Times Digital Archive, 1785-2012

Federated Searching

This resource is Z39.50 compliant.

Metadata Standards

Gale/Cengage endorses two methods of access and searching for its electronic databases.

The first method uses an HTTP-based API and the second uses the Z39.50 protocol, which method you choose depends on the design of your metasearch product. 

If you have any questions, please feel free to call Doug Hansen at 00 1 248 699 8129 or email doug.hansen@cengage.com.

Marc Records

MARC records are provided for Times Digital Archive subscribers free of charge.

Search Options

• Keyword Search (default search): permits searching by title, author and full-text of the article, not just in controlled index terms.
• Relevance Search: each term is analysed for its frequency of use in each article and the frequency of use within all articles and results are listed ranked by relevancy.
• Browse by Date: lets you find an individual issue of the newspaper and browse through the articles, page by page.
• Advanced Search: provides searching by all article sub-categories as well as by a number of indices within a framework where you can build as simple or as complex a search expression as you want using index terms, Boolean linking operators and wildcards.

Post Search Options

Print, email results, save searches and InfoMarks.

Usage Statistics

Usage statistics are available for The Times Digital Archive and are COUNTER compliant.

Authentication

Authentication is via the the UK Access Management Federation, Athens, and IP address range.

Accessibility

Gale/Cengage is committed to addressing the following Access Board standards under Section 508 of the US Rehabilitation Act, along with the functional and informational standards set out by the Access Board (36 C.F.R. §§ 1194.31 - 1194.32):

1. a text equivalent for every non-text element is provided (e.g., via an "alt" tag or in element content). 36 CFR § 1194.22(a). Note: Because of the processes we use to aggregate such large volumes of data, we have been unable to hand code highly specific alt text for each image. Meaningful alt text has been added to all elements of the interface. Descriptive titles and/or captions are already available for the images in some products, and more generic alt text is used in the cases where data must be updated via batch processing. As products come up for release and renewal, issues regarding the addition of more meaningful TITLE and ALT tags to content will be addressed.
2. web pages are designed so that all information conveyed with color is also available without color, for example from context or markup. 36 § 1194.22(c). Users can understand/navigate products without the ability to identify a color or differentiate between certain colors
3. documents are organised so they are readable without requiring a style sheet 36 C.F.R. § 1194.22(d)
4. Gale rarely uses image maps. WAI guidelines will be followed if the need arises. 36 C.F.R. § 1194(e) and (f)
5. Gale products do not use frames. 36 C.F.R. § 1194(i). If frames are required in the future, they will be titled with text to facilitate frame identification and navigation.
6. pages are designed to avoid causing the screen to flicker with a frequency greater than 2 Hz and lower than 55 Hz. 36 C.F.R. § 1194(j)
7. electronic forms are designed to be completed online, allowing people using assistive technology to access the information, field elements and functionality required for completion and submission of the form, including directions and cues. 36 C.F.R. § 1194(n)
8. when a timed response is required, the user shall be alerted and given sufficient time to indicate more time is required. 36 C.F.R. § 1194.22(p)