Quick reference
Also on this page:
Dictionaries & encyclopaedias | Directories | Local Information | News & Weather
Dictionaries and encyclopaedias
Oxford English Dictionary [24/7]
The most extensive dictionary of the English language, charting its historical development and illustrating its richness.
Credo Reference [24/7]
A wide range of high quality reference books, searchable through a common interface. [more information]
Gale Virtual Reference Library [24/7]
Over 120 reference books on Arts, Biography, Business, Education, Environment, History, Information & Publishing, Law, Literature, Medicine, Multicultural Studies, Religion, Science, and Social Science, searchable through a common interface. [more information][Can't get in?]
Oxford Reference Online [24/7]
Over 200 reference books from the Oxford University Press, searchable through a common interface. [more information]
Britannica Online [24/7]
The famous encyclopaedia, together with links to evaluated information websites, an online dictionary, and national statistical profiles. There are special editions for students and children [Can't get in?]. For non-members of Westminster Libraries, there's the Concise Britannica, freely available to all; and if currency is not essential, Britannica's 11th edition (1911) is free online.
Your Dictionary
The default search is of the Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary, but this site also links to numerous other language resources, including foreign language and multi-lingual dictionaries, and more specialist types such as abbreviations, synonyms and antonyms, acronyms and abbreviations.
Bibliomania Reference
Collection of browsable electronic reference works including Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable and Roget's Thesaurus.
Symbols.com
Search for symbols related to ideas, or discover the meaning of a symbol by describing its characteristics.
Bartleby Reference Collection
A range of reference works from an American source, which can be searched individually or collectively.
Directories
KnowUK [24/7]
Directories and information sources on all aspects of life in this country, searchable separately or together [Can't get in?] [more information].
Directory enquiries
UK telephone numbers from BT.
Yell.com
UK Yellow Pages listing businesses, shops and services.
Telephone Directories on the Web
Links to national telephone directories around the world.
Royalmail
Find postal rates for domestic/international mail as well as a useful Price Finder, you can even buy stamps! Also includes a postcode and address finder .
UK Phone Info
Find out which dialing code belongs to which area, which company a mobile number belongs to, and what the cost of a call should be.
Local information
Most local links for London can be found in the London section of the Gateway.
Local information from KnowUK [24/7]
Find services, leisure facilities, transport information and much more for your area [Can't get in?] [more information].
Streetsensation
Entire streetscapes showing over 2,000 shops, bars and restaurants in the liveliest areas of London. Walk through the capital's best known shopping streets door by door.
Up my street
Type in a postcode to find out local information, such as schools, house prices and MP's. Also has a useful 'Find my nearest...' facility.
Google Local
Search for local businesses & services, with maps and directions.
News and weather
Library Press Display [24/7]
Today's newspapers from around the world (plus two months worth of back-issues).
BBC News
Up-to-the-minute news and exploration of current affairs, with a searchable archive. With World Service news available in 43 languages.
Google News
An up-to-the-minute news search engine from the premier search service.
Bloglines
A news 'feed reader' or aggregator, where you can subscribe to updates from news sites and blogs and gather them in one place. For information about how feed readers work and links to other aggregators, watch this presentation on RSS feeds.
BBC Weather Centre
Includes five day forecasts for your area, and tidetables.
The Met Office
Includes latest weather reports for the UK and international weather, as well as historical information.
Weather Channel
Detailed weather information for major cities worldwide, with 10 day and even monthly forecasts.
Not quite what you were looking for? See also:
Business & economics (for business contact details)
Newspapers & magazines (for news stories from specific newspapers)
Statistics & figures
In-house specials lists subscriptions available within some Westminster libraries.
Was this useful:
Whatever your interest, Westminster City Council welcomes and encourages you to get in touch with suggestions for improvements to the site. To make an enquiry click here
