CONNECTING TO THE PAST: ACCESSING EARLY GEOLOGICAL LITERATURE IN DIGITAL COLLECTIONS

Almost every researcher would like to access the literature in their field without having to go to the library. However, unlike other sciences, some geologists do use older publications from government agencies, societies and other sources. Some early geological publications are available online, but the trick is knowing where to look for them.

Many government agencies, including the U.S. and state geological surveys, are providing access to current geological publications online. Some of these agencies are also scanning and providing access to their older publications. Geological information is also available through non-geological collections and databases, including Making of America, Lexis-Nexis Congressional, the American Periodical Series and Early American Newspapers. Each of these resources can be used to access the full text of early geological articles and publications. A survey of the geological information available in these full text databases reveals some interesting results. While some of these resources do not provide access to traditional scholarly articles, the information is still useful for tracing the development of geologic thought and historical geological events.