Databases for English Literature
Use the databases below to:
- find references to journal articles
- keep up to date with the latest publications in your subject
Some databases require your Cardiff University network username and password for off-campus access. These databases are available for all staff and students of Cardiff University but because of licensing restrictions they are not available to external members and visitors.
You can also access databases through Electronic Resources - MetaLib
Database guides are available to help you.
Annual Bibliography of English Language & Literature
Compiled under the auspices of the Modern Humanities Research Association (MHRA), ABELL indexes a wide range of publications (monographs, journal articles, book reviews, collections of essays, critical editions of literary works and many doctoral dissertations) on English literature from Anglo-Saxon times to the present day. It covers British, American and Commonwealth writing, and includes material in languages other than English. The index covers the period since 1920, with a few items from the preceding 30 years.
ABELL is part of the database Literature Online (LION) and the records link directly to the full text articles of online journals of LION and JSTOR.
Within Literature Online, ABELL can be searched either as a single database or in conjunction with the MLA International Bibliography (MLAIB).
Access On-Campus
Annual Bibliography of English Language and Literature: ABELL
Access Off-Campus
Off-campus use of ABELL
To access ABELL off-campus, your Cardiff University network username and password will be required.
You will then be linked to the LION homepage. Click on Criticism and Reference. Select Criticism and then ABELL Search.
British Humanities Index
Contains references relating to the humanities from articles in over 200 British journals and major newspapers from 1962 onwards. Subjects covered include:
- the arts
- music
- philosophy
- religion
- literature
- economics
- history
- politics
- current affairs
Access On-Campus
Access Off-Campus
Off-campus use of British Humanities Index
To access British Humanities Index off-campus your Cardiff University network username and password will be required.
Illustrated London News
Illustrated London News Historical Archive
The Illustrated London News Historical Archive covers the entire run (1842-2003)of the world’s first illustrated weekly newspaper. Across over 260,000 full colour pages, the archive gives a vivid picture of both British and world events, spanning wars, disasters, royalty, social affairs, arts and science. Search by keyword or browse by year / issue number or by contributor.
International Medieval Bibliography
Lists articles about the period 400AD to 1500AD published since 1967 in journals, conference proceedings, collected essays, Festschriften and exhibition catalogues. It contains over 300,000 references on:
- archaeology
- classics
- theology
- philosophy
- European languages and literatures
- Islamic studies
- history of art
- music
Access on-campus
International Medieval Bibliography
Access off-campus
Off-campus use of International Medieval Bibliography
To access International Medieval Bibliography off-campus, your Cardiff University network username and password will be required.
JISC Historic Books
JISC Historic Books (includes EEBO, ECCO & 19th Century books)
JISC Historic Books enables you to cross-search over 300,000 historical books published in English or in England before 1800 and 65,000 19th century books from the following historically significant collections:
- Early English Books Online (EEBO)
- Eighteenth Century Collections Online (ECCO)
- 19th Century books from the British Library collection (never available before online)
To access JISC Historic Books, your Cardiff University username and password is required.
JSTOR
An archive of electronic journals which currently provides access to more than 200 scholarly titles in over 20 disciplines in the Arts and Sciences. Journals are archived, where possible, back to the first issue, though the most recent years are excluded.
The whole database can be searched by keyword and author, and the articles retrieved can be downloaded and printed.
Access On-Campus
Access Off-Campus
To access JSTOR off-campus, your Cardiff University network username and password will be required.
Literature Online (LION)
A searchable web-based library containing over 300,000 works of English and American poetry, drama and prose from the eleventh century onwards. It includes more than 750,000 records of articles, monographs and dissertations in the Annual Bibliography of English Language and Literature . Also incorporates links to the full text of over 70 literary journals.
Access On Campus
Access Off-Campus
Off-campus use of LION
To access LION off-campus, your Cardiff University network username and password will be required.
MLA International Bibliography (Modern Language Association)
The Modern Language Association International Bibliography (MLAIB) indexes scholarly publications on literature, language, linguistics, and folklore in over 4,000 journals and series as well as in monographs, multi-author works and dissertations. MLAIB dates back to 1925.
Access On-Campus
MLA International Bibliography
Access Off-Campus
Off-campus use of MLA International Bibliography
To access MLA International Bibliography off-campus, your Cardiff University username and password will be required.
Nineteenth Century British Library Newspapers
19th Century British Library Newspapers contains full runs of 48 influential national and regional newspapers representing different political and cultural segments of the 19th century British society.
Access On-Campus
19th Century British Library Newspapers
Access Off-Campus
Off-campus use of 19th Century British Library Newspapers
To access 19th Century British Library Newspapers off-campus, your Cardiff University network username and password will be required.
Nineteenth Century Periodicals Online
19th Century UK Periodicals is a major new multi-part series which covers the events, lives, values and themes that shaped the 19th century world. Series I on New Readerships provides access to close to 100 periodicals for the study of British life in the 19th century - from women to sports and leisure, and from children to humour.
Access On-Campus
Access Off-Campus
Off-campus use of 19th Century UK Periodicals
To access 19th Century UK Periodicals off-campus, your Cardiff University network username and password will be required.
Orlando
Orlando: Women's Writing in the British Isles from the Beginnings to the Present
Orlando provides entries on women authors' lives and writing careers, contextual material, timelines, sets of internal links, and bibliographies. Writers from around 600 BCE to the present day are represented.
Access on campus
Access off campus
To access Orlando off campus your Cardiff University network username and password will be required.
World Shakespeare Bibliography
World Shakespeare Bibliography
The World Shakespeare Bibliography Online is a searchable electronic database consisting of the most comprehensive record of Shakespeare-related scholarship and theatrical productions published or produced worldwide between 1960 and 2012. Containing over 129,300 annotated entries, this collected information is an essential tool for anyone engaged in research on Shakespeare or early modern England.
To access the World Shakespeare Bibliography off-campus your Cardiff University username and password is required.