework

• Britannica Elementary (For ages 5 - 11)
• Britannica Student (For ages 12 - 18)
• Encyclopaedia Britannica
• Oxford Reference Online

Music

• Naxos Music Library
• Oxford Music Online (Incorporating Grove Music Online and the Encyclopedia of Popular Music)

Newspapers

• Newsbank
• Times Digital Archive

Technical

• British Standards Online

More about these resources

Britannica Online

Bringing together the world-renowned content of the Encyclopaedia Britannica with the speed and convenience of the internet. The online edition contains many enhanced features and is now available at a variety of appropriate reading levels, each with a separate user-friendly interface. Comprises:

• Encyclopaedia Britannica (18+ readership) - The full version of the encyclopedia, with enhanced online features.
• Britannica Student (age 12 to 18 readership) - A simplified version of Britannica at a reading level appropriate for the developing student. Great for assignments!
• Britannica Junior (age 5 to 11 readership) - A special version of the famous encyclopedia for the young. Not too text heavy and perfect for Homework!

British Standards Online

BSOL provides access to the complete collection of Standards from the British Standards Institution. It contains more than 39,500 documents including: current, historic, and draft British Standards; more than 16,000 BSI adopted European and international standards; technical handbooks; codes of practice; product specifications; and technical glossaries. Please note that print-outs are presently available only by making a personal visit to the Commercial Library, Ground Floor, Central Library.

Cobra

Thinking of starting a business? The Cobra database has hundreds of small business ideas and business opportunity profiles, practical how-to guides, reports, checklists and factsheets. Cobra is the Complete Business Reference Adviser.

Go Citizen

GoCitizen.co.uk is an online study resource preparing candidates for the Life in the UK or British citizenship test. It provides study materials licensed from the Home Office, the people who set the official test, hundreds of practice test questions, and additional interactive learning resources and teaching aids.

The Naxos Music Library

The Naxos Music Library is a music streaming service providing comprehensive coverage of the classical repertoire. The library also provides a huge range of contemporary classical music, jazz, traditional and world music recordings, and some rock and pop. As well music from the Naxos label, other leading independent labels are also represented. In total over 18,000 CDs worth of music is represented. 500 CDs are added every month, including the latest releases. Music is streamed at 64kbps (near CD-quality) or, for users without a broadband connection, at 20kbps (FM quality). There are a range of user-friendly features and special areas of the site for students and the young.

Newsbank

Full-text content of selected national, regional and international English language newspapers, as chosen by Manchester Library and Information Service, including: The Manchester Evening News, The Guardian, The Times, The Daily Mirror, The Daily Mail, and The Daily Express. Includes the international newspapers: The New York Times, The South China Morning Post (Hong Kong), The Times of India, The Nation (Islamabad), and The Irish Times. Now also with key UK business titles such as Accountancy Age, Campaign, The Grocer and Marketing.

Oxford Art Online (Incorporating Grove Art Online)

Oxford Art Online offers users the ability to access and search the vast content of the newly redesigned Grove Art Online and the complete Oxford art reference collection in one place. It features the latest in online technology and an extensive image library.

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography

An illustrated collection of 50,000 specially written biographies of the men and women who shaped all aspects of Britain's past, from the fourth century BC to the year 2000. Compiled over a twelve year period by some 10,000 experts, who have produced a 60 volume, 60 million word reference work, and a website of over 100,000 pages. The online edition is updated annualy.

Oxford English Dictionary

The definitive English language reference dictionary.

Oxford Languages Dictionary

Oxford Language Dictionaries Online offers up to date bilingual dictionaries in French, German, Spanish, and Italian, together with a range of study materials.

Oxford Music Online (Incorporating Grove Music Online)

The most authoritative music reference source. Contains the full text of The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, The New Grove Dictionary of Opera, and the New Grove Dictionary of Jazz. Enhanced features unique to the online edition include regular updates and audio musical examples. Now also contains The Encyclopedia of Popular Music.

Oxford Reference Online

Oxford's unparalleled collection of reference books covers the entire subject spectrum from accountancy to zoology. Over two hundred titles are available. As well as standard works of reference in the arts, humanities and sciences, many general interest titles are also included: dictionaries, including bi-lingual and visual dictionaries, encyclopaedias, books of quotations, companions to food and drink, names and places and many more. Search each title individually or cross reference the entire online database.

Theory Test Pro

Theory Test Pro is a highly realistic online simulation of the UK's driving theory test. It contains the entire official test question bank licensed from the Driving Standards Agency, the people who set the tests. Pass your driving theory test on your first attempt. Unlimited access to all the official questions from the DSA in the same format as the official test. Includes online version of Highway Code. Simply sign up to create a free account courtesy of Manchester Libraries.

Times Digital Archive

Delivers every page of The Times newspaper, as published, from 1785 to 1985.

Who's Who and Who Was Who

Who's Who is the essential directory of the noteworthy and influential in all walks of life, in the UK and worldwide, published annually by A & C Black since 1849. Also includes Who Was Who, an archive of over 100,000 entries from Who's Who dating back to 1898.