History News: November 2006 Archives

The Libraries are currently running trials to four history-related databases: British Periodicals; C19: The Nineteenth Century Index; House of Commons Parliamentary Papers; and Periodical Archives Online. I have received lots of positive feedback from faculty on the latter two databases, both of which appear prominently on the history resources "wish list" for 2006-2007. Periodical Archives Online is the full-text, online version of the old Periodicals Contents Index.

It would be very helpful to receive feedback on C19: The Nineteenth Century. Can this database take the place of the currently-subscribed-to 19th Century Masterfile? For good or ill, The Masterfile has a relatively simple search interface.

Please send your feedback on the usefulness of any of these resources to me at dcm@temple.edu.

--David C. Murray

Temple Libraries recently joined the Center for Research Libraries (CRL), an important consortium of North American universities, colleges, and independent research institutions based in Chicago. Affiliates of CRL member institutions can borrow expensive, rare, and/or otherwise hard-to-find research material, in some cases for up to two calendar years. Imagine access to that formerly unobtainable resource without having to travel halfway across the country!

Please join me in the History Department's "fish bowl" -- Gladfelter 913 -- for one of two informal sessions designed to introduce faculty and graduate students to CRL. We will discuss the benefits of CRL membership, and will proceed through a search / request from start to finish. The sessions will be held from 2:45 to 3:30 p.m. on November 9 and 10. If you cannot attend either session but would like an introduction to CRL, please contact me.

--David C. Murray