Projects and news

The Society aims to provide those interested in its rich collections with the best possible access to these resources. To achieve this aim, the Society has already spent many years upgrading and improving the catalogues to its various collections.

The first phase of the Society's cataloguing and data digitisation project concerned the installation of the Voyager library system (by Endeavor Corp., based in Chicago) in June 2001. The second phase involved the retrospective conversion of the Library's Author Catalogue (previously held on cards) to MARC21 format. This was achieved by commissioning a bibliographical services agency to deliver nearly 40,000 records retrieved from the RLIN database and around 28,000 'original records' copied from the original catalogue cards. This project is now complete, making the Society's entire catalogue of books and periodicals generally available, online over the Internet.

Having completed the retrospective conversion of the Library Catalogue of books and periodicals, the Society is currently investigating the digitisation of its outstanding collection of approximately 30,000 prints and drawings. A pilot project involving the digitisation of some 1,300 of the Society's archaeological drawings has recently been completed to provide a solid basis of experience and expertise for the comprehensive digitisation of this unique national resource. For further details, see the Online catalogue of drawings and museum objects page.