For the first time, the wealth of information presented over the years in the United Nations Yearbook—the primary comprehensive and authoritative reference work on the Organization—is available in a CD-ROM format as the "United Nations Yearbook Collection". This new information service, which will be updated annually, has been developed and produced by the Department of Public Information. The Collection, which is on two CD-ROMs, includes all 53 volumes published to date of the United Nations Yearbook.This was made possible through the use of some of the latest scanning and compression technology. Users of the CD-ROMs will be able to access the 59,472 pages of text and indices in a familiar environment, as the Collection uses widely available PDF format and Adobe software for navigation and searching. These CD-ROMs have been designed to work in Windows, Macintosh, Linux and UNIX environments.
The Index search enables users to follow an issue across volumes, tracking the many fundamental changes that the Organization has seen over the years. Even more specific full text searches are possible in any particular Yearbook. The regular Yearbook format has been retained to make it as easy to browse as it is to search for specific information. The Collection is available in two versions: one designed for the single user, which can be used on personal computers; and the other for use on computer networks. The latter version will make it possible for institutions, such as libraries and government offices, to make the Collection accessible to anyone who has access to their networks.
The United Nations Yearbook Collection is now available on a subscription basis from United Nations Publications. The print edition of the 2000 Yearbook (covering the Millennium Summit, picture above) will be released this year.
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