ELAR launches its access-enabled archive website

[David Nathan]

Dear RNLD members

The Endangered Languages Archive (ELAR) at SOAS, University of London,
will launch of the new version of our website on 30 June 2010. The
site will offer access to endangered languages (EL) resources, subject
to conditions applied by depositors.

What to see: from http://elar.soas.ac.uk anyone can see the top pages
of the site, with metadata for the deposits. For those deposits which
are access-enabled, anyone can see basic information about the
deposit. To go further and see resources, all users have to register
with ELAR. If you already have an ELAR user account then you can
access resources, subject to their restrictions, and any additional
user roles you may attain.

Initially, we have prepared 12 deposits for release, with the
co-operation of their depositors. These deposits cover many geographic
areas and a range of access types. Deposits by Lahaussois (Koyi Rai,
Nepal), Mary Chambers (Kumbokota, Solomon Islands), Anthony Jukes
(Ratahan, Indonesia), Stephen Morey (Singhpo and Turung, India) are
open. Deposits by Bowern (Yan-nhangu, Australia), Jany (Chuxnabán
Mixe, Mexico), Morrison (Bena, Tanzania), Caballero (Choguita
Rarámuri, Mexico), Mendez (Ayutla Mixe, Mexico) and Budd (Bierebo,
Vanuatu) are accessible upon application for subscription approved by
the depositors. Kono’s deposit (Kiksht, USA) is currently accessible
to recognised community members only. Throughout the year we will
release further deposits at the rate of about one per week.

For more information, see the upcoming article on the Transient
Languages and Cultures blog (http://blogs.usyd.edu.au/elac/), or
http://www.hrelp.org/archive/stories/launch_access.html

- David Nathan, Endangered Languages Archive, SOAS