Columbia International Affairs Online (CIAO) aspires to be a comprehensive source for theory and research in international affairs. Its content includes working papers from university research institutes, occasional papers, foundations‐funded research projects, and proceedings from conferences. In addition to the CIAO editorial board at Columbia University Press, this resource benefits from both an editorial advisory board of scholars from other universities in the USA and Canada and a general advisory board of librarians, programmers and others. Editors anticipate that its total content will consist of at least 400 working papers, 40‐50 papers presented at conferences and 10‐12 complete books. Contents are archived and cross‐indexed each year.
Users may receive monthly updates about new content by joining a mailing list. Requests to get the updates can be submitted via e‐mail to ciao‐requests@columbia.edu.
Libraries considering the product should check dates of coverage for each type of publication in the database. The site was launched in 1997, and retrospective materials sometimes go back to 1991. It is to be noted that this is not a news service; CIAO offers research materials in the formats specified earlier. Updates of working papers, conference proceedings, policy briefs and economic indicators are performed monthly. Weekly changes are made in links and resources, the schedule of events, and response files. When available, new journal issues and books are added. Teachers of international affairs and students will find it easy to download and print files for their collections of research materials. Also, individuals at subscriber institutions can obtain a username and password for logging in from off‐campus locations.
CIAO is well indexed and therefore is easy to search. It provides the reports, policy briefs and working papers that are often elusive, but which ultimately become basic supporting information upon which much scholarly research builds. The extensive number of hyperlinks in the contents made working with the trial subscription for this review fun, fast and satisfying. The inclusion of links to other sites on the Internet is an asset that editors seem to monitor for timeliness and quality.
There are several ways to access content:
• Home pages: view each category.
• Linked indices: search by author, subject, title and institution.
• Search engine: search for files by fields (author, subject, title, date, institute, keywords, and content area).
• Scrollable frame on left of screen: navigate throughout the site.
The scrollable index on the left of the screen categorizes content by working papers, conference proceedings, journals (abstracts), books, policy briefs and economic indicators, index, links and resources, schedule of events and maps. Buttons for searching, about (CIAO), press (reviews), sample (summary of contents), subscribe (subscription information), register username, free trial, help online, and the Columbia University Press home page are also present.
Boolean searches, an advanced search level, and tips for searching are available. When applying the advanced search, users may limit the search by date, author, subject, CIAO content area, or institution. Browsing a given document, navigating through portions of the database and switching to other sections move rapidly. The screen layout works well when researching the information provided.
A factor especially important to libraries adding this resource is the friendly and helpful nature of the Columbia University Press staff. Contact made during the preparation of this review was both beneficial and cordial.
CIAO is highly recommended for academic institutions with political science, international studies, and history programs. Even libraries supporting legal studies programs may wish take a look at the content for use by their patrons.
