There are many different sites across which you will be able to mount your search for relevant research literature as a PhD candidate at the University of Cambridge. In this section we want to introduce you to some of the central search engines that exist to help you navigate your way through the universities various collections and databases while pointing you to relevant sites of further information.
iDiscover is the central search engine for university's print and online collections. Through iDiscover you can find books, ebooks, videos, journal articles, open access content and other resources relevant to your research query. iDiscover will also link you to the university's list of databases and ejournal subscriptions, while also allowing you to log-in to your library account and review your loans and place requests for material not currently on the shelves or which is currently in use by other users. In our Software for Academic Use CamGuide, there is a more comprehensive section on iDiscover.
The University of Cambridge subscribes to roughly 900 databases. You can find a complete A-Z list of databases currently subscribed to by the University of Cambridge here, as well as a rolling list of the most popular databases in use across the university along with new databases that have recently been acquired or evaluated for subscription by the university. Depending upon your subject and discipline, the types of datasets to which you will require access will differ - consult your subject librarians to find out which databases will be of the most use to you during your studies,
ArchiveSearch provides access to finding aids and links to digital records for archives held by Cambridge University Libraries, university faculties and museums, and throughout the majority of the colleges of the University. ArchiveSearch provides details regarding the location of relevant materials and the conditions governing access to help visitors better plan their research trip.
The Cambridge Digital Library represents the ongoing attempt to create a digital archive of the university's collections. The Cambridge Digital Library does not just contain scans of rare books but also digitized copies of rare documents, photographs, and 3D models of rare objects from various collections across the library that students can bookmark for their own use. The Cambridge Digital Library relies primarily on open source technology and, copyright permitting, aspires to make its materials available for teaching across the university and beyond. The Cambridge Digital Library often partners with Cambridge Digital Humanities, and interested students can get involved by signing up to the Cambridge Digital Library newsletter and by exploring the Digital Humanities section of the University Library Website.