The printed book collection of Lambeth Palace Library has made its debut on an online catalogue to improve access to its holdings for researchers across the globe.

The historic library, which includes the record office of the Archbishops of Canterbury, is one of the oldest public libraries in the country.

The move means that readers can now access a list of Lambeth Palace Library's books alongside those of many British Universities - including Oxford and Cambridge - plus other major collections such as the British Library, Science Museum Library and the V&A National Art Library.

The Library's printed book catalogue has this week been launched on 'Copac', which provides free access to the merged online catalogues of the major research libraries in the UK and Ireland.

Although a growing catalogue of the library's holdings has been available on Lambeth Palace Library's website, this is the first time that access to the catalogue has been made available alongside a number of other prestigious collections, through a single portal.

Lambeth Palace Library's holdings make it one of the key collections of Church history for researchers exploring the early Church to the present day, and the Library forms a major part of the national collection in the field of ecclesiastical history.

Copac is co-ordinated by the Consortium of Research Libraries (CURL), a body that aims to increase the ability of research libraries to share resources for the benefit of the local, national and international research community.

By building a 'one-stop' resource, researchers, wherever they are in the world and whatever their disciplines, are able to locate resources easily from their own desk.

Copac can be searched by visiting www.copac.ac.uk.