CAMBRIDGE, United Kingdom, 25 September, 2006 - British Phone Books, 1880-1984, the contents of BT Archives’ historical phone book collection on Ancestry.co.uk, will also be available in Ancestry Library Edition, the public library version of this popular product, ProQuest Information and Learning announced today.

The British Phone Books, 1880-1984 collection is an important and fascinating addition to Ancestry Library Edition’s records and provides our library customers with unique twentieth century information which has been very difficult to find up until now,” said Chris Cowan, ProQuest’s Vice President of Publishing.

8220;Family history enthusiasts now have the opportunity via their local library to find exactly where their ancestors once lived, building a more detailed picture of their family history.” 

“Since their introduction in 1880, phone books have provided a unique snapshot of communities in Britain in a regular and familiar format, making them an ideal source for both family and social historians,” said David Hay, Head of Heritage, BT Archives.  “BT is committed to preserving the history of telecommunications and delighted to be improving access to its heritage through this exciting venture.”

BT Archives’ collection of phone books is the most complete set of British telephone directories in existence and contains in excess of 250 million names, greater than the English, Welsh, and Scottish Census collections combined.  The 430 London books alone (which include the counties of Surrey, Hertfordshire, Essex, Kent, and Middlesex) contain more than 72 million names. The first records to be launched are the phone books for Greater London

Ancestry Library Edition users can search the British Phone Books, 1880-1984 by name, year, and county, allowing them to fill in many of the gaps in their family and house histories left by other traditional genealogy sources.  Perhaps more intriguing are the very particular details about the lives of the famous - and the infamous - including the likes of Sir Winston Churchill, Bram Stoker, Laurence Olivier and “Handcuff King” Harry Houdini.

“The association between Ancestry and BT has resulted in the vital preservation of an important archive for family and social historians alike to use and enjoy.  ProQuest is thrilled to be able to extend this fascinating content to our library customers,” said Mr. Cowan.

The BT collection of phone books are public records up to 1984, the date of BT’s privatisation, and are held and safeguarded on behalf of the nation by BT Archives. By drawing on Ancestry Library Edition's expertise and highly-developed digitization technology, BT Archives has found a new way to fulfill its responsibilities to preserve and promote the UK's telecommunications heritage and provide greater access to these important records. The modern day successor to the historical books, The Phone Book from BT, not only contains traditional residential numbers, but has evolved to become a comprehensive source of local business and service information.

The British Phone Books, 1880-1984 represents a major addition to Ancestry Library Edition’s extensive range of sources for family and social history, offering more records than any other website, and secures Ancestry Library Edition’s position as the leading resource for family and social history available to genealogy societies, academic and public libraries.

About ProQuest
ProQuest creates specialized information resources and technologies that propel successful research, discovery, and lifelong learning. A global leader in serving libraries of all types, ProQuest offers the expertise of such respected brands as Chadwyck-Healey™, UMI®, SIRS®, and eLibrary®. With Serials Solutions®, Ulrich's™, RefWorks®, COS™, Dialog® and now Bowker® part of the ProQuest brand family, the company supports the breadth of the information community with innovative discovery solutions that power the business of books and the best in research experience.

More than a content provider or aggregator, ProQuest is an information partner, creating indispensable research solutions that connect people and information. Through innovative, user-centered discovery technology, ProQuest offers billions of pages of global content that includes historical newspapers, dissertations, and uniquely relevant resources for researchers of any age and sophistication—including content not likely to be digitized by others. Inspired by its customers and their end users, ProQuest is working toward a future that blends information accessibility with community to further enhance learning and encourage lifelong enrichment.

For more information, visit www.proquest.com or the ProQuest parent company website, www.cambridgeinformationgroup.com.