Using BBIH online: a help pack for students and lecturers, 2020-21

We're very aware of the challenges facing university students and teachers from September 2020. This page helps you get the most from the Bibliography of British and Irish History, and shows how to use BBIH in a new blended learning environment.

The Bibliography is a high-quality record of 625,000 publications relating to British and Irish History, including 1000s published this year.

Using BBIH: how to find and link to the resources you need

The Bibliography of British and Irish History (BBIH) is the largest and most comprehensive record of what's been published in British and Irish History, and the British empire -- as well as on histories of migration, gender and race. BBIH has detailed records of 625,000 books, articles, essays and theses, including thousands that were published this year.

Each record has a detailed index to help discoverability. Records also provide links to locate a copy of a book in your Library, or go direct to journal article if your Library subscribes. This makes BBIH the best way to find what's been published, create reading lists, write a literature review, or swiftly identify the different kinds of academic publications used at university.

About this help pack

The new university year will be very challenging and we're keen to provide what help we can. Over Summer 2020, the Bibliography's editors have created a set of videos that introduce the Bibliography (BBIH), and show how to use it for teaching preparation and study.

The current set of videos are for:

First Year undergraduates studying History, with a focus on Britain and Ireland, the history of British empire and Commonwealth.
History lecturers and college librarians, with a focus on using BBIH for teaching -- both to find relevant content and enable students to identify and distinguish between different kinds of history publications.

Between September and December 2020 we'll add more videos which show how BBIH is used by Third Year students researching a dissertation, and by Master's and PhD students writing a thesis. We want this pack to be useful, so please contact us if you've ideas for further development.

1. Introductions to BBIH, for first and second-year students

This first set of videos are intended for First Year undergraduates studying History, with a focus on Britain and Ireland, the history of British empire and Commonwealth.

VIDEO 1: What is BBIH? - the basics to get you started

This 1-minute video provides an introduction to the 'Bibliography of British and Irish History' (BBIH) - the simplest and best way to find what's been published in your area of History.

VIDEO 2: How to search using BBIH

In this 4-minute video, we'll show you how to use the Bibliography's 'Simple' and 'Advanced' Search. BBIH offers quick and powerful ways to find the books and articles you'll need for study or teaching.

VIDEO 3: Your results - how to use what BBIH can offer

After search comes your results. This 4-minute video explains what you'll see, the valuable information we provide, and how to link direct to the material you need.

VIDEO 4: Behind the scenes at BBIH

In this 3-minute video, we go behind the scenes at BBIH. Every week we review 100s of History journals & 1000s of new History books to ensure BBIH remains up-to-date

2. For librarians and university lecturers

In this video, we explain the history and background of the Bibliography of British and Irish History. BBIH is created and extended by specialist editors and historians, making it the most useful and fullest guide to the British and Irish past.

VIDEO: The academic quality and value of BBIH

In this 4-minute video, we show how BBIH is so useful, and unique, a resource for teaching and research. The Bibliography is created and extended weekly by specialist editors and historians, making it the most useful and fullest guide to the British past.