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 e-journal and eBook Finder for the title of the journal.

    • If you want to find what articles have been written on a certain subject then start with Ebsco Discovery searching tool and then move on to more subject-specific databases.
    • 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?
    • 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:

    Faith specific Libraries:

    Archival collections:

    • Mundus Gateway
      Guide to over 400 collections on overseas missionary work
    • National Archives
      To search for archival collections in the UK and abroad, go to the National Archives “ Find an archive ".
      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 collection
    • Oriental and India Office Collections (British Library)
      Important archive and manuscript collections on non-Western philosophical and religious traditions

    Also consult the regional subject guides Try e-book collections

    Use the Inter-Library loans service to request books from other Libraries

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