It's not always easy to find the content you need in specific books. Sometimes there will be books that are exactly about what you are researching. Other times, there may be chapters or mentions of a topic somewhere within the text. Knowing where to start is difficult and searching the titles of print books in our collection isn't always going to find what you need straight away.
You can request a book from the Interlibrary loans service (you can also request a chapter if that is all you need and it will be attached to an email directly to you). The downside to interlibrary loans for physical books is that we don't set the loan period and they have to be sent back.
You can find ebooks just by searching the main library website but it can also be useful to search one of the ebook platforms to find extra book material. The advantage of doing this is that you can search for keywords within the text and find reference to your topic area within the chapters. I would recommend a search on Ebook Central to find extra book material for your dissertation/final year project.
Another great place to search is the Bloomsbury database Berg Fashion Library, containing ebook chapters and encyclopedias.
Provides access to a huge collection of full-text eBooks across a range of subject areas.
On-campus:- You may see an OpenAthens login screen when accessing Ebook Central on-campus. See our FAQ - How do I login via OpenAthens?
Access to interdisciplinary research in fashion and dress. Includes eBooks, reference works, a museum directory and exhibition archive, an extensive image gallery of fashion objects and access to the Berg Encyclopedia of World Dress and Fashion with over 2,000 images and more than 800 in-depth articles on the richness and complexity of global dress.
If you wish to save search results, you will need to create an individual account via “Sign up” to save content. Once you’ve created an account you will always need to sign in if you wish to access the content in your folders. Please note: It is not yet possible to save images from Berg Encyclopedia of World Dress and Fashion.
We have a great range of journals and magazines on the third floor of the main library. Journals are more academic and contain articles by experts in the subject field. Magazines tend to be more related to current awareness in the design field and might contain articles about designers, artists, exhibitions etc. We subscribe to these resources and there will always be the newest issue to browse. They are all shelved alphabetically by title. You can also search the Library Website and do 'book search' to see if we have a particular magazine or journal in print format.
You can use keywords to search various databases that act as indexes to many journal articles. The 'Advanced Search' on the main Library Website is a way of searching a lot of databases at once but it is worth remembering that it doesn't search everything and it is useful to go directly to particular databases for focussed searches.
You can also browse the content of the latest issues or create a collection of journals or articles you are interested in on Browzine (which can also be downloaded as an App on your own device)
Look at the databases recommended for your discipline under 'Finding electronic resources' on this Subject Guide or take a look at the recommended databases on another guide. For example, if your dissertation/final year project is related to health or education or has a historical angle, it might be useful to see what other databases are available for these disciplines.
If you are struggling with finding information, newspapers can be a great starting point. You might find reference to an exhibition or discussion about a topic. This can help identify keywords which you can then use back in the more academic library databases. It is fine to use some newspaper references in your assignment or dissertation. Just make sure you have got other more academic citations and references from journals and books.
Lexis+ UK Newspapers provides full text access to UK national and regional newspapers. Date coverage varies by individual title from 1980s to today.
For international newspaper content visit Nexis.
Full text access to business information and major international newspapers including foreign language sources. Date coverage varies by individual title from 1980s to today.
In a similar way to using newspapers, TV and radio programmes can provide extra material or insight into a topic, artist, designer or design movement. BoB National allows you to search for programmes and also record programmes that are on in the future. Each programme also has a transcript to help you find text to cite in your work and the full citation is listed - it gives you all the details you need for your reference list but you do need to alter it to fit in with the University of Lincoln Harvard system.
Shared off-air recording and media archive service. Programmes can only be viewed in the UK.
You will need to register with the site before you can access the content.
It's really useful to make an appointment with your Subject Librarian to talk about finding resources but then also there is a useful overlap when thinking about referencing and writing. Talk to your librarian about integrating in-text citations and how you can practice this alongside working on your writing skills. The Writing Development team can then help with advice on your written work, planning and structuring it and how to think more critically as part of this process. Make appointments with a member of the team either on-campus or online.
In addition to the main databases recommended on the School of Design Subject Guide it might also be useful to search the following:
This link opens in a new windowAccess millions of pages of primary source collections across the entire portfolio of Adam Matthew Digital, spanning content from the 15th-21st centuries.
Artwork, files and related documents from the studio of cartoonist Carl Giles.
Please note that registered HE/FE users can ask for high-resolution images to be used only for research purposes.
Colour images from the Bodleian Library's John Johnson Collection of Printed Ephemera, offering unique insights into the changing nature of everyday life in the eighteenth, nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
Access to the entire text of the Grove Dictionary of Art and the Benezit Dictionary of Artists with regular additions of new material and updates to the text, plus extensive image links.
This link opens in a new windowPrimary sources exploring 100 years of youth culture through the scenes, styles, and sounds that forged them.
Access note: Click on "Log in via your University or Institution" and select University of Lincoln from the list to login
Access to over 100,000 images that are freely available and copyright cleared for use in learning, teaching and research in the UK.
