Resources

This chapter surveys several essential digital resources for researchers interested in Shakespeare and early modern drama. Rather than attempt a comprehensive listing of resources, the chapter is selective and offers practical advice for navigating and using a handful of resources, including Early English Books Online, EEBO Text Creation Partnership, Lost Plays Database, Records of Early English Drama, and the Database of Early English Playbooks. We concentrate, for the most part, on open-access, online databases, ranging from those that strive for comprehensive coverage of a broad subject (such as the English Short Title Catalogue) to others that have a narrower focus (such as Early Modern London Theatres for theatrical documents with transcription afterlives). For each resource, we provide guidance about use and coverage and draw attention to the principles of selection, organization, and categorization that underpin a specific database, an understanding of which is critical for making the most of the resource and being aware of what it does (and does not) offer. The chapter demonstrates that digital resources are not neutral – they offer arguments through their design and selection. This short survey aims to encourage researchers to be alert to how resources might shape the questions they ask and the information they find