We now have trial access to the Bloomsbury Video Library until the 5th July 2026.

The platform brings together streaming video content across the arts, humanities and social sciences, with documentaries, performances, interviews, instructional films and feature content from internationally recognised practitioners, artists, directors and musicians.

Students and staff can explore the resource here:
Bloomsbury Video Library

What’s included in the trial?

Film and Media

The Film and Media collection includes feature films, experimental cinema, documentaries and interviews with film practitioners including Jane Campion, Miloš Forman, Nicolas Roeg, Robert Altman, Agnès Varda and Alfred Hitchcock.

Content also covers practical filmmaking topics such as sound, lighting and television editing, alongside avant-garde and experimental works from artists and collectives including Fluxus.

Visual and Applied Arts

This collection covers fine art, art history, performance art, architecture, fashion, design, craft and decorative arts through documentaries, interviews and instructional videos.

Featured figures include Norman Foster, Vivienne Westwood, Christian Dior and Frank Lloyd Wright. Interviews also feature artists and designers such as Tracey Emin, David Hockney and Anish Kapoor.

Music

The Music collection includes filmed performances and documentaries spanning jazz, classical and contemporary music, featuring composers and musicians including Arvo Pärt, Pierre Boulez and Stephen Sondheim.

Dance

The Dance collection brings together international dance traditions and contemporary performance, covering ballet, flamenco, hip-hop, kabuki and indigenous Australian dance.

The collection includes works, performances and interviews featuring practitioners such as Pina Bausch, Jiří Kylián, Isadora Duncan and Alvin Ailey.

History and Culture

The History and Culture collection covers a broad range of international topics including politics, literature, history, anthropology, gender and sexuality, and environment and sustainability.

Documentaries and interviews explore subjects ranging from the Harlem Renaissance and climate change to the Rwandan genocide, with contributors including Margaret Atwood and Salman Rushdie.

Making the most of the trial

Once you’re on the platform, you can:

• Browse by subject, theme, language, time period, featured place and creator origin
• Explore curated collection pages created by the Bloomsbury Video Library team
• Use the regularly updated Featured Content section to discover themed selections and trending topics
• Access content both on and off campus using your LJMU credentials

The trial runs until the 5th July 2026, so now is a good time to explore the collections and make use of the content while access is available.

With the Academy Awards back in the spotlight, it’s a good moment to revisit some of the films that have shaped the awards over the years. If you’re looking to catch up on acclaimed cinema, the Library provides access to Kanopy, a streaming platform featuring a wide range of independent, international and critically recognised films.

One area worth exploring right now is Kanopy’s Best Academy Award Winners and Nominees collection. It brings together films that have either taken home Oscars or been recognised with nominations, covering everything from classic Hollywood to recent releases.

Films to look out for

The collection includes a number of well-known titles that continue to be discussed in film studies, cultural analysis and media courses.

You might start with classics such as Rear Window, the suspenseful Alfred Hitchcock thriller that remains a landmark in cinematic storytelling, or Chinatown, widely regarded as one of the defining films of 1970s American cinema.

There are also powerful dramas that have become staples of film and theatre discussions. Glengarry Glen Ross, adapted from David Mamet’s stage play, is still celebrated for its sharp dialogue and memorable performances.

More recent Oscar-recognised films are represented too. Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer examines the life of J. Robert Oppenheimer and the development of the atomic bomb, while Killers of the Flower Moon brings Martin Scorsese’s historical crime drama to the screen.

The collection also highlights contemporary titles that have generated strong discussion around the awards season, including Anora and the film adaptation of the hit musical Wicked.

And if you’re interested in modern portrayals of ambition and excess, The Wolf of Wall Street offers another Oscar-nominated performance that continues to attract debate and analysis.

Why explore Kanopy?

Many of the films available on Kanopy appear regularly in university teaching because they offer useful perspectives on history, culture, politics and storytelling. Watching them alongside your reading can add another layer to how you approach topics in media, sociology, history and the arts.

How to watch

You can access Kanopy through the Library using your LJMU login. Once signed in, browse the Best Academy Award Winners and Nominees collection or search for a specific title.

If you’re following this year’s Academy Awards, it’s a good opportunity to revisit some past winners, discover a few nominees you might have missed, and see how these films have helped shape the conversation around cinema.

