Abstract
This work presents historical data on glacier mass balance. Until now, these data have been scattered throughout many publications, limiting their utility in the geosciences. The main objective of this contribution is to summarize data available in the digital data base of Dyurgerov (2002), and to discuss in some detail their quality and limitations. This paper is intended for glaciologists, climatologists, hydrologists, and other specialists interested in high-mountain and polar environments. Other potential users include those interested in the state of modern glaciers, their change on a global scale, or in changes occurring in any particular region.