Collections

Collections

Library collections contain resources in a variety of types and formats, such as databases, books, journals, multimedia and standards.

Highlights from our collections

Expand all sections

Databases include a range of resources such as scholarly journals and articles, newspaper articles, e-books, videos, images and company records. Popular databases include:

* To download a standard, you will need to use the FileOpen plugin in Adobe Reader. Get help and instructions from SAI Global.

Check the Library subject guide in the relevant subject area for the list of recommended databases. 

The Library provides books in both print and electronic format. Popular e-book platforms include:

Check the e-Book subject guide for how to find and use e-books.

The Library provides journals in both print and electronic format which can all be found using LibrarySearch. Popular e-journal platforms include:

Browse journals by title

BrowZine lets you browse our e-journal collection on a desktop or mobile. An app is available for iOS, Android and Kindle Fire. Log in with your RMIT password.

Find articles

To find e-journal articles you can use LibrarySearch or Google Scholar. Log in first to access the full text of publications we subscribe to. If this is your first time using Google Scholar to search our collections, find out more about the options for using Google Scholar.

The Library provides access to images, audio and video resources. You can find high quality images from reputable sources covering architecture, art, fashion, health and medical, media, advertising, science and engineering. We also have a growing collection of online videos covering instructional tutorials, Australian current affairs, documentaries, drama series, feature films and subject-specific content.

Important: When using images, you must observe copyright and any other conditions of use. Copyright advice is available if you're unsure what to do.

  • LinkedIn Learning offers online training in business, software, technology and creative skills. First time user? Find out more about LinkedIn Learning.
  • Alexander Street includes documentaries, features, educational and informative videos (and audio), and a wealth of archival material. It lets you create clips and playlists of your favourite videos.
  • ClickView (enter RMIT email address to be directed to the RMIT log in page) Educational videos in Arts, Business, Health and Technology.
  • EduTV contains Australian and international content including current affairs programs, documentaries, drama series, and feature films. Programs are archived with new content added weekly.
  • Pro Sounds Effects is a library of over 120,000 sound effects.
  • MetroMap is an aerial imagery data providing service, offering high-quality and accurate imagery to a subscriber base.
  • An@tomedia is a unique way to learn about the anatomy of the human body. It allows users to 'construct' the body by studying regions and systems and to 'deconstruct' the body through dissection and imaging.
  • Artstor contains a series of art and architecture image collections for teaching and research purposes.

RMIT University Archives preserves and makes available a repository of records that help to tell the story of how the institution has evolved from the Working Men's College in 1887 to the global university of today. The collection spans from the commencement of the Working Men’s College in 1887 until present day, and includes records of predecessor entities.

Check the News and newspapers subject guide for information about newspapers. Popular newspapers and news platforms include:

You can find items from the Reserve collection, such as course readings, using LibrarySearch. To access online documents, you must be logged in to LibrarySearch.

Search tips:

  • Log in to LibrarySearch

  • Enter your course code, e.g. ACCT2033. 

  • Select 'Course readings' from the pull-down menu and start searching.

The Library hosts a number of thematic and unique collections in both physical and digital formats.

Digitised resources

Access a variety of RMIT-created, digitised or licensed resources that are available for use for learning, teaching, marketing and promotional purposes. You can browse all digital collections or locate a specific item using LibrarySearch.

  • Open Educational Resources collection includes RMIT-created resources, Open Textbooks and other Open Educational resources not created by RMIT.
  • RMIT images collection includes snapshots of Buildings, events and activities, campus life and students, general and eSimulations.
  • Video and audio collection contains third party video and audio licensed for use for learning and teaching purposes.
  • Laboratory Medicine Slides collection includes over 200 digitised slides used for teaching in pathology, cytopathology, histopathology and haematology courses.
  • Digitised special collections include Architecture slides, and books, artefacts and photos from the Emily McPherson and Student Printmaking collections.
  • New Academic Street: Behind the Hoarding collection contains learning resources related to the New Academic Street project.
  • Student Works collection contains works contributed by RMIT students who have consented to make their work available to the RMIT community for educational reuse.
  • Library Learning and Teaching collection includes items on eReserve and the School of Engineering and Health Academic Development Group collection.
  • Catalyst collection contains digitised copies of the student publication from its inception. Catalyst's first edition, issued by what was then known as the Representative Council of Students of Melbourne Technical College (later RMIT University Student Union), appeared on 18 May 1944.