If you’re a fan of mind-bending cinema and haven’t yet explored Kanopy, you’re in for a treat. Kanopy is a streaming service that offers a treasure trove of classic cinema, indie films, and top documentaries—all for free using your LJMU account. To celebrate the life of David Lynch we thought we would highlight the enigmatic masterpiece Lost Highway, a film that promises to take you on a surreal journey like no other. This is also the only place on streaming services in the UK to find this movie.

Dive into Lost Highway

David Lynch’s Lost Highway is a 1997 neo-noir film that defies conventional storytelling. The film stars Bill Pullman, Patricia Arquette, and Balthazar Getty, and features a haunting soundtrack produced by Trent Reznor. The narrative follows a musician who begins receiving mysterious videotapes of himself and his wife, leading to a series of surreal and unsettling events.

What makes Lost Highway a must-watch?

Unique Storytelling: Lynch’s narrative structure is often compared to a Möbius strip, creating a looping, dream-like experience.

Atmospheric Soundtrack: The film’s music, featuring contributions from Nine Inch Nails, David Bowie, and Marilyn Manson, perfectly complements its eerie atmosphere.

Cult Following: Initially met with mixed reviews, Lost Highway has since garnered critical acclaim and a dedicated fanbase.

How to Watch

Ready to dive into the world of Lost Highway? Simply head over to Kanopy, find Liverpool John Moores University as your University and sign in with your LJMU username and password if prompted. Whether you’re a long-time Lynch fan or new to his work, this film is sure to leave a lasting impression.

Have you watched any other David Lynch films? Which one is your favourite? My personal Favourite is Mullholland Drive.

Are you looking to elevate your research game? Whether you’re writing a paper, preparing a presentation, or simply diving deep into a topic of interest, the MLA Bibliography is an invaluable resource that can help you achieve academic excellence. Here’s why you should make it a staple in your research toolkit.

What is MLA Bibliography?

The MLA International Bibliography is a comprehensive database that provides detailed information on scholarly publications in the fields of literature, language, linguistics, folklore, and more. Compiled by the Modern Language Association, this resource is trusted by academics worldwide for its extensive coverage and meticulous indexing.

Why Use MLA Bibliography?

• Extensive Coverage: With over 2.8 million citations, the MLA Bibliography covers a vast array of subjects, including literary criticism, cultural studies, and linguistics. Whether you’re researching Shakespeare or contemporary digital media, you’ll find relevant sources.
• Credible Sources: The bibliography includes peer-reviewed journal articles, books, book chapters, and dissertations, ensuring that you have access to high-quality, credible sources for your research.
• Advanced Search Features: The MLA Bibliography offers powerful search tools that allow you to filter results by author, subject, publication date, and more. This makes it easy to find exactly what you need, saving you time and effort.
• Interdisciplinary Insights: The database’s broad scope means you can explore interdisciplinary connections, gaining new perspectives and insights that enrich your understanding of your research topic.
• Stay Updated: With regular updates, the MLA Bibliography ensures you have access to the latest research and developments in your field. Stay ahead of the curve by incorporating the most recent studies into your work.

Tips for Using MLA Bibliography Effectively

• Start Broad, Then Narrow Down: Begin with broad search terms to get an overview of available resources, then refine your search to focus on specific aspects of your topic.
• Use Boolean Operators: Enhance your search queries with Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT) to combine or exclude keywords, improving the relevance of your results.
• Check References: Look at the references cited in the articles you find. This can lead you to additional valuable sources and help you build a comprehensive bibliography.
• Save Your Searches: Many databases allow you to save your search queries and results. This can be a time-saver for ongoing projects and helps you keep track of useful sources.

Incorporating the MLA Bibliography into your research process can significantly enhance the quality and depth of your academic work. By providing access to a wealth of credible, well-organized information, it empowers you to conduct thorough and insightful research. So, next time you’re embarking on a research project, make sure to leverage the power of the MLA Bibliography—your gateway to academic success!

You can login via Discover and if prompted by using your LJMU institutional login username@ljmu.ac.uk and password. A free online course on how to use MLA Bibliography effectively is available here.

