Use our free online resources
Library members can use our online resources for free, such as encyclopedias, biographies and academic research. You'll need your library card number to log in to most of these.
About our free online resources
To use most of our free online resources, you'll need to log in with your library card number.
You can use some resources in our libraries only, and some on other devices anywhere you like.
If you're not a member yet, you can find out how to join our libraries.
Business and careers information
Find a large range of business and industry databases to help you start and grow your company including COBRA, Kompass and Mintel.
Daily newspapers and magazines
- PressReader - over 7000 UK and international newspapers and magazines. To access items through the PressReader website, sign in, select Library or group, find your local library and enter your membership number. You can also download the PressReader app.
Magazines, comics and graphic novels
Access over 3,000 eMagazines and a selection of eComics through the Libby app.
You can read an unlimited amount of these with no waiting lists. Download the Libby App on Android or iOS or for access on a website visit libbyapp.com in your Chrome, Safari, Firefox, or Edge (Chromium) browser.
Find out how to borrow eBooks and eAudiobooks
Historical newspapers
- Times Digital Archive - digital copies of the Times newspaper (London) from 1785 to 2019, on the Gale Databases website
- British Newspaper Archive - Local regional newspapers from Britain and Ireland dating from 1603, access in libraries only, you can make a free account and save your searches
Classical music concerts, ballet and operas
- Medici.tv - watch free recordings of live concerts, follow the link, click 'log in' on the top right-hand corner of the page, select 'Brighton & Hove Libraries' and enter your library membership number and click 'go'
Academic research and resources
- Access to Research - academic articles about various topics including art, history, politics and science, access in libraries only
- The New Oxford Shakespeare - all Shakespeare's works, in old English and modern text, including comparisons
Biographies
- The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography - over 60,000 biographies of people who shaped UK and Irish history until 2012 - no living person is included
- Who's who - directory of influential people in the UK and worldwide, published yearly since 1849
Consumer information
- Which? - reports, buying guides and the magazine's research, access in libraries only - ask a member of staff to log you in
Dictionaries and encyclopedias
- Oxford Dictionaries - definitions of words, phrases and expressions
- The Oxford English Dictionary - widely regarded as the authority on the English Language, offers word meanings, history and pronunciation of over 600,000 words
- Oxford Reference - trusted information covering 25 different subjects
- Oxford Research Encyclopedias - a comprehensive, ever-growing collection of in-depth, trustworthy summaries on a range of subjects
Driving
- Theory Test Pro - online simulation of the UK's driving theory test with official test questions, hazard video clips and the Highway Code.
To access, register online with your name, email address and choose a password.
Family history and genealogy
Findmypast-World
Go to the Findmypast website to find information on:
- birth, marriage and death records
- censuses
- military records
- local newspapers from Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, the US and Canada
You can use this resource for free on any of our library computers.
Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland - browse the ultimate reference work on family names in the UK
British Newspaper Archive search regional newspapers for your ancestors.
Birth, death and marriage records - these records for the city are available at our register office
History, art and music
- John Johnson Collection - archive of printed items about Britain in the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries
Music streaming service
Freegal gives you access to millions of songs from thousands of artists and albums which you can stream and download.
You can download the Freegal app on Google Play or the App store, visit the Freegal Music website.
Once you have logged in using your library card number and PIN, you can stream up to 5 hours of music a day and download 3 new tracks a week to keep.
UK citizenship
- GoCitizen - study resource for candidates preparing for the Life in the UK Test, or British citizen test
To access, register with your name, email address and choose a password.