Have you got a library card? Here’s something you might not know: most UK libraries subscribe to resources from Oxford University Press (OUP). If you live outside the UK, it is worth checking if your local library has a subscription too.
It is a huge range of resources, but perhaps the key ones for writers are the Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford Reference and Oxford Dictionaries online. There’s information about how to access them on the OUP’s website.
I recommend taking advantage of the premium resources on oxforddictionaries.com. The login page is here, and the library card login box is on the right-hand side. Once you have logged in you will see the Premium tab.
The premium resources are:
- New Hart’s Rules: The Oxford Style Guide
- Garner’s Dictionary of Legal Usage
- New Oxford Dictionary for Writers & Editors
- Pocket Fowler’s Modern English Usage
If you want your work to conform to UK publishing standards, you should use New Hart’s as your guide. It is really very good.
The New Oxford Dictionary for Writers & Editors is a handy guide for any spellings or names you aren’t sure of, or if you want help with hyphenation and capitalisation.
Pocket Fowler’s does not contain all the nuances of the full-size version, but it is still very helpful.
And they are all available for free and from the comfort of your own home.
Hannah McCall 
[…] The most recent edition of New Hart’s was (at the time of writing) released in 2014. The 2005 edition is, as far as I am aware, still perfectly serviceable, but the 2014 edition is updated and contains an extra chapter (on the differences between US and British English). It’s available in most bookshops and through online retailers, including Wordery and Amazon. You can also access it online for free if your library card gives you access to Oxford University Press resources – you can read more about that here. […]
LikeLike
Oh I must check this out – I love our local libraries, and love dictionaries (I have lots of old ones that I can’t bear to throw out, I like seeing the archaic words which they no longer include in the new ones) 🙂
LikeLike
Me too – old books in general tend to be absolutely fascinating!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great post. Thanks for sharing.
LikeLike
No problem.
LikeLiked by 1 person
very useful. I’m not a member of my local library but I think I’ll give it a go.
LikeLike
My local library allowed me to sign up online – I was surprised by how simple it was!
LikeLike
That’s funny, so did mine! After reading your reply I rushed over and did it, as you said, really easy. No excuse to join the library :).
LikeLike
It’s great – they even posted my library card to me. And then I realised they lend e-books I can reserve and download on an app …
I hope you enjoy your newfound library privileges!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I only discovered the e-book loans last year, it’s been very useful for me – I can’t download them to my Kindle as it’s an older version but I can read the books on my laptop so it’s a good standby.
LikeLike
I can download e-books to my Nexus and find it has allowed me to read so many more books in the last few months. I feel lucky to have them all at my fingertips!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, it’s great until you find you’re getting distracted from everything else because you can access even more books 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person