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The Society of Antiquaries of Scotland and the Archaeology Data Service are pleased to announce the launch, on 2 October 2003, of the digital publications archive of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland: http://www.socantscot.org/Publications.html The project to scan the entire back run of the Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland (volumes 1-128), Archaeologia Scotica and the Society's out-of-print monographs has been funded by Historic Scotland, the ArchWay project and the Russell Trust. The scanned documents have been linked by the Archaeology Data Service to the existing ArchWay Project lists of contents. The archive comprises over 3000 articles and book chapters on Scottish archaeology, architecture, history and material culture published over two centuries - from 1792 to 1998. Access to this unique resource is free of charge, offered as a service to scholars and other interested readers worldwide. The publications are archived and made accessible by the ADS. (Users should note that, owing to restrictions in the scope of the ArchWay database, more ephemeral parts of volumes, such as Society business papers and lists of gifts to the Museum, are not consistently available. These will, however, be available on the CD version due for launch later this year. For more details contact the Society.) Please address any queries to Gordon Barclay at [log in to unmask] Phone 07767 343248 Technical queries should be addressed to the Archaeology Data Service at [log in to unmask] About the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland (http://www.socantscot.org/) The Society of Antiquaries of Scotland was founded in 1780 and it was incorporated by Royal Charter in 1783. It is the second oldest antiquarian society in Britain. The purpose of the Society is set out in the first of its Laws: ".... the Study of the Antiquities and History of Scotland, more especially by means of archaeological research"; the Society today is concerned with every aspect of the human past in Scotland. Members have, from the beginning, been known as Fellows of the Society, and there are now some 3600 Fellows around the world, as well as 25 Honorary Fellows elected for their outstanding scholarship. Membership is by election, held annually on St Andrews Day, 30th November and it is open to all with an interest in the history and archaeology of Scotland. The Society organises an annual Programme of Meetings; this includes monthly lectures in Edinburgh from October to June, a conference, and various seminars and excursions. There is a flourishing North-East Section based in Aberdeen which organises its own excursions, in addition to regular lectures. All Fellows receive annually the Proceedings of the Society, an up-to-date and wide-ranging record of research in Scotland. Fellows are also entitled to purchase other Society publications, such as the Monograph Series, at reduced prices. A major part of the Society's programme is the sponsorship of research, and there are various grants and awards to assist different kinds of work, from survey and excavation to finds analysis and archival research. In 1780 the Society started to collect antiquities, manuscripts and books, and these formed the nucleus from which the National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland was founded. Today this collection is part of the National Museums of Scotland with which the Society maintains close links. The offices of the Society are housed in the museum, and Society meetings make use of museum facilities. The Library in the museum contains a unique collection of books dating back to the foundation of the Society, and it continues to receive periodicals from around the world, in exchange for the Proceedings. Fellows enjoy the privilege of consultation and borrowing books from the Library, which is open on weekdays. As the senior antiquarian body in Scotland the Society has an important role in the cultural life and heritage of Scotland. It draws on a wide range of experience through the Fellowship, and provides an impartial voice independent of the opinions of Government, University, or Agency. The Society is often consulted on different matters relating to the heritage, and it is represented on many committees and councils including the Ancient Monuments Board for Scotland. Membership of the Society enables Fellows to play a part in safeguarding the Scottish past. About the ADS (http://ads.ahds.ac.uk) The Archaeology Data Service (ADS) supports research, learning and teaching with high quality and dependable digital resources. It does this by preserving digital data in the long term, and by promoting and disseminating a broad range of data in archaeology. The ADS promotes good practice in the use of digital data in archaeology, it provides technical advice to the research community, and supports the deployment of digital technologies. The ADS hosts AHDS Archaeology. The publications of the society are also linked from the ADS's growing digital library, which includes the full text of Research Reports and Occasional Papers from the CBA and a newly launched E-Theses section. http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/library/index.cfm Gordon Barclay Editor Society of Antiquaries of Scotland [log in to unmask] 07767 343248 William Kilbride User Services Manager Archaeology Data Service [log in to unmask]