Colleagues
In early 2008, Index to Theses (www.theses.com) is launching a feature
that identifies and links to the full text availability of theses online
(ETD).
Where an ETD is not yet available the new Index to Theses feature also
describes existing, alternative routes available for obtaining the full
text of a thesis
Links to ETDs are to university institutional repositories as well as the
less structured university departmental servers. Where an ETD is posted on
the web before the record has been processed by Index to Theses, this is
shown as an advisory record with an appropriate legend. No entries are
made for ETDs that are not yet listed in the relevant library OPAC.
Although thesis full text availability remains limited in the UK to date,
initiatives like the EThOS project are encouraging UK universities to
build and often host their own online collections. We have currently
identified some 3000 ETDs and this figure is growing at around 100 per
month.
The new Index to Theses feature is the result of ongoing research and
records will be regularly reviewed and updated throughout the subscription
year, reflecting current ETD availability. A number of institutions have
already offered their help in insuring that our coverage is as complete as
possible.
With over 500,000 entries on Index to Theses today – and many of those
supported by abstracts – Index to Theses remains the most comprehensive
listing of theses accepted for higher degrees by British and Irish
universities and has proved an exceptional reference tool for the hundreds
of libraries who subscribe to both print and online versions annually.
www.theses.com
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