There are a number of websites and apps you can use to download ebooks, audiobooks, comics, newspapers and magazines.
E-books and audiobooks
Libby
The Libby app is easy to use for browsing, downloading and reading ebooks, audiobooks, magazines, newspapers and comics.
You can download up to 8 ebook and audiobook titles at a time for up to 21 days. Each book automatically drops off your account after the loan period.
BorrowBox
You can use BorrowBox to access a wide range of ebooks and audiobooks for all ages on your computer, tablet or smartphone.
You can download 6 ebooks and 6 audiobooks at a time for up to 21 days. Reservations count as part of your 6 items. Loans automatically expire at the end of the loan period.
uLibrary
You can download bestselling audiobooks to your smartphone, tablet or laptop. Use your library card number and PIN to borrow up to 8 items at a time for up to 3 weeks. You can also download the uLibrary app
PressReader
You can use PressReader to read thousands of newspapers and magazines from around the world in a variety of languages. The newspapers and magazines have full text and images and look exactly the same as the printed version. Search and zoom-in on articles, translate, share, comment, print or listen to them on the go.
You can access the newspapers and magazines through your browser, the Libby app or thePressReader app.
E-learning
You can access online learning courses to help you prepare for your driving theory test or the British citizenship test.
Driving Theory Test Pro
Everything you need to prepare for your driving theory test for cars, motorcycles, PCVs and LGVs. Contains all the revision test questions, hazard perception video clips and an online version of the Highway Code. You need an email address to sign up to the course.
You can access it in libraries or from home with a library card
Life in the UK - the British Way of Life
A step-by-step guide to living in the UK aimed at new arrivals. It covers:
custom
religion
travelling and public transport
the NHS
earning money
benefits
You can access it in libraries or from home with your library card.
GoCitizen
An online course to help you prepare for the Life in the UK test or the British citizenship test.
You can access it in libraries or from home with a library card. You need an email address to sign up.
Online research and reference
You can access all the following resources in libraries, or from home with your library card, unless otherwise stated.
Ancestry Library Edition
Research your family history. Ancestry includes census and voter lists, vital records, parish and probate records, directories, ships’ passenger lists, military records, immigration and passport records, photos, maps and more.
You can only Ancestry in libraries and Hackney Archives. You cannot access it from home.
Credo Reference
Access hundreds of multidisciplinary reference book collections, including art, history, law, medicine, psychology, technology, bilingual dictionaries and encyclopaedias.
Encyclopaedia Britannica
Contains comprehensive, fact-checked and unbiased information. Switch between the 3 reading levels
You can access it in libraries or from home.
If you're in a library
If you're at home
- Britannica Library for ages 3 to 5
- Britannica Library for ages 5 to 10
- Britannica Library for ages 10 to 14
- Britannica Library for ages 14 and older
You can find out more about how to use the Britannica Library in their online guide.
Issues Online
Access personal, social, health and economic resources for students, teachers and parents. Includes articles, reports, key facts, statistics and ebooks on a wide range of contemporary social issues.
Job finding and Universal Credit support
Step-by-step guides to Universal Credit and job skills like:
basic computer skills
online job applications
CVs and cover letters
interview skills
You need your library card number to sign up.
New Oxford Shakespeare
A complete collection of William Shakespeare’s works, with helpful annotations and scholarly essays. Explore 3 editions:
- the Modern Critical Edition - modern spelling
- the Critical Reference Edition - original spelling
- the Authorship Companion
Oxford Art Online
Everything you need to know about visual art worldwide from prehistory to the present day.
Oxford Bibliographies
Research guides on Victorian literature and British and Irish literature.
Oxford Dictionaries (Languages)
Access monolingual and bilingual dictionaries in English, Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish. Includes grammar, spelling, pronunciation, correct usage and style, and translation.
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
Explore the lives of famous people and groups that shaped all aspects of British history from the Romans to the 21st Century.
Oxford English Dictionary
Access the most authoritative and comprehensive dictionary of English in the world.
Oxford Music Online
Find a wealth of information on the world of music.
Oxford Reference
Access the full text of over 200 dictionaries, language reference titles, and subject reference works.
Oxford World's Classics
Access over 300 novels and other works from the 18th and 19th century, including expert translations.
Very Short Introductions
Read concise introductions to a diverse range of topics. The perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly or to fill a gap in knowledge.
What Everyone Needs to Know
Authoritative discussions of complex contemporary issues in a lively question-and-answer format.
Which? Online
Access full reports from the popular consumer advice magazine. Reviews and advice cover a wide range of products and services.
Available in libraries only - ask a member of staff to log you in.
Who’s Who and Who Was Who
Autobiographical information of influential and noteworthy people, past and present, who’ve impacted British life.