Readex Completes Two New Digital Editions of America's Historical Government Publications

Publisher of Web-Based Archive of Americana Collections Adds Early U.S. Congressional Journals

NAPLES, Fla./Monday, December 18, 2006— Readex, a leading publisher of online historical collections, announced today that it has published digital editions of the original printings of the Journals of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives from the late-18 th century and into the 19 th century. Complementing Readex digital editions of the U.S. Congressional Serial Set and American State Papers, these Web-based editions —House and Senate Journals, Series I, 1789-1817 and Senate Executive Journals, Series I, 1789-1866 —enable students and scholars to study, as never before, political actions and proceedings in the first 75 years of U.S. history. Together—as part of America’s Historical Government Publications, an Archive of Americana module —these two new collections illuminate key events as they occurred and influential decisions as they were made.

“From their inaugural sessions, both the United States House and Senate have kept journals of their proceedings, as required by the Constitution, to record the minutes of floor action, said August A. Imholtz, Jr., Readex Vice President for Government Documents. “The House and Senate Journals document important issues, events, organizations and people, while the Senate Executive Journals capture matters related to the confirmation of presidential nominees, consent to the making of treaties and more.”

Historically significant topics covered in the House and Senate Journals, Series I, 1789-1817 include the Constitutional Convention, the Bill of Rights and Constitutional Amendments, Alexander Hamilton, and the Fugitive Slave Act. Senate Executive Journals, Series 1, 1789-1866 records executive proceedings in which early American senators deliberated on Indian treaties, Spanish-American relations, the Monroe Doctrine, the Louisiana Purchase, Lewis and Clark's expedition, the Civil War and the Emancipation Proclamation and more.

Through its partnerships with academic institutions and other leading organizations, Readex continues to create authoritative digital editions of many of the U.S. Congress’s wide-ranging publications from 1789 through the late 20th century. Extensive indexing by Readex editors facilitates uniquely accurate searches of this immensely rich archive of primary materials on the people, issues and events of early American history and government.

About Readex
For more than 50 years, the Readex name has been synonymous with research in historical printed materials and government documents. Recognized by librarians, students and scholars for its efforts to transform academic research, Readex offers a wealth of Web-based, primary source materials in the humanities and social sciences. Today, Readex, a division of NewsBank, inc., has established a leadership position among publishers by creating the digital Archive of Americana, a family of online collections that provides unprecedented access to the history, culture and daily life of the United States over more than three centuries.

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For more information or to speak with a Readex expert, contact Readex Marketing Manager David Loiterstein by calling 1.203.421.0152 or emailing dloiterstein@readex.com.