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infoclio.ch database

The objective of the infoclio.ch database is to facilitate the access and use of digital resources for the historical sciences.

The infoclio.ch database contains online resources related to the historical sciences in Switzerland, both institutions and online publications. Among the institutions, we list principally the history departments of universities, libraries, archives, research centers, and the Swiss historical societies. Among the publications you will find resources that can be used online, such as library catalogs, archive inventories, databases, source publications, bibliographies, etc.

All the institutions and all the publications have a synoptic file in German and in French. Each file is indexed according to several criteria (time period, region, subject, type of resource), that make it possible to sort the search results by using the faceted menu at the right side of the screen. Dewey decimal classification (DDC) is the basis of the indexing. For the resources that are also available in English or Italian, a file is made for each supplementary language. Only the resources in the selected language are displayed on the screen, so changing the interface language can influence the obtained results. For an outline of all the files available for Switzerland in the 4 languages, type Switzerland in the search window.

Where does the information brought together by infoclio.ch come from?
Most of the information is pulled directly from websites that we integrate into the database, or from an exchange of information with our partners. Our principal content partners are the federal office ofthe Protection of Cultural Property and the Netzwerk Internetressourcen Geschichte (NIG).

The Netzwerk Internetressourcen Geschichte (network of internet resources for history) was formed in 2003 by the alliance of 8 libraries and research centers in Germany, with the objective of facilitating the access and utilization of specialized resources online. NIG now includes about 16'000 resources in the field of history at an international level. Each resource is described and classed in a database. This service is available in English and in German. In 2008, infoclio.ch became part of the NIG network to be responsible for the resources for Switzerland. In a successive phase, infoclio.ch will carry out a data exchange and will propose a selection of specialized links at an international level.

How to do a search in the infoclio.ch database?
The infoclio.ch database has a faceted search engine, a technology that unites the best of unconstrained searching and indexed navigation.

  1. Enter a key word in the search window at the top of the screen. You can
  • Choose between Swiss or Worldwide.
  • Submit one or several key words
  • Look for complete phrases with the signs « »
  • Exclude terms with the command NOT or –
  • Tip: to obtain all the existing files for Switzerland, type Switzerland in the search window.
  • Filter the results with the faceted search on the right side of the screen
    • Once a first request has been made, a faceted menu will appear at the right side of the screen, proposing numerous options for browsing and refining the obtained results. Different categories and sub-categories available for filtering the results: Language, Time period, Region, Subject, Formal Key, and Content type.
    • Tip: to avoid doubles, start by filtering your results by language.
    • Sort the results by Relevancy, Content type, Author, Date.
    • Click on the selected file to see it in its entirety. Bookmark the references that interest you by clicking on Bookmark (reserved to members). Navigate between the different publications from one single institution by using the Reference category.
    • When is the infoclio.ch database updated?
      The infoclio.ch database is a work in progress updated continuously. The d’infoclio.ch team continues to index new resources and periodically verifies that the proposed links are up to date to guarantee a functional and comprehensive service. If you notice that some Swiss resources are missing or if you find errors, don’t hesitate to let us know by writing to us at info@infoclio.ch.