New partnership between Adam Matthew and Cadbury Research Library extends online access to researchers

The new partnership between Adam Matthew and Cadbury Research Library (CRL) follows the successful access arrangement implemented at the start of the pandemic. For those unable to visit the library due to restrictions, or access online copies through a subscribing institution, Adam Matthew provided short-term, free individual access to selected collections for researchers who had no other means of viewing the Church Missionary Society Archive.

Adam Matthew has digitally published thousands of items from the Church Missionary Society Archive under two titles: Research Source – Church Missionary Society Archive and Church Missionary Society Periodicals.  Both products provide a tremendous online resource for research into any part of the world where the organisations whose records are held as part of the CMS Archive have worked. They are particularly important for anyone with research interests focused on African countries, Canada, the Caribbean, China, India, Japan, and Palestine.

“We are very aware that, for some researchers, the restrictions we saw under lockdown are permanent. Of particular concern is that for some people currently unable to access the collections, the Church Missionary Society Archive holds unique records relating to the history of their own country or culture. The Cadbury Research Library welcomes many visitors from around the world but not everyone has the opportunity or ability to visit the library in person, to purchase copies from the library’s reprographics service or to benefit from an institutional subscription to Adam Matthew. It is a privilege for the Cadbury Research Library to hold these records and our responsibility to find ways to share them as widely as possible, so we are excited to be able to take this step with Adam Matthew.”

IDF, Archivist, Cadbury Research Library

The announcement of the new access partnership with Cadbury Research Library builds on other similar initiatives by Adam Matthew, including work with the Royal Historical Society which provides subscriptions to the entire Adam Matthew portfolio to 200 Early Career Researchers.

“The pandemic has created many challenges when it comes to accessing archival content and we’re pleased to work with institutions such as the Royal Historical Society and the Cadbury Research Library to support their efforts in providing access to vital materials for those who cannot access physical archives at the moment. We’re delighted that the subscriptions we’ve provided will give free, one-year access to ‘Research Source – Church Missionary Society Archive’ and ‘Church Missionary Society Periodicals’ to 12 researchers who would have otherwise not been able to access the material they need."

Martha Fogg, Deputy Managing Director, Adam Matthew