Library Services

Southend Libraries subscribe to a number of online databases. These are available to library ticket holders of any library in Southend-on-Sea.

Encyclopedia Britannica
The online edition of Encyclopaedia Britannica. Remote access to Britannica Online is restricted to public library staff and members for personal use only. Access for institutional or other non-personal use is not permitted.

• Britannica Junior - For ages 5-11
• Britannica Student - For ages 12-18
• Encyclopaedia Britannica - For ages 18+
• Encyclopedia Britannica Library Edition
• World Data Analyst

EBSCO Masterfile
An electronic database of thousands of magazines. Articles are either available in full text or as an abstract.

Go Citizen
An online study resource for candidates preparing for the Life in the UK test or British citizenship test.

Newsbank
Full text newspaper articles from national and Essex newspapers.

Oxford Online Collection
Please use the links below to access all of the Oxford University Press online databases. Use the Library Card login option and type your library card number. It is no longer necessary to put 'sos' in front of the ticket number.

• Dictionary of National Biography - Biographies of people who shaped the history of the British Isles.
• OED Online - The fully updated online edition of the multi-volume Oxford English Dictionary.
• Oxford Reference - A wide ranging collection of reference works from literature to science, encyclopaedias and bilingual dictionaries.
• Oxford Dictionaries PRO - A combination of a dictionary, thesaurus and grammar resource.
• Who's Who and Who Was Who - the online edition of Who's Who is 2012 and who Was Who.

Theory Test Pro
A highly realistic online simulation of the UK's driving theory tests for all vehicle categories. It contains all the official test questions licensed from the DSA, the people who set the tests.

Transparent Languages online with Byki
An online language learning system for over 80 languages.

Universal Class
Learn online from over 400 courses on topics ranging from IT to Reiki, business skills to cake decorating.

Also available but only on the People's Network PCs in Southend Libraries:

Ancestry Library Edition
A family history resource covering the UK and a number of other countries including USA, Australia, many European countries and many more. Ancestry Library Edition is only available on public computers within any Southend Library.  Please visit a branch near you to access this service.