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Looking for background information

 You need to develop background knowledge in the subject area you are studying, working in or researching. Access to established information provides you with standards and proven content helping you to identify existing practices, recommendations and gaps in the knowledge-base.

Books (and ebooks) are an excellent source of background knowledge!

Resources to help you to find background information:

Library Search

   This is the library catalogue. You can search for books across our 3 libraries (Health Library, Campus Library and Health Library at County). You can request a title be saved for you to collect later. You can request to pick up a title from a different library to its host library.

You can also access ebooks via Library Search. Most titles are available to Keele users; titles available to NHS users are more restricted.

Access Library Search

To request print books:

All users can search Library Search for books (within our collections) and ebooks (where access varies depending on user group). To make requests you will need to log in:

  • Keele users log in with your Keele email address and password
  • NHS users log into Library Search with your library membership username and password. This will have been given to you when you collected your library card.

For access to ebooks on Library Search

  • Keele users log in with your Keele email address and password
  • NHS users access full-text via your NHS OpenAthens username and password

Oxford Medicine Online (NHS)

   NHS users can access over 130 titles from the Oxford Medicine Online collection. These include the respected Oxford Handbook titles as well as textbooks. You can access these easy-to-read ebooks via your NHS OpenAthens username.

Clinical Key ebooks (UHNM only)

   UHNM staff can access a collection of over 600 key ebooks. Search the collection or select your specialty to check what is available.

NHS Knowledge & Library Hub

   All users can search the NHS Knowledge & Library Hub. However access to full-text is only available via NHS OpenAthens username. The Hub allows you to search across a wide variety of NHS and healthcare-based content. Filter your search results by book / ebook and full-text to access content quickly.

Make a stock suggestion

You can help us to improve our book collection – complete a stock suggestion form.

Get help

For more help accessing our book and ebook collections, try these tutorials:

Or get more help from our step-by-step blog posts:

Get in touch

For more help using Health Library resources or finding information:

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