As always, we would love to hear any feedback you may have about the resource by using the ‘Reply’ below or if you would like assistance, please Ask the Library 

Are you a passionate about theatre and drama? Whether you’re studying literature, performance and production, or just have a love for the stage, the Nick Hern Books Modern Plays collection on Drama Online is a treasure trove waiting to be explored. Here’s why you should dive into this incredible resource:

A Diverse Collection of Contemporary Plays

The Nick Hern Books Modern Plays collection features over 875 plays from some of the most renowned playwrights in the UK and Ireland, as well as exciting new voices. This extensive library includes award-winning and widely studied plays, continually updated with new works fresh from leading theatres.

Exciting recent additions include:

• Jez Butterworth’s “The Ferryman”: Winner of multiple awards, including the Olivier and Critics’ Circle Theatre Awards.
• Conor McPherson’s “Girl from the North Country”: A unique blend of drama and music with lyrics by Bob Dylan.
• Battlefield by Peter Brook and Marie-Hélène Estienne: a return to their acclaimed adaptation of great Indian epic The Mahabharata, and seen on an international tour.

Other highlights:

• Caryl Churchill: Over 40 plays by one of our greatest living writers, which blend stunning formal innovation with a clear-eyed, unflinching look at the world around us – including Escaped Alone, Far Away, and A Number 
• Top contemporary Irish playwriting: Includes strikingly original works by Enda Walsh such as Disco Pigs, Misterman and Ballyturk, and uncanny, heartfelt plays by Conor McPherson (“quite possibly the finest playwright of his generation” New York Times) including The Weir, The Seafarer, and The Night Alive
• The Terence Rattigan collection: 16 plays by one of the twentieth-century’s leading dramatists, including devastating masterpiece The Deep Blue Sea, legal and family drama The Winslow Boy, and one-act play The Browning Version, twice adapted for film
• NHB Drama Classics: includes foreign works in translation from Nikolai Gogol, Alfred Jarry, Molière, and more.

Why you Should Explore This Collection:

1. Academic Excellence: These plays are not only entertaining but also academically enriching. They provide valuable insights into contemporary issues, diverse cultures, and innovative storytelling techniques.
2. Performance Inspiration: Aspiring actors, directors, and playwrights can find a wealth of material for performances, class projects, and personal study.
3. Convenient Access: With Drama Online, you can access these plays anytime, anywhere. This digital library is perfect for busy students who need flexible study options.

Get Started Today!

Don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity to enrich your university experience with the Nick Hern Books Modern Plays collection on Drama Online. Dive into the world of modern drama and let these powerful stories inspire and educate you.

You can login to by using your LJMU institutional login username@ljmu.ac.uk and password and if prompted choose Liverpool John Moores University as your institution.

As always, we would love to hear any feedback you may have about the resource by using the ‘Reply’ below or if you would like assistance, please Ask the Library 

Calling all students and staff with a passion for theatre and drama! Imagine having a treasure trove of theatrical knowledge, expert insights, and thought-provoking discussions right at your fingertips. That’s exactly what “The Play Podcast” offers. Whether you’re from the screen school, a theatre enthusiast, or simply curious about the world of plays, this podcast is a must-listen. Here’s why:

• In-Depth Exploration of Plays
  “The Play Podcast” delves deep into both classic and contemporary plays, offering a comprehensive understanding of each work. From the intricacies of Shakespearean drama to the nuances of modern playwrights, every episode is a rich exploration that will enhance your appreciation of theatre.
• Expert Guests and Unique Insights
  Each episode features expert guests, including directors, actors, and scholars, who provide unique insights and behind-the-scenes stories. Their expertise brings a new dimension to the plays, helping you see them through the eyes of professionals.
• Enhance Your Studies
  For students studying Performance and production or literature, “The Play Podcast” is an invaluable resource. Use it to supplement your coursework, gain new perspectives for essays, or prepare for exams. The detailed discussions and analyses can provide fresh angles on familiar texts.
• Accessible and Engaging
  The podcast is designed to be engaging and accessible to everyone, regardless of their level of theatre knowledge. Whether you’re a seasoned theatre-goer or a complete newcomer, you’ll find the episodes both informative and enjoyable.
• Flexible Listening
  With busy university schedules, it’s important to have flexible learning options. “The Play Podcast” fits seamlessly into your life—listen during your commute, while you’re cooking, or as a study break. The convenience of podcasts mean you can enrich your theatre knowledge anytime, anywhere.
• Community and Conversation
  Join a community of like-minded theatre lovers by following “The Play Podcast” on social media. Engage in conversations, share your thoughts on episodes, and connect with fellow students who share your passion for plays.
• Inspiration for Your Own Work
  If you’re involved in university productions or aspiring to write your own plays, the podcast can be a great source of inspiration. Hearing from those who work in the industry can spark new ideas and give you the confidence to pursue your own creative projects.

