Free, one-year individual subscriptions to the Adam Matthew Digital products ‘AM Scholar – Church Missionary Society Archive’ and ‘Church Missionary Society Periodicals’ are available for up to 12 people a year through a partnership between Adam Matthew Digital and the Cadbury Research Library, University of Birmingham.
If you wish to apply for a subscription, you must meet the eligibility criteria. You must also complete an application form and send the form to the Cadbury Research Library, University of Birmingham. This guide explains who can apply, how to apply, how you will know if your application has been successful and what to do if you are not eligible for an individual subscription.
If you would like to have a copy of this guide in any other format, please email: special-collections@contacts.bham.ac.uk, or write to: The Cadbury Research Library, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, B15 2TT.
Who can apply?
You may apply for a free, one-year individual subscription if you meet all of the following conditions:
- you are at least 18 years old
- you wish to use the Church Mission Society Archive (formerly known as the 'Church Missionary Society Archive') to find documents or published works relating to the history of your own local area, country or culture
- you are not a member of the University of Birmingham or any other institution that subscribes to the Adam Matthew digital products ‘Am Scholar - Church Missionary Society Archive’ or ‘Church Missionary Society Periodicals’
- you are not able to visit the Cadbury Research Library, University of Birmingham or any other institution that subscribes to the Adam Matthew digital products
- you have access to the Internet
- you would be willing to share feedback on your experience of a free, one-year subscription
- you have not had one of our free, one-year subscriptions before
We particularly welcome applications from people looking for records about an area for which few locally held sources are available for research or who wish to use the mission records alongside Indigenous sources.
You do not need to be undertaking research for a course of study or for the purpose of publication, but you should be willing to share your findings. If your application for a free, one-year subscription is successful, the Adam Matthew Digital team will be keen to hear how you are using their online resources. They will create a series of written and video case studies based on this agreement. As part of this process, you may be contacted to provide feedback on your experience of using the collections, the range of content available, and how digital access has supported your research.
How do I apply?
- Subscriptions are allocated by the Cadbury Research Library (CRL).
- If you are thinking about applying, first please check that you are eligible for a free, individual subscription.
- Please read the product information on the Adam Matthew website so that you can be sure that ‘AM Scholar – Church Missionary Society Archive’ and ‘Church Missionary Society Periodicals’ are the right products for you.
- Once you have checked that you are eligible, and that the two Adam Matthew Digital products will be helpful for you, you will need to complete the application form.
- If you do not wish to complete the form online, you may download a copy (DOC - 85KB) and return it to us by email or by post.
- You will need to complete the application form in English.
- You may apply at any time during the academic year September 2023-August 2024. However, as we are only able to give 12 free, individual subscriptions a year, we shall offer them to the first 12 applicants who meet all of the eligibility criteria (see above).
How will I know if my application has been successful?
- Once we receive your application form, three members of the Cadbury Research Library staff will review your application against the eligibility criteria.
- We shall contact you to let you know the outcome of your application within 20 working days of receiving your form.
- If we are able to offer you a free, individual subscription, when we contact you with the outcome of your application, we shall copy in Adam Matthew Digital so that they can send you the information you need to get started.
I am not eligible to apply. How can I see material in the Church Mission Society Archive?
- If you are a member of a college, university or other academic institution, you may have free institutional access to ‘AM - Church Missionary Society archive’ and ‘Church Missionary Society Periodicals’.
- If you are a member of an institution that does not subscribe to these Adam Matthew products, they may be able to apply for a free, four-week trial on your behalf.
- If you are able to visit a college, university or other academic institution which subscribes to Adam Matthew products, you may have free access through their library service.
- If you are a member of the University of Birmingham, you have free institutional access through the University’s eResources. Log in to FindIt@Bham and enter ‘Church Missionary Society’ as a Database Search.
- If you are able to visit the Cadbury Research Library, you will be able to look at the Church Mission Society Archive and related collections, including material digitally published by Adam Matthew, and those parts of the CMS Archive that are not online.
- You may be able to buy copies of material through the Cadbury Research Library reprographics service or ask to see a few items from the Church Mission Society Archive through a one-hour virtual consultation (Zoom).
- There is information on the Cadbury Research Library website about visiting the Cadbury Research Library, ordering copies and requesting a virtual consultation. From the website, you will also be able to follow links to the online catalogues to the CMS Archive and related collections.
If you have any questions, please get in touch through the Cadbury Research Library Enquiry Service.