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The Chatham House Online Archive

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Overview

Since its founding in 1920 as the Royal Institute of International Affairs, London-based Chatham House has been a leading center for policy research on international affairs. In 2013, an online searchable database integrating a large extent of Chatham House’s publications and archives was made available for the first time. Gale Cengage released the first module of The Chatham House Online Archive, covering the years 1920–79, in 2013. The second module, covering the years 1980–2010, is slated for release in late spring 2014.

Provider: 
Gale [1]
Posted: 
Nov 5, 2012 5:55am
Updated: 
Jul 1, 2020 12:05am
Source
CRL reviews are based on independent research. Information is researched by CRL staff and other specialists at CRL libraries. See CRL Review for additional source notes.
Details

Collection Content

Subject Areas: 
Social Sciences
Resource Types: 
Print journals
Reports
Video recordings
Major Languages: 
English
Direct from Publisher - Denotes data sourced directly from publisher
Content Details: 
Geographic coverageAfrica, the Americas, Asia, Europe, Middle East, Russia, and Eurasia
Chronological coverage1920–2008 (first module covers 1920–79, second module to cover 1980–2008)
Content types speeches, documents, articles
Source formats paper, audio recordings
Total titlesModule 1: c. 500 monographs, 220 reports, 4,000 speeches, 8 journals; Module 2: c. 480 monographs, 900 reports, 3,000 speeches, 2 journals
Total pagesModule 1: c. 410,000 pp. and 1,160 hrs. audio; Module 2: c. 179,000 pp. and 3,550 hrs. audio
Digital collection launch dateModule 1: June 2013
Update frequency NA
Collection ongoingY (second module to be issued later)
Completion dateNA
Available supplements NA

Specifications

Metadata: 
MARC records availableY
Creator of MARC recordsNA
Structural metadata exposed anywhere?NA
Subject authorities usedMetadata authority source is proprietary to Gale
Name authorities usedGale database
Technical Platform: 
Browser compatibilityIE 7.x+; Firefox 3.x to 3.5.x; Safari 4.x; Opera 9.x; Chrome 5.x
Authentication optionsIP; password; Barcode; Athens; Shibboleth
Archiving solution – master filesMaster files are archived
Archiving solution – derivative filesCopy of product file is archived; purchase customers receive JPEGs and XML files
Availability in web discovery toolsN
Open URL targetY
Federated searching, z39.50Y
Local host optionN
Usage statisticsY
Interface Tools: 
Full text displayedY (transcripts of speeches)
Page imagesY
Color imagesY (very little)
Search full textY (for journal titles and speech transcripts)
Advanced searchY
Search within resultsY
Limit results by dates and/or document typesY
Display highlighted search termsY
Display snippet -- search term in contextY
Relevance sortingY
Save searchesY
Download PDFY
Download HTMLY
Print pageY
Print full documentY
Export citationsY
Annotation toolsN
Cross-product searchingN
ILLN
Restrictions on useMust respect copyright, educational fair use and customer license

Terms and Provider Details

Terms: 
Options
Subscription optionNA
Purchase optionY
Multiple year payments optionNA
Hosting chargesNA
List of purchasers availableNA
Sample license availableY
MARC records purchase feeNA
Price tier basisY
Provider: 
Gale [1]
Website: 
http://www.cengage.com/us/ [2]
Main Address: 
27500 Drake Road
Farmington Hills, MI 48331-3535
United States
CRL Review
Collection Content: 

Since its founding in 1920 as the Royal Institute of International Affairs, London-based Chatham House has been a leading center for policy research on international affairs. In 2013, an online searchable database integrating a large extent of Chatham House’s publications and archives was made available for the first time. Gale Cengage  released the first module of The Chatham House Online Archive, covering the years 1920–79, in spring 2013 (c. 410,000 pp.). The second module, covering the years 1980–2010 (c. 179,000 pp.), is slated for release in late spring 2014. .

