Publicly available


There is a wide range of freely available information sources, including ebooks, full-text journals, images, reports, statistics and source material.

The Open University also provides freely available materials for skills development, including

  • Being Digital: a collection of short, easy to follow activities, which cover the skills we all need to be effective online. Whether it’s searching efficiently, critically evaluating information, communicating and sharing online, or selecting the right online tool for your needs, each activity should take no more than 10 minutes to complete.
  • Skills for OU Study: resources and activities providing tips about effective study skills in areas such as assignments, exams and thinking, reading and taking notes and a broad range of related areas.
  • OpenLearn: provides free online learning material taken from Open University modules in different subject areas which includes "Finding Information" in your chosen subject. OpenLearn also contains library related material on information skills and lists freely available resources.