Digital Access FAQs
How easily can I conduct research from home?
As well as the digital access that we provide to our collections, we have published a series of guides to other resources that are available:
What about copyright?
The level of digital access that we can provide to our collections is largely determined by copyright. This means that physical access to collections, copying services, the virtual reading room and our digital terminals will include or exclude certain content. There is a guide to copyright here.
Access to collections does not imply the ability to use or reproduce items. Please contact us if you are unsure or see the MERL page on licensing contentÂ
What other databases do you send records to?
• The National Archives Discovery
• Archives Hub / Archives Portal Europe
• Location Register of Twentieth Century Literary Manuscripts
• ArtUK
• Sources (National Library of Ireland)
We are also planning to contribute records to the forthcoming Cinema Rurale and Herbaria United projects.
The Universities of Reading and Texas also jointly run the following databases:
• WATCH (Writers Artists and their Copyright Holders), a database of copyright contacts for writers, artists, and prominent figures in other creative fields.
• FOB (Firms Out of Business), a database with information about vanished publishing concerns, literary agencies, and similar firms.