Saturday, September 27, 2008

New Database: Cambridge Histories Online


Up in the stacks of Sawyer Library, we have many valuable (and heavy!) volumes in the history series published by the Cambridge University Press. Sadly, the scholarly content of these books hasn't gotten as much use as it deserves. But we hope that will now change with the purchase of an impressive, cross-searchable archive of all of the Cambridge History volumes published since 1960.

Cambridge Histories Online (CHO) self-describes as a "unique historical reference compendium" that "allows instant access to the renowned texts of the Cambridge Histories series. With access to the most up to date and authoritative scholarly content, Cambridge Histories Online is an invaluable resource, for undergraduates, graduates, lecturers and researchers alike.

All the available volumes are grouped into topics, making it quick and easy to search and browse through an array of historical subject areas. The extensive bibliographic referencing and other leading functionality, enhances usability and makes this resource ideal for any type of historical research."

CHO currently contains over 250 volumes published since 1960, equating to around 196,000 pages of historical scholarship covering not just world history, but also histories of cultural fields like music and theatre, and even science. Over 15 different academic subjects are covered by the archive. And more electronic volumes will be added each year.

Users can search and browse content (basic & advanced search and a content specific browse), and the database provides options for personalization including saved & most recent searches, workspaces, bookmarks and citation export functionality.

We hope that the increased ease of access and searching will make these useful historical series a more attractive research option for students and faculty alike.


[FIND Cambridge Histories Online on our "Databases by Subject" lists for Social Sciences, Literature, Arts and Humanities, and the Sciences].