The University provides students and staff access to an online archive of broadcast footage called Box of Broadcasts (also known as ‘BOB’). BOB is one of many databases that the University provides access to, you can find more on NELSON, and our list of databases. There are some databases that are for multimedia films and images and we have them in a list.
The BOB archive contains a wide range of previously broadcast footage, from news reports and TV series to films and radio programmes. You can also request programmes to be recorded and archived from free-to-air channels.
Access is free for current staff and students.
To sign into BOB, visit the Box of Broadcasts website and click on 'sign in'.
In the 'Where are you from?' box, type 'University of Northampton' and select 'University of Northampton (IDP)' from the drop-down menu.
If you are accessing the website from a device that has logged into the University of Northampton Staff or Student Hub recently, it will remember your details and log you in automatically, taking you to the Welcome page. Otherwise it will ask you to enter your details (University ID and password).
Once you have signed in you can use the search menu to begin searching for your required resource. You can type in the title of the broadcast, you can also type in actors and directors names to help narrow the search to a meaningful selection.
If Box of Broadcasts does not have what you are looking for, you might wish to see if it can be requested through our Inter-Library Loan service.
Other multi-media databases will have other search filters.
I need some help searching for other types of media
The Academic Librarians will be happy to help you work on your search skills. You can see your librarian face to face or online for a tutorial. You can also contact them by email at librarian@northampton.ac.uk