Special Collections Room

Our Special Collections Room houses rare, valuable or vulnerable items, including:

  • Material relating to the history and development of RMIT University Library and its collections
  • Items published before 1900
  • Outstanding examples of book production, such as significant illustrative or other graphic material
  • Items of high cost and/or high value
  • Limited editions of not more than 100 copies
  • Items with significant provenance (history or ownership)
  • Irreplaceable material
  • Artists' books
  • RMIT University theses with extra materials - for example DVDs, videos and slides (prefix: THR)

Databases on trial

Instructions

Your evaluations (along with cost) will influence the decision about which resources we purchase.

Please explore the databases currently on trial and let us know whether you'd recommend subscribing to it. Use one form per database.

SAGE trials

The following SAGE trials have been set up, providing our users access to a range of teaching, research and skills resources that cover a wide range from business to science.

Trials end: Friday 4 November.

SAGE Research Methods Video Research Ethics and Integrity collections cover ethics and integrity research, with systematic review and meta-analysis. The resource provides video titles showing research in action to help users build their skills as they prepare to conduct original research. Rather than reading about the best way to conduct a focus group, users can watch one in progress to see just how the facilitator interacts with participants. Those struggling to learn statistics can use the intro stats lessons to learn at their own pace, pausing and repeating the instruction until it clicks. 

SAGE Research Methods Datasets is a collection of teaching datasets and instructional guides covering a range of research methods. By picking a dataset and working through the accompanying guides, students can learn data analysis by practicing themselves. The datasets included in SAGE Research Methods Datasets are taken from government sources and academic research and demonstrate both qualitative and quantitative methods. Each dataset is presented with an easy-to-follow, step-by-step guide to best demonstrate how the method is applied. 

SAGE Skills: Business provides students content to develop and practice real-world skills needed to successfully transition from campus to the modern workplace through interactive self-assessment, virtual scenarios, downloadable data, and expert insights. This digital resource features both academic and practitioner experts in a library of flexible learning tracks across five in-demand categories. 

SAGE Skills: Student Success provides students the tools to learn the practical academic and personal skills needed to thrive during their time in higher education and beyond.  With more than 1,100 topics across 10 comprehensive modules, this digital resource provides a flexible and engaging learning journey through interactive scenarios, self-assessments, downloadable exercises, videos, and more. 

SAGE Research Methods: Data Visualization teaches both beginner and advanced researchers the fundamentals of data and design necessary to create impactful visualizations. Principles are taught through a series of practical video tutorials, text entries, and practice datasets, and teaches users which chart types best fit their specific data story. Features include: 

  • A data viz gallery introducing a spectrum of chart types across five categories of visualizations—categorical, hierarchical, temporal, spatial, and network—complete with both presentation tips and annotated examples of bad practice. 
  • Approximately 30 hours of video tutorials with experienced researchers, each sharing why they chose the visualization to answer their research question and demonstrating how they created it in their chosen software. 
  • Clean datasets, accompanied by step-by-step guides on how to create a particular visualization using a variety of tools, that will let users put their skills into practice. 
  • Overviews of 75 visualization tools, from Excel to Python, to help researchers determine the best tool for their needs.

SAGE Research Methods: Doing Research Online is a new multimedia collection has been designed to support novice or experienced social science researchers who are conducting research online. Whether conducting their first or their hundredth study online, users will find support to employ a variety of digital methods from online surveys, interviews to digital ethnography, social media, and text analysis, as well as learn how to manage, store and archive digital data. Privacy and other ethical considerations specific to conducting research online are also covered. Researchers will also get support with how to navigate the challenges of being supervised online. Features include: 

  • ‘How to Guides’ (providing practical help with using digital research methods) 
  • Videos (tutorials, expert interviews, video case studies, etc.) 
  • Case studies (focused on challenges of designing and conducting research online) 
  • Teaching sets of data with a guide (suggesting a method to analyse both digitally created and existing online data, plus a step-by-step guide to how to do it so that students can practice data analysis) 
Decorative image.

New arrivals in our collections

Browse the latest titles

Help

Not sure where to start?

Check your subject guide to see which databases we recommend for your area of study or ask our friendly Librarians for advice.

Can’t find it in our Library?

Access problems?

Using assistive technology?

Accessibility of online databases, e-journals and e-books vary. For one-on-one help, email library.disabilitycontacts@rmit.edu.au.

Here are accessibility instructions and tips from some of the major database vendors:

aboriginal flag
torres strait flag

Acknowledgement of Country

RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business - Artwork 'Luwaytini' by Mark Cleaver, Palawa.

More information