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Classics and ancient history resources and support

Your Subject Librarian

Your Subject Librarian

Damien McManus

Other Arts & Social Sciences Library staff can answer your more general library queries.

Recommend other items

Classics and ancient history resources are available in these branch libraries

See our Library collections and eResources pages for details of our more general printed and online resources.
Information about opening hours, borrowing limits, fines at the ASSL
Information about other branches

How to find books, journals, and more

Books

Search the library's online catalogue to find printed books and e-books. If you cannot find books published before 1978 on the online catalogue, please consult the Card Catalogue Online.

Journals

Search our eJournals catalogue for access to online journals provided by the library. Printed journals can be found by using the library's online catalogue.

DVDs and videos

These can be found on the second floor of the Arts and Social Sciences Library. A viewing room is available. Please enquire about bookings at the attendants' desk on the ground floor.

Databases

Essential for research, the library subscribes to a wide range of databases for Classics and Ancient History. Select the 'Subject resources' tab on these subject pages for more information.

Special Collections

Rare and valuable items can be found in our Special Collections Department.

Other materials

The library has collections of theses and past examination papers.

Access to other libraries

Access to other academic libraries is often possible via the SCONUL Access scheme. The British Library may issue Reader Passes to researchers, subject to restrictions.

Note: some of the documents on this webpage are in PDF format. In order to view a PDF you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader Get Acrobat Reader

Inter-Library Loans and ILL vouchers

The Inter-Library Loans (ILL) service can be used to obtain Items not held in print in the University's branch libraries or available online. There is a charge for this service, though it may be possible to obtain an Inter-library loan voucher to pay for this.

  • Taught and research postgraduates should apply for ILL vouchers to Tora Manchester in the Graduate School of Arts and Humanities Office.
  • Classics and Ancient History final year undergraduate students may be entitled to ILL vouchers. They should contact the School of Humanities Office for advice.

Information for academic staff and researchers

  • Our Research support pages cover finding information, managing information, and exploiting your research, together with sources of further help and advice.
  • Each academic department in the university has its own library representative, whose duties are detailed in these guidelines. The Library Representative for Classics and Ancient History is Dr Silke Knippschild.
  • Book purchase recommendations and suggestions for new journals or databases can be made direct to Damien, though in the latter case it is best to also discuss the matter with the departmental library representative.
  • Damien will be pleased to discuss your or your students' library training requirements.
  • New members of staff will be offered an introduction to the library

Note: some of the documents on this webpage are in PDF format. In order to view a PDF you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader Get Acrobat Reader

Databases

MetaLib: your resource gateway provides access to a vast range of online resources, including databases, search engines, subject gateways, and selected Internet resources.

Note: some of the documents on this webpage are in PDF format. In order to view a PDF you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader Get Acrobat Reader

Internet links

Learned societies and other organisations

Quick reference tools

Reviews and bibliographies

Review journals can be a very good way of keeping abreast of current developments in your areas of interest. See, for example, The classical review and Gnomon. Both titles are available via the library's online catalogue and eJournals catalogue. The Bryn Mawr classical review and the Classical journal online book review archive provide freely available book reviews.

Research bibliography for Classics and Ancient History (PDF, 339 KB)

Note: some of the documents on this webpage are in PDF format. In order to view a PDF you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader Get Acrobat Reader

Information skills training for undergraduates

First year students

  • You'll attend a library induction at the start of the year. The School of Humanities Office will let you know about this at registration.
  • You'll also come to a further training session on how to access and use key online library resources. The Department of Classics and Ancient History will provide more information about this training.

Final year students

  • You'll attend training as part of your dissertation research preparation early in Teaching Block 1. This focuses on searching for and analysing information relating to your topic, which is a vital part of the research process. You will hear from me about arrangements for this training.

Please contact me if you need further information about these activities.

Information skills training for postgraduates

Taught postgraduates attend an induction at the start of the year. The Department of Classics and Ancient History will be in touch about this.

I aim to see research postgraduates individually to discuss their requirements.

Please contact me if you need further information about these activities.

  • A number of general 'Self-learning resources' are available below, including video tutorials, downloadable library guides, and web resources.
  • Find out about referencing in your written work and EndNote referencing software in 'Referencing help'.

Self-learning resources

  • Video tutorials - topics include the Library Catalogue, understanding references on reading lists, using the MetaLib resource gateway, off-campus access to eResources, etc.
  • Finding and using information pages - covering key aspects of information skills, including researching a topic, effective use of Google, evaluating your search results, avoiding plagiarism, etc. Also includes a Jargon-buster page.
  • Library guides - downloadable guides to each branch library, our main search tools, special library services, etc.
  • External resources for developing your information skills - including online tutorials and downloadable guides.
  • Find out about referencing in your written work and EndNote referencing software in 'Referencing help'.

Referencing guidance

Referencing

  • There is no single way of writing references. Two well-known styles are the Harvard system and the Modern Humanities Research Association (MHRA) system. You will need to use the style specified by your department or by the body or journal to which you are submitting your work. The Arts Faculty has produced a useful guide to citing academic work. If there are no guidelines specified, you should make sure that you write your references in a consistent way.
  • General referencing guidance
    includes Why reference? What is included in a reference? Referencing styles, How to reference, Links to useful sites on referencing, and brief details of EndNote and EndNote Web referencing software (see the EndNote referencing software section below for more details).

Abbreviations

Many journal titles, names of learned bodies, and author names from antiquity are abbreviated in scholarly literature.
How do I decipher an abbreviation? (PDF, 110 KB)

Further help

If you are unable to find the abbreviation you are looking for, please ask a member of the Library staff for assistance.

Note: some of the documents on this webpage are in PDF format. In order to view a PDF you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader Get Acrobat Reader

Writing for the subject, and how to avoid plagiarism

EndNote referencing software

EndNote is the University of Bristol's recommended bibliographical management software, which can be used to collect, store, organise and manage references, and to output them as reference lists or bibliographies. A particularly useful function is 'Cite While You Write', enabling you to format Word documents, producing bibliographies and adding references within the text.