New installment adds 1.7 million digitized documents to online historical archive and enhances interdisciplinary research through advanced full-color scanning of rare and unconventional formats
Gale, part of global edtech company Cengage, today announced the launch of Eighteenth Century Collections Online, Part III (ECCO III), the latest installment of its acclaimed ECCO series. The third collection adds 1.7 million never-before-digitized pages to the current 32-million-page archive, expanding eighteenth-century studies for researchers across disciplines to explore global perspectives across Europe, the Americas, Asia and Australia.
ECCO III builds on the previous installments, adding greater depth by ensuring broad coverage of works from this period and expanding access to rare and previously undigitized materials. The additional works, which include early books, serials, newspapers and selected ephemera printed before 1801, significantly enhance interdisciplinary research. ECCO III includes advanced tools for discovery and analysis, along with text and data-mining capabilities for both novice and advanced researchers.
"At Gale, we empower researchers with access to transformative resources, and the launch of ECCO III marks another step in meeting the growing demand for digital collections that support interdisciplinary research," said Heather Bradley Cole, Vice President of Higher Ed Content and Portfolio at Cengage. "When Gale first launched ECCO over twenty years ago, we helped define a new research category. Since then, we've continuously expanded the resources within our archive, used by hundreds of universities worldwide. We're proud of this pioneering database and how it has continued to transform research and creating new pathways for discovery."
Built on the English Short Title Catalog (ESTC), a trusted, scholarly resource managed by the British Library and University of California, Riverside, ECCO III includes high-quality, full-color imaging from original source material. Partnering with the British Library and other leading institutions, ECCO III includes the discovery of new titles and rare materials in unique formats such as broadsides, "miniature books," maps and full-color book covers and spines.
Using advanced scanning technology, ECCO III has improved the quality of images, now allowing scholars to closely examine the fine details of different materials. The opportunity to examine whole documents, down to centuries-old handwriting in the margins, helps researchers immerse themselves in the history of the period. Covering a wide range of subjects, including business, economics, politics, science, arts and humanities, ECCO III equips researchers with essential material for understanding pivotal moments in history, from how the novel reshaped literature to the roots of revolutions in countries like Haiti, France and the United States.
ECCO III is now available through Gale. For more information, click here
About Cengage and Gale
Cengage, a global edtech company, supports learners, educators and institutions across more than 100 countries. With products serving nearly 16 million digital users across the Higher Education, School, Work and English Language Learning markets, we've built a learning ecosystem that connects education to employment. We combine trusted content, AI-powered insights and scalable digital platforms to power learning for every future and drive meaningful outcomes at every stage of the learning journey.
Gale, part of Cengage, provides essential research content and software that empower students, librarians, and faculty across disciplines. Gale's academic offerings include primary source archives, digital humanities tools, research databases and custom eBook collections. For more information, visit www.gale.com/academic, or follow Gale on the Gale Blog, LinkedIn, BlueSky and YouTube.
About the British Library
We are the national library of the UK and we are here for everyone. Our shelves hold over 170 million items a living collection that gets bigger every day. Although our roots extend back centuries, we aim to collect everything published in the UK today, tomorrow and far into the future. Our trusted experts care for this collection and open it up for everyone to spark new discoveries, ideas and to help people do incredible things.
We have millions of books, and much more besides. Our London and Yorkshire sites hold collections ranging from newspapers and maps to sound recordings, patents, academic journals, as well as a copy of every UK domain website and blog. Our public spaces provide a place to research, to meet friends, to start up a new business or simply to get inspired by visiting our galleries and events. We work with partners and libraries across the UK and the world to make sure that as many people as possible have the chance to use and explore our collections, events and expertise. And we're always open online, along with more and more of our digitised collection.
See: www.bl.uk
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Contacts:
Media Contact:
Emily Featherston, Vice President, Corporate Communications
emily.featherston@cengage.com