Gale Cengage indicated that The Chatham House Online Archive would ultimately provide nearly 600,000 pages of multiple content types, covering most regions of the world. Briefing papers, special reports, pamphlets, conference papers, and monographs generated in connection with Chatham House were to be be subject-indexed and cross-referenced. Full runs of searchable text content would be included for two notable Chatham House serial publications already accessible in JSTOR—the journal International Affairs (1922–2008) and the monthly The World Today (1945–2008)—as well as Bulletin of International Affairs (1925–45), and the important annual reference sources Survey of International Affairs and Documents of International Affairs. According to Gale, approximately 17% of the text content has not been previously published, and 80% has not been previously digitized; none of the audio has been published or digitzed.

Key topics covered in the archive include: diplomacy and international relations; energy, environment, and development; international economics, trade, and business; international and national politics; international security and law; and global health issues.

The archive is also slated to include over 8,000 hours of audio recordings along with searchable transcripts of Chatham House lectures from such figures as: Mahatma Gandhi, Winston Churchill, Willy Brandt, King Hussein of Jordan, Henry Kissinger, François Mitterand, Prof. A. J. Toynbee, Chaim Weizmann, Dr. Andreas Papandreou, Caspar Weinberger, Chief Gatsha Buthelezi, HE Yousuf Al-Alawi Abdullah, Dr. Zhores Medvedev, and Hans Blix.

Gale has provided a detailed breakdown of content planned for the two modules: see Appendix A.

Delivery: 

Gale reported that features were to include:

  • Transcripts of speeches/meetings
  • Indexing of speakers and authors by nationality and profession
  • MP3 audio recordings of meetings from 1966 onward linked to the transcripts
  • Indexing of documents and articles by author, topic, and region
  • Cross-searching cability and linking across journal articles, reports, books, conference papers, and Chatham House speeches or meetings
  • Linking between an article in Survey of International Affairs with its referenced document in Documents of International Affairs
  • Faceted results lists
Strengths and Weaknesses: 

The two chief journals from Chatham House are already accessible online through JSTOR and in part through other aggregators (according to Gale), and 80% of the print content has been previously published (but less than 20% of that digitized). Nevertheless, this database should provide a unique opportunity to follow connections between significant documents and analysis reflecting a specific 20th-century world view. The content extends over a long period: some publications run up through 2010. In addition, the opportunity to hear a range of political leaders' voices in recorded speeches will be valuable for students as well as scholars. More than 7,000 speeches will be accessible not only through audio format but also through searchable transcripts and links between the original speeches and subsequent published articles.

Reviewers: 

Center for Research Libraries

  • Virginia Kerr - Digital Program Manager
  • Gretchen Rings - Communications Staff Writer

Sources

Sources for this review include information publicly posted or obtained directly from the publisher; data collected by CRL staff and specialists at CRL libraries; and examination of the digital collection when possible. Other sources are noted where cited. CRL continues to gather additional information on this resource and to solicit critical assessment.
CRL Offers & Status
StatusCurrentDescription
CRL FlaggednoPotential interest to CRL community
Offer PendingnoCurrently a candidate for CRL offer
Active OffernoCurrently offered for purchase or new subscription
Trial AccessnoAvailable for trial
Renewal OffernoCurrently offered for renewal
Expired OfferyesPast offers
Inactive / DeclinednoNo longer under consideration by CRL
Reviewed by CRLyesEvaluation available by CRL and community
Special AccessnoMember-only access available for a limited time
The complete offer and activity details for this resource are only available to CRL members.
Appendix
Attachments: 
PDF icon The Chatham House Online Archive Contents List [3]

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Source URL: https://edesiderata.crl.edu/resources/chatham-house-online-archive

Links
[1] https://edesiderata.crl.edu/providers/gale
[2] http://www.cengage.com/us/
[3] https://edesiderata.crl.edu/sites/default/files/resource_docs/Chatham%20House%20Archive%20content%20list.pdf