News

From Feb, 2007: Back to RGASPI
RusAR is pleased to announce about successful transition of Commintern-online servers to a new place. Now the access to the recourse is given directly from State Archive for Social and Political History, Moscow (RGASPI).

From Feb, 2007: Announce
From May, the 1st a test period for a new alternative interface of search and access will start. The new interface will consist of simple search for different description of documents, search through the branches of classification and advanced search. New interface can be used from all modern browsers. All registered persons can use it without additional registration. Notice the additional information.

April 10, 2005: Improvements to COMINTERN online

US Library Of Congress transliteration system
RusAR is pleased to announce that the transliteration of the database has been changed. The US Library Of Congress transliteration system has been implemented in the database. For the transliteration table, please consult "Help" in the database.

English descriptors
The search possibilities have been enhanced by adding the possibility to use the English version of the descriptors that have been added to the records in the database. The translation of the descriptors has been carried out as part of the INCOMKA project. Now they are available for online searching.

Reduction of response time
To reduce the response times on search actions, two databases have been created:

• A database with the Russian records and Russian descriptors;
• A transliterated database using the Library of Congress transliteration scheme and descriptors in English.

The selection of the database is made on the homepage of COMINTERN online by selecting "Enter" for the transliterated database and the English descriptors or "ВХОД " for the Russian database and Russian descriptors.

Browsing
Both databases can be browsed using the tree structure in the left window on the screen. Three different trees can be selected:

• A hierarchical classification of the database records. A description of each item in the tree is available by pressing "show description" option (or double click on the tree item);
• The different type of descriptors that have been added to each record. These are arranged by type of descriptor (names, places, etc). Pressing "show linked" results in a list with the titles of the records that are linked to the selected descriptor;
• The physical fond structure of the original Comintern archives. Again the "show description" option is available to get the description of the selected fond.

Due to the size of the archive, filtering is necessary for a quick selection of certain parts. An entry-box is available for selecting items in any of the three trees.

Searching
Four different search possibilities are available:

1. 1. A simple search option by entering search terms in an entry-box. This option searches in the title and the content of the record. It is important to know that this information is in Russian or transliterated, depending on the database is selected.
2. 2. A classification or fond search using the filter in either the classification or physical fond tree. The “show description” option results in a description of the selected item in the tree.
3. 3. A descriptor search using the filter in one of the ten categories with descriptors. The “show linked” option results in a list of files that are linked to the selected descriptor item. When using the descriptors, it is important to know that the English version of the descriptors are linked to the transliterated database while the Russian descriptors are linked to the Russian database.
4. 4. The two search options can be combined in an advanced search. With this option you can select multiple items in the classification structure, multiple items in the descriptors and combine these with a free text search in the title and (if selected) content of the record.

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