Access
Our online resources and databases are only available to parliamentary users. If you experience any access issues, such as being asked for log in details or being told you do not have permissions, we can help. Login details, user guides, and who to contact for further advice, are provided for each online service listed in the Commons Library catalogue (see example for the Dods people database).
If you experience access issues with more than one resource, please contact the Parliamentary Digital Service via their online portal (available to parliamentary users only).
Copyright
Copyright is the responsibility of individuals. It is best to be aware of copyright rules and relevant licence agreements so you can make legitimate use of third-party online subscription services and databases. This should ensure you do not inadvertently breach copyright.
Each of the online services we subscribe to has a different licence agreement which dictates how we may use the service and re-use any information taken from it. These licence agreements will often provide more options than relying on fair dealing alone. You can find relevant conditions of use on each online service listed in the Commons Library catalogue (see example for Factiva).
Please note our licences cover content used by those within Parliament only and should not be made available to external enquirers.
Copyright can be a complex subject, and this is general guidance only. If you would like further advice, please visit our intranet page for more information and who to speak to (available to Parliamentary users only).
Additional information
Borrowed and purchased books
We are frequently asked by members of the public and press about what books MPs read. Download the below documents to view the books that are most frequently borrowed from the Commons Library, and the titles that are purchased in response to requests from MPs.
- Books purchased and borrowed by the Commons Library 2008 onwards (PDF)
- Books purchased and borrowed by the Commons Library 2008 onwards (spreadsheet)
HMRC resources for MPs
Our tax specialists are often asked about the below HMRC resources. We have included them on this page for ease: