Westminster Reference Library

Collections

The library contains the following collections (subjects are in brackets)

Law Collection
In addition to legal text books, journals and encyclopaedias, extensive collections of UK Official (government and parliamentary) publications and European Union official publications are available. Please also consider our subject librarians as resources who are here to help you find what you are looking for, whether in our collection, in other libraries, or on the Internet. You can also find the online law information we recommend on our Gateway to Websites. Both Marylebone Information Service and Westminster Reference Library subscribe to Lexis Nexis, an online database of Law information comprising statutes, law reports, forms and precedents, commentary, amongst other resources.,
(Law, Legislation)

UK Official Publications Collection
We hold an extensive collection of UK official publications - one of the major London public library resources. The collection includes legislation, statistics, reports and papers, some going back to the early part of the twentieth century: * Parliamentary publications since 1906 * HMSO / Stationery Office publications since 1947 * Census statistics from the 19th Century (1801) to date * Records of Parliamentary Debates since 1803 * UK and international statistical publications from the Office of National Statistics (ONS), United Nations (UN), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), World Trade Organization (WTO), Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and others * CD ROM and hard copy index resources,
(Official publications)

Business and Finance Collection
The collection provides a wealth of information for fact-finding missions or in-depth research, including: Practical guides: approximately 600 quick reference sources on all aspects of economics and business: * Finance: banking, stocks & shares, taxation, accountancy * Employment: health & safety, rights, job-searching aids * Starting up in business: company law, Business Opportunity Profiles and more from COBRA * People management: recruitment, communication, motivation * Operations management: business plans & strategies, benchmarking * Commerce: exporting & importing * Marketing: direct mail, e-commerce, advertising, public relations,
(Business, Finance)

European Union Collection
As well as a wide range of current awareness leaflets and brochures on developments in the EU for you to take away, we provide free internet access and can guide you to all aspects of EU information available online including * EU legislation in both draft (Commission Proposals / Com Docs) and completed form including European Court Reports online * The Official Journal of the EU L & C [Legislation and Communication] series online * The Official Journal of the EU S [Supplement] series - Public Procurement / Invitations to tender for public works and supply contracts within (and outside) the EU. Access the TED [Tenders Electronic Daily] online database * Selected journals, periodicals and newsletters published by and on the EU, from current awareness newspaper 'European Voice' to specific journals such as ‘Single Market News’, ‘Energy In Europe', 'Vocational Training', 'Environment for Europe' and more * EUROSTAT online statistical databases * Explore a selection of books giving an overview and explanation of EU policies, politics and programmes with guidance also to relevant websites and online sources of EU information,
(European institutions)

Performing Arts Collection
A collection of some 8,000 books covering the performing arts.There are books and journals on: * ballet * cabaret * cinema * circus * dance * magic * mime * musical theatre * pantomime * performance art * photography * puppetry * radio * street theatre * television * theatre * variety and music hall * video ,
(Broadcasting, Broadcasting industry, Broadcasting programmes, Cinema, Circuses, Dance, Films, Music, Musical styles, Performing arts, Radio, Television, Theatre, Theatre management)

Art and Design Collection
We have over 40,000 books covering painting, architecture, sculpture, antiques, ceramics, textiles, fashion, jewellery, furniture, graphics, interiors and gardens. Our wide range of art magazines includes cutting edge titles such as Wallpaper, Flash Art, I-D, Artforum and Blueprint as well as long backfiles of Apollo, Burlington, Country Life and Vogue. You can check our journals holdings in the library or online, or access the National Art Library Union List of Art and Design Serials. We have Art Abstracts, ArtBibliographies Modern and Design & Applied Arts Index on CDROM. You can search over 50 years of art auction records in a single click of a mouse, on our Art Sales Index CD-ROM. We also have price guides to antiques, stamps, coins and collectibles. Exhibition catalogues are often the first and sometimes only record of an artist or a work of art. We have nearly 6,000 catalogues for exhibitions shown in most of the major galleries in London, some dating from the 1940's. Looking for an image? Our collections are very much geared towards picture research, including all fields of design, many photography books, illustrated general reference resources, the Photobase CD-ROM series and free internet access.,
(Architecture, Art, Artists, Design (arts), Sculpture, Textiles)

General collection
Collections of lending and reference books are held. Stock includes materials for adults, children and young people in print and other media including accessible formats (large print and spoken word CDs and audio cassettes). A number of special collections are held here.,
(Broadcasting, Cinema, Musical theatre, Radio, Television, Theatre)