The World Bank Launches a New, Open Access, Digital Collection

[jdebuerba@worldbank.org]

A new online, open access, collection of all World Development 
Reports since 1978 was launched today by the World Bank. The 
Complete World Development Report Online, which allows users to 
easily access and search across these World Bank annual flagship 
publications, is free and open to the public and may be accessed 
at http://wdronline.worldbank.org

For over thirty years, the annual WDR has provided a window on 
development economics to a broad international readership. The 
report has served as one of the principal vehicles for 
encapsulating the World Bank's knowledge of and policy 
recommendations on key global development trends. From 
agriculture and the environment to economic growth and 
international trade, the WDR has tracked theoretical and 
empirical findings as well as policies in the field of 
international development.

The robust search engine of The Complete World Development Report 
Online optimizes search both across and within all WDRs with the 
click of a button. In addition, the background papers upon which 
the most recent reports were drawn are also available.

A free optional individual user account allows users to take 
advantage of tools such as bookmarking and saving selected 
chapters or reports, saving searches, and taking notes. A custom 
eBook feature lets users select chapters from multiple reports 
for future reference, sharing with colleagues, or creating course 
packets. The custom eBooks may also be downloaded, printed, or 
easily shared through social networking sites. In addition, the 
site features quick links to World Bank open databases, RSS 
feeds, new content alerts, and COUNTER-compliant usage statistics 
for librarians.

"We are pleased to offer the custom eBook tool in The Complete 
World Development Report Online," said Carlos Rossel, Publisher 
of the World Bank. "We hope that by offering this new, free 
resource with added features, we will facilitate research and 
help our users more easily collect, save, and share the World 
Bank knowledge captured in the collection of World Development 
Reports."

A bonus title, Shahid Yusuf's Development Economics through the 
Decades: A Critical Look at 30 Years of the World Development 
Report, is also included.  "The World Development Report provides 
a unique perspective on the evolution of thinking, policy making, 
and practice in the field of development. Now for the first time, 
those interested in development have a convenient way to access 
all the WDRs at the same time, in the same place, to compare how 
key areas in development have changed over the years," said 
Yusuf.

The forthcoming, WDR 2011: Conflict, Security and Development 
will be released in April 2011 and will be added to The Complete 
World Development Report Online, along with all future WDRs.

For more information, contact Devika Levy, dlevy@worldbank.org, 
or visit http://wdronline.worldbank.org