Social History Archive to provide access to world’s largest digital archive of UK historical source material
- New academic resource - Social History Archive - launches to UK and US universities and academic institutions
- Powered by the latest technology, the platform offers access to the largest collection of British & Irish historical resources online
- Major partnerships with the British Library and the National Archives provide a growing collection of exclusive and unique source material
- Powerful AI and search technology delivers accurate results in an instant, while Single Sign-On (SSO) ensures security
- The Social History Archive will be exhibiting at UKSG conference at stand 83
The Social History Archive, a brand-new resource for academics and researchers has launched, offering access to the largest collection of British and Irish historical resources online.
Catering to a range of academic interests, the digital archive contains over 14 billion records which offer centuries of data and insights. Through access to a diverse range of source material, including newspapers, census returns, crime reports and emigration records, researchers can delve into the people, places and events that have shaped the world.
This is thanks to partnerships with some of the world’s most prestigious cultural organisations and archives, including the National Archives and the British Library. A continuous comprehensive digitisation process enables the Social History Archive to deliver exclusive source material on an ongoing basis.
The archive is fully searchable through a powerful search function, with advanced and simple options, using keywords, names, dates, and even phrases to pinpoint accurate results faster. Students and researchers can also discover every detail of the original documents and newspapers on their screen, and a simple citation export function allows users to swiftly add references to working documents.
Institutions will benefit from the seamless integration of the Social History Archive into their single sign-on, for secure on and off campus access. The platform also complies with accessibility standards and offers COUNTER reporting with SUSHI support.
The Social History Archive is launching with four packages catering to a range of departmental requirements:
- Records – the entry level subscription gives users easy access to the complete repository of records, excluding the 1921 Census of England & Wales
- Records+ – in addition to everything included in the ‘Records’ subscription, researchers will be able to access the unique and invaluable 1921 Census – the last to be published until 2051.
- Newspapers – user-friendly, online access to The British Newspaper Archive, the largest collection of historical British and Irish newspapers online, with 30m pages covering over 300 years of history.
- Access all areas – unrestricted, unlimited access to everything
The Social History Archive has to offer.
Sarah Bush, Managing Director, said:
“We’re delighted to launch the Social History Archive to the academic community, offering a goldmine of historical primary source material to benefit a huge range of specialisms and faculties. Whether you’re researching UK history, geography, sociology, journalism, politics and economics, or even data science, this growing collection provides a vast and varied record of life over the centuries.
“In collaboration with our partners and users, we’re constantly working to develop our offering. We’re committed to delivering a product powered by the latest technology and a growing repository of records, which together provide a world-class experience for researchers.”
The Social History Archive will be exhibiting at the upcoming UKSG event in Glasgow on 8-10 April 2024, at stand 83, where they with be demonstrating the platform.
ENDS
For more information, to request images or to discuss feature opportunities, please contact:
Madeleine Gilbert, Senior PR Manager, Findmypast: pr@findmypast.com
NOTES TO EDITORS
About Findmypast
Findmypast is a fast-growing, technology-driven, subscription service. With a bank of more than 14 billion digitised records, and exclusive access to some of the world’s most renowned historical databases, Findmypast’s technology allows customers to connect to people, both past and present, and visualise their family story in more detail than ever before.
With a global community of over 13 million registered users, this innovative and agile British technology company has strong network effects and is trusted by some of the world’s largest archives, museums, and governments. Findmypast is building a team of world-class technology professionals where people from every background come together to help millions of others understand theirs.