CRL recently nominated two new representatives of CRL libraries to serve on the Advisory Board for Gale’s Nineteenth Century Collections Online (NCCO): William Miller, Dean of University Libraries, Florida Atlantic University; and John Wright, Director, Arts & Culture, Libraries and Cultural Resources, University of Calgary. The NCCO Advisory Board is an international group of period subject experts, bibliographers, and leaders in digital humanities scholarship.

Adding the CRL appointees will:

• strengthen library influence on selection of collections of value to scholars for future modules
• help assure the interoperability of all the content in this extensive digital collection
• encourage more detailed disclosure in advance of the collections to be included in future modules.

This furthers CRL’s goal of advancing the shared interests of research communities in the creation of primary source digital collections.

CRL negotiated favorable terms for purchase of the first four collection modules of NCCO released in 2012, and has now arranged with Gale for discounts extending to the four latest modules as well as previous modules. The CRL offer extended to all consortia whose membership overlaps with CRL’s. CRL took the lead in negotiations with Gale because this extensive digital collection falls within the scope of the collection interests of CRL and its constituent libraries. As with all offers, CRL has posted a review analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of NCCO’s coverage and functionality, and invites comments from CRL members.