Searching for resources
Here are some pointers to useful resources within Newnham College Library and across the University. Our Library Guide contains more information about Newnham College Library facilities and finding books in the library. Information about College IT and printing facilities is available here. You can find more information about study skills, resources, and databases available across the University through Cambridge Libguides. See our Study skills page for links to additional resources.
Finding resources
- Searching the catalogue
You can search for books and electronic resources available within Newnham College Library and across the University using iDiscover.
iDiscover is a catalogue which allows you to search all the Cambridge libraries’ print and electronic resources in one place.
You can limit your search to a specific library and select ‘Newnham College’ from a drop-down menu, or by using Advanced Search.
Advanced Search will improve the precision of your results, and works best if you specify a library, a title, and an author. Searches can also be refined by subject, publication date, or resource type.
iDiscover allows you to save results and create citations in a number of standard formats. Use the iDiscover Libguide for more information.
There are two catalogue enquiry terminals on the ground floor of the library, which give dedicated access to iDiscover.
- Reading Lists Online
Cambridge University Libraries Reading Lists Online gives easy electronic access to your reading lists. Reading Lists Online shows the location and availability of print books, with links to electronic books, articles and websites, videos and digitised chapters.
The online reading list will usually display print copies available in your Faculty library, but it may not link to print copies from all libraries, including your College Library. Always double-check iDiscover to see what we have in stock, and make a recommendation if you would like us to order a copy.
- Finding e-resources
All e-resources and e-books are searchable on iDiscover.
When searching for an ebook on iDiscover, it is important to click through to the full record of an ebook title to see exactly what choices are available. Sometimes you will find there are multiple versions and one of them may have unlimited-user access. The Cambridge e-books LibGuide explains in further detail the different permissions that affect online access.
A great place to start exploring electronic resources is this guide to articles, journals, databases and books online. There are separate guides for accessing newspapers, theses and audio-visual resources.
You can also explore the Cambridge Digital Library to view some of the University’s rare books and other treasures of the collection online, including some of Newnham’s archive collections.
You may be prompted for your Raven login and password if you are accessing e-resources off-site.
- New books
Members of College are encouraged to recommend books to enhance our collection. Please complete the book recommendation form at the bottom of this page to suggest a book for Newnham College Library.
You can also recommend books, journals, and databases to the University Library.
- LibKey Nomad and Lean Library
These are browser extensions that will allow you to skip log-in steps if you are searching for articles in different databases (such as Google Scholar or PubMed). They will detect when you have access to an online resource via a Cambridge University Libraries subscription. Find out more here.
- Social media
We post regular updates on Twitter and Instagram. Follow us for links to new resources and beautiful photos of the Library!
