The library has multiple options for exploring different digital resources available for your research online. You can view all of our electronic databases/content in our A-Z Database List. Here, you can search by name or filter by subject or database type (i.e. streaming or image databases).
You can also explore our librarian-built subject guides for your school or course. View our research guides (also called LibGuides) here: library.uncsa.edu/
There is a wealth of information on the internet that is free and accessible to everyone, some of it not available anywhere else, parts of the collections of research libraries, and some providing educational resources such as textbooks and other content. Some open access resources can be found below, and more can be found in the A-Z Database list:
Why? To search the history of 900+ billion web pages on the internet
When? 1990s - present
Why? To explore the history and culture of North Carolina through materials from cultural heritage repositories across the state
What? Primary sources (yearbooks, city directories, memorabilia, photographs), newspapers
When? 1700 - present
Why? To discover 50M+ digital items from libraries, archives, and museums across the United States
What? Maps, news footage, oral histories, personal letters, and museum objects
When? 5000 BCE to present
Why? To find open-access e-textbooks for the most frequently taught courses across North Carolina's colleges and universities
What? Open access electronic textbooks
Why? To find electronic copies of commonly required textbooks, available at no cost
What? Open access electronic textbooks
Why? To explore or borrow books from an open-source project that aims to create a web page for every book every published
What? eBooks
Why? To find (or transcribe!) scores of music in the public domain in an interactive, community-built database
What? Scores that you can listen to, edit, and share
Why? To explore a comprehensive database of 85,000+ streaming videos across a wide range of subjects, curated specifically for education
What? Documents, feature films, and newssreels
When? 1894 - present
Why? To enjoy the latest season of filmed performances and the vast archives of the Berlin Philharmonic
What? Streaming videos of concerts, documentaries, interviews, and films
When? 1989 - present
Why? To stream performances of select plays and musicals direct from Broadway
What? Streaming recorded performances
Why? To watch nearly 1,000 hours of dance productions and documentaries covering ballet, tap, jazz, contemporary, experimental, and improvisational dance
What? Recorded performances, interviews, and instructional videos
When? 1930 - present
Why? To watch an eclectic and diverse selection of films and documentaries from around the world
What? Streaming films and documentaries
Why? To watch hundreds of streaming performances from top theatres, interviews, and supplementary learning materials for theatre, music, and dance
What? Recorded performances, interviews, and training videos
Why? To chose from 40,000+ streaming videos on many subjects
What? Streaming video including documentaries, music, and indie films
Why? To stream films in our base campus collection as well as specific additions curated by UNCSA faculty
What? Feature films and documentaries
Why? To stream recorded performances of classical music, opera, and dance from some of the world's most prestigious venues, and films, including artist portraits, documentaries, and master classes
What? Streaming films and recorded performances
When? 1940s - present
Why? To enjoy access to 850+ full-length performances from the Met Opera
What? Video and audio recordings of performances, descriptive audio recordings, and documentaries
When? 1970s - present
Why? To stream 500+ hours of recorded opera performances
What? Recorded video of performances, as well as interviews and documentaries
When? 1933 - 2010
Why? To stream high-definition recordings of modern productions of Shakespeare's works, accompanied by material to enhance understanding of these important plays
What? Recorded performances, supporting material
Why? To stream videos from a feature film collection curated by faculty
What? Streaming video
Why? To stream a collection of 12,000+ diverse, international films
What? Films, interviews, commentary
When? 1902 - present
Why? To listen to recordings of classical music
What? Recorded music
When? Medieval period - 21st century
Why? To listen to songs from every continent
What? Streaming recorded music
When? 1905 - present
Why? To listen to songs charting American history, including significant songs of the Civil Rights movement, political campaigns, Prohibition, the Revolutionary War, anti-war protests, and more
What? Streaming recorded music
When? 18th century - present
Why? To listen to a large, comprehensive collection of streaming jazz music
What? Streaming recorded music
Why? To stream 100,000+ albums of both standard and rare repertoire, with new tracks added each month
What? Streaming recorded music
Why? To explore a database of music, spoken word, and natural and man-made sounds
What? Recorded music and audio
When? 1938 - present
Why? To explore a large, diverse catalog of music and dance content covering hundred of genres from alternative to zydeco to operatic arias
What? Scores, reference works, and high definition audio and video
Why? To listen to tracks from all of UNCSA's Alexander Street audio collections in one location
What? Recorded music
Selections from the Archives collections have been digitized and are available to view online.
The UNCSA Archives Digital Collections contain over 13,000 digitized photographs and documents from the Archives collections. Digitization efforts have focused on photographs of the school's Drama, All-School Musical, and Opera productions. Other subjects include Buildings and Campus Views; Campus Life and Special Events; the International Music Program; and the first campus production of The Nutcracker in 1966. Additional items are added to the database regularly as they are digitized.
Digitized copies of the NC Essay (student newspaper), course bulletins/catalogs, and yearbooks are available through DigitalNC, a statewide digitization and digital publishing program hosted by UNC Chapel Hill's Wilson Special Collections Library.
Please note that the material represented online is only a small portion of the physical holdings of the Archives - please consult the Collection Guides or contact the University Archivist to explore material on-site.
(NC Essay Logo, 9 December 1968. Publications Collection, UNCSA Archives, University of North Carolina School of the Arts.)