1. Search widely
We explore library catalogues, digitised books, historical newspapers and specialist collections. Author-led research and thematic searches help us follow connections across scattered records.
2. Establish the source
We record where a work was found, its publication history and the editions or scans available. Search results and catalogue entries are useful leads; they are not substitutes for reading the source.
3. Recover a reliable text
A full-text capture path is required before a work advances beyond initial discovery. Digitised material may need transcription, comparison with page images and correction of optical character recognition errors. Gaps and uncertainties remain visible in the research record.
4. Review rights and context
We examine the basis for lawful and ethical republication, alongside provenance, cultural context and the responsibilities involved in bringing historical material to a new audience. Being available online does not, by itself, establish permission to republish.
5. Make an editorial decision
Human review considers literary quality, fit with our purpose, textual reliability and the work needed to prepare an edition. Acceptance requires a recorded decision and a confirmed rights position. Finding a work never guarantees that it will be published.
6. Choose a form that serves the work
For work that progresses, we consider the needs of the text and its readers across print, audio and digital formats. Preparation, contextual material and production are shaped by that choice.
Tools support the research
Digital search, text recognition and AI-assisted analysis can help locate and organise material. Their outputs are checked against sources. They do not make final creative, ethical or publication decisions.