In addition to the main databases recommended on the School of Design Subject Guide it might also be useful to search the following:
Access to interdisciplinary research in fashion and dress. Includes eBooks, reference works, a museum directory and exhibition archive, an extensive image gallery of fashion objects and access to the Berg Encyclopedia of World Dress and Fashion with over 2,000 images and more than 800 in-depth articles on the richness and complexity of global dress.
If you wish to save search results, you will need to create an individual account via “Sign up” to save content. Once you’ve created an account you will always need to sign in if you wish to access the content in your folders. Please note: It is not yet possible to save images from Berg Encyclopedia of World Dress and Fashion.
Access to the entire text of the Grove Dictionary of Art and the Benezit Dictionary of Artists with regular additions of new material and updates to the text, plus extensive image links.
This link opens in a new windowPrimary sources exploring 100 years of youth culture through the scenes, styles, and sounds that forged them.
Access note: Click on "Log in via your University or Institution" and select University of Lincoln from the list to login
A complete searchable archive of American Vogue, from the first issue in 1892 to the current month, reproduced in high-resolution color page images.
WGSN accurately forecasts consumer, lifestyle and product design trends, empowering clients to make confident decisions, adapt and stay ahead of an ever-changing consumer landscape and rapidly escalating climate priorities.
With a unique blend of global expert insights, unique data & analytics tools and cross-industry knowledge, WGSN helps businesses get ahead of the right trends.
You may need to register with the site before you can access the content.
An archival research resource comprising the backfiles of leading women's interest consumer magazines, including Cosmopolitan (1886-2005), Essence (1970-2005), Seventeen (1944-2005) and others. These key primary sources permit the examination of the events, trends, and attitudes of this period. Among the research fields served by this material are gender studies, social history, economics/marketing, media, fashion, politics, and popular culture.
In addition to the main databases recommended on the School of Design Subject Guide it might also be useful to search the following:
GreenFILE offers well-researched information covering all aspects of human impact to the environment. Its collection of scholarly, government and general-interest titles includes content on global warming, green building, pollution, sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, recycling, and more.
Access to the full text of around 120 consumer and essential market reports per year in the following areas: Automotive, Beauty and Personal Care, Drink, Food, Media., Retail and E Commerce.
You will need to sign-in with your University email address and password (if you have not already done so) and type or select "University of Lincoln" from the drop-down list > click Continue > click "University of Lincoln" (you may have to do this last step a few times before it logs you in). You have to agree to the 'Conditions of use' before using Mintel for the first time.
An intuitive and comprehensive business library containing millions of full-text items across scholarly and popular periodicals, newspapers, market research reports, dissertations, books, videos and more.
Contains access to resources from ABI/INFORM Collection, Accounting & Tax Collection, Asian Business Collection, Business Market Research Collection, Business Video Database, Entrepreneurship Database & J.P. Morgan Research.
In addition to the main databases recommended on the School of Design Subject Guide it might also be useful to search the following:
This link opens in a new windowAccess millions of pages of primary source collections across the entire portfolio of Adam Matthew Digital, spanning content from the 15th-21st centuries.
Artwork, files and related documents from the studio of cartoonist Carl Giles.
Please note that registered HE/FE users can ask for high-resolution images to be used only for research purposes.
Access to the entire text of the Grove Dictionary of Art and the Benezit Dictionary of Artists with regular additions of new material and updates to the text, plus extensive image links.
This link opens in a new windowPrimary sources exploring 100 years of youth culture through the scenes, styles, and sounds that forged them.
Access note: Click on "Log in via your University or Institution" and select University of Lincoln from the list to login
Access to over 100,000 images that are freely available and copyright cleared for use in learning, teaching and research in the UK.
In addition to the main databases recommended on the School of Design Subject Guide it might also be useful to search the following:
This link opens in a new windowAccess millions of pages of primary source collections across the entire portfolio of Adam Matthew Digital, spanning content from the 15th-21st centuries.
Access to substantive, peer-reviewed, and regularly updated reference articles relating to communication and a number of wide-ranging subjects, from sociology, culture, critical theory, health, journalism, media and politics.
An intuitive and comprehensive business library containing millions of full-text items across scholarly and popular periodicals, newspapers, market research reports, dissertations, books, videos and more.
Contains access to resources from ABI/INFORM Collection, Accounting & Tax Collection, Asian Business Collection, Business Market Research Collection, Business Video Database, Entrepreneurship Database & J.P. Morgan Research.
This link opens in a new windowAccess to case studies, best practice papers and advertising campaigns relating to advertising, marketing and market research.
WGSN accurately forecasts consumer, lifestyle and product design trends, empowering clients to make confident decisions, adapt and stay ahead of an ever-changing consumer landscape and rapidly escalating climate priorities.
With a unique blend of global expert insights, unique data & analytics tools and cross-industry knowledge, WGSN helps businesses get ahead of the right trends.
You may need to register with the site before you can access the content.
Use Truncation (putting * at the end of a word stem will search all forms of the word). * within a word can be used to search both American and English spelling:
"...." (inverted commas) use for a phrase
Harvard Referencing System
The three places to look for help on referencing are:
Click for the main library - with webinars, PDF guide and more
Click for the Subject guide - more on paraphrasing and citing in-text
Click for the Images guide - how to use captions and cite your images
