News

Look back to the 2010s with the next decade of material gathered by Mass Observation, based at The Keep at the University of Sussex. This unique material continues to provide access to rare, first-hand accounts supporting subject-led research, information literacy instruction, and interdisciplinary teaching.

Martha Fogg, AM's Managing Director, shares insights into strategic priorities amidst evolving research and teaching landscapes. Her interview with Against the Grain addresses equitable access to primary sources, classroom applications, and our global partnerships.

Research libraries are drivers of inclusion and innovation when they make accessibility an essential cornerstone of digital resource design. AM has advanced this mission, ensuring primary sources are usable by more scholars pursuing interdisciplinary research.

Metadata plays a critical role in enhancing discoverability across disciplines. Combining automation and human oversight, and overcoming scale, diversity, and sensitive content, Jennifer Wedge shows how metadata supports research and seamless library integration.

In an interview with AM’s Engagement Team, Professor Claire Battershill from the University of Toronto speaks of teaching archives in the digital age, material history, and modernist movements to students in English Literature and Information Studies.

Clare Kellar, AM Engagement Manager, explores how primary sources serve as essential tools for contemporary scientific research through Professor Brian Atwater's work using AM’s Colonial Caribbean to investigate past tsunamis and clarify modern geological risks.

Latin American Histories in the United States is a rich archival resource showcasing Latinx communities' histories, activism, and creativity. Spanning disciplines, it features bilingual content, diverse materials, and interactive tools for research and teaching.

American Committee on Africa, module II highlights the organisation's activism against apartheid and for African democracy between 1981-2001. Featuring correspondence, reports, and media, it underscores ACOA’s impact and AM’s partnership with the Amistad Research Center.

Girlhood: Magazines and Print Culture explores representations of girls and young women in print media from the 1880s to 1990s. Examining evolving femininity, societal expectations, and resistance, the resource offers new insights for interdisciplinary research.

In this article, published in the September issue of Against the Grain, Martha Fogg, Managing Director of AM, argues that in an AI-driven world, curiosity and critical thinking will define future success. She explains how studying the humanities and engaging with primary sources cultivates the adaptable, analytical, and empathetic leaders tomorrow’s workforce needs.

AM’s new resource, A Global History of Epidemics, 1800-1970, offers interdisciplinary researchers unique primary sources, interactive tools from maps to timelines, and expert essays, to explore disease history, colonialism, and public health advancements within the British Empire and beyond.

AM's latest publication provides a vivid visual exploration of twentieth-century China, showcasing historical and cultural transformations. Enriched with powerful accessibility and discovery tools, and contextual resources, China on Film provides an invaluable resource for studying modern Chinese history and early film-making.

AM’s First Folios Compared, an innovative open access collection, has been named a Best Reference resource in Library Journal’s annual list. Judges noted how the collection's 'superb execution' and 'powerful search tools' create 'exciting research opportunities.'

AM Archives Direct expands its wealth of East Asian material with the release of Foreign Office, Consulate and Legation Files, China: 1830–1939. Drawn exclusively from The National Archives, UK, Section I focuses on Wars and Treaties, 1830–1895, offering a valuable lens into Sino-British diplomacy, trade, and public health.

Explore the dynamic world of nineteenth-century theatre with AM's The Nineteenth Century Stage. Featuring materials from playbills and photographs to prompt books, it reveals advancements in theatre design, celebrity culture, and performance, perfect for studying theatre's intersection with literature, society, and innovation.

In this article originally published in Against the Grain, AM's Laura Blomvall explores the University of Hawaiʻi students’ UK research trip, focusing on Hawaiian history and culture. It highlights how digitised archives support accessibility, inclusive metadata, and decolonisation efforts, fostering rich discussions about collaboration, language, and representation in historical records.

Learn the ways in which digital primary sources are transforming higher education by enhancing academic engagement, maintaining learning continuity, and promoting student success. This article explores the impact of the global pandemic, highlights survey findings on educational challenges, and reveals how universities are integrating digital resources into their teaching frameworks.

AM's Nick Jackson explores how Dr. Matt Graham uses the AM Archives Direct database, Apartheid South Africa, 1948-1994, in undergraduate teaching at the University of Dundee. Through equitable access to primary sources, students engage with historical materials, enhancing critical thinking and analytical skills while fostering an understanding of the complexities of archival research.

AM is pleased to announce Trade in Early Modern London: Livery Company Records 1450–1750, offering unparalleled access to livery company archives. These records illuminate their economic, political, and cultural impact, revealing their pivotal role in governance, trade regulation, patronage, and London’s historical development.

After receiving a ‘highly recommended’ review by CHOICE, Women’s Voices and Life Writing, 1600-1968 has also received the prestigious honour of being named an Outstanding Academic Title 2024, underscoring the collection’s scholarly value, accessibility, and overall quality.

AM's Holly Francis discusses the collaborative efforts of AM and the Galt Museum & Archives in supporting cultural heritage preservation through the AM Archival School for Ukraine. This initiative empowers Ukrainian archivists with tools and knowledge to safeguard historical materials, encouraging professional growth and international cooperation amidst the challenges of ongoing conflict.

Module I of American Committee on Africa (ACOA) unveils its pivotal role in African liberation movements, offering invaluable primary source material on ACOA's advocacy and US solidarity with anti-apartheid efforts, from speeches, personal correspondence and audio recordings to records of boycotts and divestment campaigns.

Discover how Towson University's Special Collections and University Archives (SCUA) boosted student engagement with AM Quartex, our digital collections platform. Ashley Todd-Diaz, PhD and Felicity Knox discuss how Quartex's advanced DAMS capabilities and user-friendly interface have supercharged access to archives, empowering students to explore, contribute, and share their research.

The Olympic Movement: Sport, Global Politics and Identity, covers the development of the modern Olympic Games from 1896 to 1992, while shining a light on key social and political events throughout the twentieth century.