SOAS, University of London (The School of Oriental and African Studies)

Starting Your Research in the Religions Collection in the Library

• How do I find books and journals?

  Search the SOAS Library catalogue. This will find print and electronic books and print journals. Widen your search to include other research libraries in the UK and Ireland by using COPAC.

• How do I find journal articles?

  If you know the article you are looking for search the Library catalogue and/or A-to-Z electronic journals for the title of the journal.

  • If you want to find what articles have been written on a certain subject then start with Primo Central searching tool and then move on to more subject-specific databases (use the pull down menus).
  • For regional bibliographies / indexes, please consult the appropriate regional subject guide

• How do I find multimedia resources?

  In the Library catalogue you can search by classmark for DVDs and CDs

• How do I find newspapers?

  • World-wide newspapers 1996- (including UK) on Access World News
  • UK Newspapers on Lexis Library
  • 19th century British Library newspapers
    48 selected national, regional & local titles

  • North China Herald
    Access to this major English-language Shanghai newspaper from 1850-1940. Useful for reports of missionary activity in China

  • The Times of India (1838-2003)
    An easily searchable database of this major newspaper covering key events in the history of India and the British Empire. An excellent resource for political, social and cultural history, including the role of religion.

• SOAS Research Online

  SOAS Research Online - Open access e-print repository of academic publications (articles, book chapters, theses etc.) by SOAS staff and students. Content dates mainly from the 1990s, though the earliest items are from 1959

• What if SOAS Library does not hold what I need?

  Try other libraries:

  For Religions in general, the following libraries are recommended:

  • • British Library
      The national library and manuscript collection of the U.K.
    • Kings College London
      Extensive general collection for the study of religions
    • National Art Library (Victoria and Albert Museum)
      Holds internationally significant collections on the religious art of all the major faith traditions
    • Senate House Library (University of London)
      SOAS students have access to the 8 collaborating libraries, including the School of Advanced Study
    • University College London (UCL)
      Extensive general collections for the study of religions
    • Warburg Institute (University of London)
      Important collections on history, philosophy and the study of religions

  Faith specific Libraries

  • • Catholic National Library
      The emphasis is on the Roman Catholic Church. Also includes Catholic mission records going back to the late 17^th century
    • Dr Williams’ Library
      The Library specialises in English Protestant non-conformity, and is run as a charitable trust
    • Heythrop College (University of London)
      College with a “modern Catholic ethos” specialising in philosophy and theology
    • Islamic Cultural Centre
      Based at the London Central Mosque, the Library contains material on Islam in English as well as Arabic
    • Lambeth Palace Library
      The focus of the collection is the Anglican tradition, but also contains material on comparative religion
    • Leo Baeck Institute Library
      Library collections on the history and culture of German-speaking Jewry
    • London School of Jewish Studies
      Important and wide-ranging collections on the whole spectrum of Jewish studies
    • Wiener Library (Institute of Contemporary History)
      Collections on Jewish life in Germany before the Holocaust, and all aspects of the Holocaust and its aftermath

  Archival collections

  • • Mundus Gateway
      Guide to over 400 collections on overseas missionary work
    • National Archives / Public Records Office
      Public, local, government and personal papers relating to the United Kingdom from early medieval times to the present day. The Archives also include the following directories to local archive collections
    • ARCHON
      First produced by the Historical Manuscripts Commission, this is a portal to archives and manuscript collections in the U.K.
    • A2A: Access to Archives
      Catalogue describing locally held archives
    • Oriental and India Office Collections (British Library)
      Important archive and manuscript collections on non-Western philosophical and religious traditions
    • Repositories of Primary Sources
      International directory of libraries holding archive, manuscript and rare book collections (including photographic archives)

   

  Also consult the regional subject guides

   

  • Try e-book collections
    • Cambridge Books Online  [SOAS staff & students only when off-site]
    • ebrary [SOAS staff & students only]
    • Dawsonera [SOAS staff & students only]

  • Use the Inter-Library loans service to request books from other Libraries
    • See http://www.soas.ac.uk/library/using/services/interlib/ for further details

• I’d like further training. Who do I ask?

  • Check the Library Events pages for upcoming training sessions.
  • Contact the Subject Librarian for Religions

• Religious art & antiquities
• About the Collection
• Starting your research
• Individual faiths
• Teaching materials
• Databases
• Web resources