A wealth of information whether you want to explore the great events of the past, are tracing your own family history or just want to find out about a well-known person.
The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland
The ultimate reference work on family names of the UK covering English, Scottish, Welsh, Irish, Cornish and immigrant surnames.
• The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names available in the library and at home
Ancestry Library Edition
Masses of information for family history researchers, including census records, births marriages and deaths and much more.
Find my past
UK family history records, news and tutorials.
Find my past available in the library only
The British Newspaper Archive
Millions of digitised British newspaper pages from the British Library's vast collection.
Your Family Tree
Free access to monthly magazine, current and back issues plus special subject guides.
IWM Lives of the First World War
Creating and sharing the life stories of more than 8 million men and women.
British Library 19th century Newspapers
Selected content from national and local newspapers.
Guardian and Observer archive - 1791 to 2003
Discover great events or individual lives as reported at the time.
- Guardian and Observer archive available in the library
- Guardian and Observer Archive available at home
Times Digital Archive
Full contents of The Times from 1785 to 2012.
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
Biographies of over 60,000 people who have shaped the history and culture of the British Isles, from Romans times to the 21st century.
Who's Who and Who was Who
From 1849 right up to this year - the noteworthy and influential in all walks of life.