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Research & reference

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The following free resources are recommended or provided by Suffolk Libraries.

Unless otherwise stated, they are available from any location. Please be aware that you will need your library card and PIN to access some of them.

Genealogy and history

Ancestry

Library version of the popular family history website. Only available to use in a library.

Find My Past

Library edition of the popular ancestry site. Only available to use in a library.

The John Johnson Collection

Printed primary sources from the 19th and 20th centuries. John Johnson collected printed ephemera from playbills to records of crime and punishment, advertisement posters to maps.

World Digital Library

Historical and international primary resources including books, maps, manuscripts, newspapers, journals, prints and photographs. Available in 7 languages.

Children’s homework

Britannica for children

Colourful, interactive and age-appropriate version of the popular online encyclopaedia.

Britannica for students

Edition of the popular encyclopaedia aimed at older children and young teens, featuring topical articles, images and videos, biographies and primary sources across a range of topics.

Q-files

Illustrated encyclopaedia for children.

Academic research

Access to Research

Millions of academic research papers and journals covering art, architecture, business, engineering, history, languages, politics, philosophy, mathematics and the sciences.