How to Get Started
You can listen over at Drama Online or head over to your favourite podcast platform, whether it’s Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Google Podcasts, and search for “The Play Podcast”. Subscribe to stay updated with the latest episodes and start exploring the fascinating world of theatre today.

Don’t miss out on this incredible resource that can enrich your studies and fuel your passion for drama. Tune in to “The Play Podcast” and let the magic of theatre come alive in your ears!

Happy listening and break a leg with your studies!

As always, we would love to hear any feedback you may have about the resource by using the ‘Reply’ below or if you would like assistance, please Ask the Library 

Negotiations between Jisc (on behalf of UK Universities) and Springer Nature are on-going. Springer Nature is one of the world’s largest academic publishers. UK Universities currently have access to ‘Springer Compact’ agreement, a transitional agreement which provides UK researchers with read access to 2,500 journals and open access publishing rights in 1,900 journals. 

Springer Compact was one of the earliest transitional agreements negotiated by the sector in 2015. In the years since its inception, the scholarly communications landscape has evolved considerably and so too have the sector’s requirements.

The academic community are dismayed at the high costs Springer Nature are proposing in relation to the read and publish rights in their journals, which are perceived as being disproportionate and exclusionary. The sector, working with Jisc, is seeking a new deal that will encompass all the journals in the Springer Nature portfolio whilst also reducing and constraining costs.

Our subscription to Springer Nature expired at the end of 2022 and we are currently in a period of grace access until 1^st March 2023. To date proposals from Springer Nature have fallen short of sector requirements. The coming weeks will be key to securing a new agreement, however there is a possibility that no agreement will be reached and the current UK universities agreement with Springer Nature may come to an end on 1^stMarch 2023. 

What happens next?

Negotiations through Jisc will continue and we will send you regular updates as the situation changes.

In the event of a subscription cancellation most requirements for journal access will be satisfied through post cancellation access agreements or through articles which are open access. If the content you require is unavailable in this way, you can request material for research or teaching by contacting Library Services Acquisitions team. 

What are my options if I hit a paywall and am asked to pay for content?

Content retained through post cancellation access and open access content will continue to be available to you.  Use Discover to check access and availability. 

If the article you require is unavailable, you have several options. 

1. If the article is required for research or private study, request a copy via the interlibrary lending request service.

2. If the article is required for teaching or to share with students, contact the Acquisitions team to ask about obtaining a copyright-cleared version to share legally with students. 
3. Contact the author. Many publishers allow authors to share their own articles responsibly and authors are often willing to share their final manuscript. Look out for the ‘contact the author’ option on the article home page. 

How will a no-deal impact my teaching?

We will retain access to Springer Nature backfiles from 2016 – 2022 for the majority of journal titles and to open access content. 

Where there are links to Springer Nature articles in your reading lists to which we no longer have access ‘no full text online’ will be displayed. 

If you feel your reading list may be affected by this, please contact your Academic Engagement Librarian to discuss your options. 

Can I upload a PDF to Canvas?

It is good practice to link to the original article from Canvas. If this isn’t possible contact the Acquisitions team to ask about obtaining a copyright-cleared version to share legally with students.

Can I request an article for teaching via ILL?

The interlibrary lending request service can be used to obtain material for research or private study and cannot be used to obtain material which is intended to be shared with others, such as students. Contact the Acquisitions team to ask about obtaining a copyright-cleared version to share legally with students.

Can I still publish with Springer Nature?

Yes, you can still publish with Springer Nature. Journals do not consider institutional subscription status when selecting articles for publication. 

Can I make my article Open Access?

Authors should follow the green Open Access route and make a copy of their Author Accepted Manuscript available in the LJMU repository. 

