Finding Books & eBooks - English Literature
The majority of the Library's books are now available online as eBooks. You can search for both print and online using UR Library Search.
Here are some handy FAQs about finding and accessing books and eBooks:
- How to search UR Library Search
- How do I find a book on the shelves?
- Borrowing books and requesting items
- Where can I find my module readings?
Most print books on English Literature can be found on the Third Floor of the Library in the 800s section. See below for a full list of Shelfmarks (also known as a Call Number).
The Library also has some specialist collections in Children's literature, including historical archives. See Children's Literature Subject Guide for details.
| Subject | Shelfmark |
| American drama (US) | 812 |
| American literature (US) | 810 |
|
Creative Writing |
808.02 |
| English drama (UK) | 822 |
| English Literature (UK) | 820 |
| English novel (UK) | 823 |
| English poetry (UK) | 821 |
| History and criticism | 809 |
| Literature: general | 800 |
| Novel writing | 808.3 |
| Play writing | 808.2 |
| Reference works (Dictionaries/encyclopaedias etc) | 803 |
| Scriptwriting | 808.23 |
| Shakespeare | 822.33 |
| Theory and philosophy | 801 |
| Works about authors | 828 |
| Writing Drama | 808.2 |
| Writing for TV | 808.225 |
eBooks and Online Reference books
The following eBook collections and reference works are especially useful for English Literature:
- ProQuest One Literature (formerly Literature Online) This link opens in a new window
Access to full text journals, dissertations, eBooks, primary works, video and reference works from all over the world, including the ProQuest Black Writing Collection, and the World Literature Collection.
- ACLS Humanities EBook collection This link opens in a new window
Books in the humanities and related social sciences.
- Bloomsbury Collections This link opens in a new window
Arts and humanities, especially Philosophy. NOTE: We do not subscribe to all of the content in this database. You can refine your results by selecting the option “Only Show content which I have full access to."
- Letters of Charles Dickens: 1820-1870 (Past Masters) This link opens in a new window
This database contains the full-text letters of Charles Dickens and is fully searchable.
- Drama Online This link opens in a new window
Plays and criticisms from a range of publishers (e.g. Aurora Metro Books, Faber & Faber and Bloomsbury). Also includes Globe on Screen and Early Modern video from V&A Museum's archives. Note: For access select “University of Roehampton”.
- Encyclopedia of Children's Literature This link opens in a new window
Includes biographies of every major author and illustrator and essays on all genres, individual works, global trends and themes of children's literature.
- OverDrive This link opens in a new window
eBooks and audiobooks for leisure, including biographies, novels, cookery and travel. Use the Libby app to download books onto your phone or other device. See our Spotlight on Leisure Collection blog post.
- Oxford English Dictionary Online This link opens in a new window
A fully searchable online version of the Second print edition of the OED.
- Oxford Reference Online This link opens in a new window
A collection of reference works published by Oxford University Press, enabling cross searching of over 100 world-leading dictionaries and encyclopaedias.
- Oxford Dictionary of National Biography This link opens in a new window
50,000 biographies of people who shaped the history of the British Isles and beyond, from the earliest times to the year 2000.
- Oxford Handbooks Online This link opens in a new window
Reference books written and compiled by the world’s leading scholars in their field.
- Project Gutenberg (Open Access Resource) This link opens in a new window
Provides access to over 60,000 free eBooks; also discoverable through UR Library Search.
- SpringerLink eBooks - Literature, Cultural and Media Studies This link opens in a new window
Full text access to thousands of eBooks covering Literature, Cultural and Media Studies.
- American National Biography Online This link opens in a new window
Profiles of nearly 20,000 influential Americans from all eras of USA history, from pre-colonial times to recent years.
- Cambridge Companions This link opens in a new window
Includes the Companions in: Philosophy, Religion and Culture, Literature and the Classics and Music.
- Cambridge Histories This link opens in a new window
American and British history, economic and scientific history, philosophy, religious studies, theatre studies, warfare and literary studies.
