Open access repositories

There are many open access repositories, preprint servers and databases, both institutional and subject-specific.

Use the list below to find content across many different subject areas.

Search open access repositories

  • FindIt@Bham: our library catalogue includes a wide range of OA content in its search results.
  • OpenDOAR: searchable list of institutional repositories, including UBIRA.
  • CORE: search tool for institutional repository content.
  • Google Scholar is a useful source of free material with links to citation information.
  • UKRI Gateway to Research: search for publicly funded UK research.
  • Search Creative Commons: find open access Creative Commons licenced material to re-use.

Institutional repositories

  • UBIRA is the University's own repository, and is a good starting point for full-text materials. 
  • Most universities in the UK have their own equivalent to UBIRA. Use search tools like OpenDOAR to find content. 
  • Often you will find repository content in Google search results.

Preprint servers

  • arXiv: content for physics, mathematics and computer science.
  • bioRxiv: the preprint server for biology.
  • ChemRxiv: unpublished preprints in chemistry and related areas.
  • CogPrints: content for cognitive sciences.
  • EconLit: Economics literature.
  • OSF Preprints: Preprint archive search.
  • PsyArXiv:
  • PubMed Central: free full-text archive of biomedical and life sciences journal literature at the U.S. National Institutes of Health's National Library of Medicine (NIH/NLM).
  • RePEc :content for economics.
  • Social Science Research Network: content in the social sciences.

Subject repositories

  • BASE: provides academic content, useful searching features and suggestions for further searching.
  • DBLP: content for computer sciences.
  • E-LIS: content for library and information sciences.

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