Authors with any queries or concerns related to publishing should speak to the Library Researcher Engagement team. UKRI and Wellcome funded authors in particular, should speak to this team for advice on rights retention and funder compliance. 

What should I do if my research/teaching curriculum relies on access to a particular springer nature journal?

In the event of a no deal scenario, LJMU will retain access post-cancellation access to Springer Nature backfiles from 2016 – 2022 for the majority of journal titles and to articles which are open access. If the content you require is unavailable in this way, you can request material for research or teaching by contacting the Acquisitions team. 

Where can I get more information on the negotiations?

For further information please see the Jisc website or contact Maria Follett, Library Services. Email. m.l.follett@ljmu.ac.uk

We are trialling the Oberon Books Collection from Drama Online until 5th April 2021.

This exciting and diverse collection consists of 252 modern and contemporary plays, both British and international.

Highlights of the collection include:

• Contemporary hit plays by innovative writers such as Clare Barron, Alice Birch,
  Robert Icke, Jasmine Lee-Jones, Eve Leigh, and Sh!t Theatre
• Plays suitable for study, including Tanika Gupta’s The Empress and Morgan Lloyd
  Malcolm’s Emilia
• Modern classics from contemporary writers such as Mojisola Adebayo, Neil Bartlett, Rikki Beadle-Blair, Richard Bean, Bryony Lavery and Duncan Macmillan
• Canonical works from writers such as Arnold Wesker and J.B Priestley
• International plays in translation, including the work of Hanoch Levin

Each play is available in full-text, and is accompanied by a Play Summary containing information such as the themes of the play, the period in which it was first performed, and links to related content. Alternatively, click on Play Tools and you will find a Character Grid: choose one or more character names to see statistics for those characters in the Words and Speeches graph.

For access: click here and you will be taken to our Sign In page. Log in with your LJMU username (username@ljmu.ac.uk) and password, and you are now logged into the resource.

Please let us know if you find the collection useful, either by filling in a reply below or via Ask The Library.

Missing the theatre? Well here’s the chance to watch high quality recordings of 30 world-class productions, available any time, anywhere. Ideal viewing for over the Christmas period!

Highlights include:

• James Corden in One Man, Two Guvnors
• A Streetcar Named Desire: starring Gillian Anderson, Ben Foster and Vanessa Kirby
• Othello: Adrian Lester and Rory Kinnear jointly won the Evening Standard Best Actor Award for their performances in the iconic roles of Othello and Iago.
• Twelfth Night: Tamsin Greig as a transformed Malvolia, in a new twist on Shakespeare’s classic comedy of mistaken identity
• Frankenstein: Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller each play Victor Frankenstein and his creation in these two performances of Danny Boyle’s smash-hit production

Each video is accompanied by information about the cast and creative team, details of where and when it was filmed, an image gallery, and links to related eBooks.

We have access to the collection until 31st August 2021.

For access, click here, and log in with your LJMU username (username@ljmu.ac.uk) and password. You will also find the resource listed on Databases A-Z.

• Digital Theatre+ allows you to watch world-class theatre wherever you are, 24/7.
• A resource for English and Drama students, and anyone who loves theatre and the performing arts.
• Stage productions are filmed in high-definition for streaming exclusively through the DT+ platform.
• Includes access to many additional academic resources.

What’s included?

• Plays & Productions
  Video and audio performances performed and recorded specifically for DT+, e.g. King Lear, Much Ado About Nothing, As You Like It, Macbeth, A Doll’s House & Far From The Madding Crowd, plus many additional productions from partner institutions such as the BBC.
• Practice & Practitioners
  Interviews with actors, practitioners, academics and experts, plus documentaries and lectures.
• Theory & Criticism
  Academic resources: documentaries, teaching plans, workshops, study guides.

To access the resource:

…From within the University, go to Digital Theatre Plus in the Databases A-Z, click on the link and you will be automatically logged in. Alternatively you can go straight to: https://www.digitaltheatreplus.com/education. Again, you will be automatically signed in.

…From off-campus, click on ‘Sign In’, then select Liverpool John Moores University from the drop-down list of institutions, and click on ‘Sign In With My Institution’. Then enter your LJMU username (in the format username@ljmu.ac.uk) and password when prompted.