Recommended Titles

The titles in the subject categories below are provided to help undergraduates get started in EEBO. They are recommended as key texts from the collection, as well as for being interesting and representative of the times. Peruse some of these titles for essay ideas or to familiarize yourself with the features of the database, including important information available within the citations that can help you to find additional, similar works by searching on the same author, time period, subject heading, or keywords (including early modern terms and spellings).

STC I Works

STC II Works

Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership

Libraries and other educational institutions are invited to join Oxford University, the University of Michigan, the Council on Libraries and Information Resources, and ProQuest LLC in the Text Creation Partnership, an international initiative to create structured SGML text files for the materials listed in the Short-Title Catalogue. The encoded text will offer unparalleled search access to the works whose page images are already available in Early English Books Online.

Because current optical character recognition (OCR) technology cannot read early modern printing with adequate efficiency, each text must be re-keyed as it is encoded. The resulting text files will then be linked to the EEBO page images, allowing users to both perform keyword searches and see the features of the original.

To learn more about this project, visit the Text Creation Partnership website at http://www.lib.umich.edu/tcp/eebo.

Sample Works in PDF Format

Early English Books Online allows users to download works in PDF format for off-line viewing. Adobe Acrobat Reader plugin will be required for viewing and printing. If your browser does not already have the Reader installed, you can download it from the Adobe site. Here are some examples of works you can download for viewing at your leisure.
The download times for these works vary depending on their size and your connection speed, but should not exceed one minute.

Observations for this present year, 1667 by William Lilly student in astrology.	[ Citation ]
The articles of peace made and concluded by his excellency James Lord Marquess of Ormond Lord Lieutenant General, and General Governour of his Majesties kingdom of Ireland, on the behalf of his Majesty; with the General Assembly of the Roman Catholicks of the said kingdom, on the behalf of His Majesties Roman Catholick subjects of the same, by James Butler, Duke of Ormond, 1661.	[ Citation ]
The sisters, a comedie, as it was acted at the private house in Black Fryers by James Shirley, 1652.	[ Citation ]
Deliciae musicae being, a collection of the newest and best songs, with the additional musick to the Indian Queen, by Mr. Daniel Purcell, as it is now acted at His Majesties theatre. Most of the songs being within the compass of the flute. With a thorow-bass, for the theorbo-lute, bass-viol, harpsicord, or organ. Composed by several of the best masters, by Henry Playford, 1696.	[ Citation ]
A discovery of six women-preachers, in Middlesex, Kent, Cambridge, and Salisbury With a relation of their names, manners, life, and doctrine. Their names. Anne Hempstall. Mary Bilbrow. Ioane Bauford. Susan May. Elizab. Bancroft. Arabella Thomas, 1641.	[ Citation ]
Experiments and notes about the mechanical origine or production of electricity. By the Honourable Robert Boyle Esq; Fellow of the R. Society, 1675.	[ Citation ]

Downloadable Handouts

Below are PDF handouts giving examples of how different disciplines can use the material in EEBO.

English Literature
Languages
Music
Religion
Science
Travel and Exploration

Case Study - Dr. Georgia Wilder, University of Toronto

Read this Case Study (PDF file) for a fascinating view of how Dr. Georgia Wilder uses EEBO in the classroom.