Finding your way in the collections
This information will help you find items in our collections; all types of material, from medieval manuscripts to digitised and electronic books, newspapers and databases.
Books and e-books
Most books (in print and electronic form) can be found through the Library’s search tool. For books published before 1962, you may need to search in the Library’s older catalogues. If you are looking for material printed up to and including 1850, see also Early printed works.
- The Library’s search tool - use the search panel on the Library’s start page. There you will find most of the Library’s printed and electronic books and journals.
- Catalogue 1962 - books and journals up to and including 1962. Parts of the contents are available in the Library’s search tool.
- Library catalogue, Almedalsbiblioteket, Gotland
- LIBRIS - joint catalogue for Swedish libraries at higher education institutions.
- Read more about e-books
- Read more about course books
Students and researchers at Uppsala University can order books and articles that are not included in our collections.
Early printed works
Early printed works include books, journals, newspapers, ephemera and booklets printed before 1850. A few examples of the catalogues of early printed works:
- Catalogue 1962 - our catalogue of books and journals up to and including 1962. Parts of the content, but far from all, may also be found in the Library’s search tool.
- Aurivillius - a catalogue of the books and journals in Uppsala University Library in 1796. Much of the material is included in the Catalogue 1962, so start your search there.
- Inventory - books and journals listed by their old inventory numbers (according to subject and serial number) up to and including 1796. It should be used with the Aurivillius catalogue.
- Bibliotheca Walleriana - a catalogue of medical and natural science literature (printed circa 1490s – 1940s) from the Waller collections.
Read more about Early printed works and how to find them
Theses and dissertations
- DiVA - the database of Uppsala University publications including dissertations and theses. DiVA also contains full-text dissertations dating from 1602 to 1855.
- Catalogue 1962 - our catalogue of books and journals up to and including 1962. Parts of the content can also be found in the Library’s search tool.
Read more about theses and dissertations
Periodicals
The Library subscribes to journals and periodicals from all over the world, both digital and printed.
- The Library’s search tool - includes most of our journals.
- Catalogue 1962 - our catalogue of books and journals up to and including 1962. Parts of the content can also be found in the Library’s search tool.
- Aurivillius (Pehr Fabian Aurivillius, Catalogus Bibliothecae Regiae Academiae Upsaliensis) - catalogue of the books and journals in Uppsala University Library in 1796. Much of the material is included in Catalogue 1962, so start your search there.
- Inventory - list of books and journals according to older inventory numbers (subject designation and serial number) up to and including 1796. Use only in conjunction with the Aurivillius catalogue.
Newspapers
We have databases with full-text and microfilmed newspapers, and sometimes also original issues. You can search directly in the full-text newspapers or find references to articles through our databases.
- Retriever Research (Mediearkivet) - Swedish dailies, in searchable full-text versions.
- PressReader - Online access to newspapers from all over the world..
- Factiva - news material from 118 countries, in 22 different languages, from the daily and business press, and other sources.
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Svenska dagstidningar – Free text search in the National Library of Sweden’s database for Swedish newspapers. Articles older than 115 years can be accessed from anywhere. More recent material is only available at specific computers.
Databases
The contents of most of our databases are searchable in the Library’s search tool, but not everything, so for some material you might need use specific databases.
Pictorial collections
The Library’s pictorial collections contain engravings and lithographs, drawings, postcards, photographs and printed images. The predominant motifs are portraits, topographical views and historical events.
- Alvin - platform for digital collections and digitised cultural heritage. This portal is under construction and currently contains a small part of the Library’s pictures and maps.
Maps
The collections consist of printed, digital and hand-drawn maps from the late Middle Ages to modern, contemporary publications.
- Alvin - platform for digital collections and digitised cultural heritage. This portal is under construction and currently contains only a very small number of the Library’s maps.
Manuscripts
The manuscript collections contain not only medieval manuscripts and historical documents but entire collections of archives and correspondence from modern authors and cultural personalities. A few examples of the manuscript catalogues:
- Alvin - platform for digital collections and digitised cultural heritage. This portal is under construction.
- Catalogue of the manuscript collections, classified by subject - digitised version, classified by subject, of the Library’s manuscripts.
- Catalogue of medieval manuscripts - digital version of the Catalogue of the Library’s western medieval manuscripts (‘the C collection’).
- Index to the Manuscript Collection - an overview and orientation tool in the library's different catalogues of the manuscript collection.
Read more about the manuscript collections and how to find them
Music
The music collections comprise both printed and hand-written sheet music from the 13th century onwards. A few examples of the music catalogues:
- LIBRIS - the national catalogue including modern musical printed works from Sweden and abroad.
- Düben Database - the catalogue of the Düben collection, comprising vocal and instrumental music from the 17th and early 18th centuries, primarily in manuscript form. A high proportion of the sheet music has been scanned in and is directly accessible in the database.
- Catalogue of Music Manuscripts – 1970
- Catalogue of printed music -1970. - printed scores acquired by Uppsala University Library up to 1970.
- Catalogue of music scores 1970-1980. - printed and handwritten music scores acquired by Uppsala University Library up to 1980
Archives
The archive collections contain personal archives and correspondence from modern authors and cultural personalities, as well as records from institutions and societies. Some archives are listed in:
- Alvin — platform for digital collections and digitised cultural heritage. More lists and materials are uploaded to Alvin every day.
International organisations' publications
The University Library is the deposit library for the EU, Council of Europe, UN and World Bank. We can help you to find both printed and electronic material from these organisations. Read more about printed and electronic material from the EU, Council of Europe, United Nations and World Bank.
- DagDok: the Library’s guide to the United Nations and UN documents.