ANN ARBOR, Mich., June 18, 2003 - ProQuest Information and Learning announced that it has acquired exclusive publishing rights to the PERiodical Source Index (PERSI). PERSI, the largest subject index to genealogy and local history periodicals in the world, is created and maintained by the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana. ProQuest Information and Learning is a unit of ProQuest Company (NYSE:PQE).

The PERSI index is the standard for periodical research in local history and genealogy. The comprehensive subject index covers genealogy and local history periodicals written in English since 1800. Article coverage ranges from the 18th century to the present.  The 2003 edition will contain more than 1.9 million citations from more than 6,000 periodicals published in the United States, Canada and abroad. PERSI will be published later this year as a key database in ProQuest’s award-winning HeritageQuest Online, a Web-based genealogical resource available to public and academic libraries, historical and genealogical societies, and their patrons.

“PERSI is one of the most valuable genealogical databases in use today. It helps researchers quickly locate helpful articles about families, abstracts of local records and genealogical methodology.  We’re happy to create a powerful alliance in joining HeritageQuest Online’s other quality genealogy resources,” said PERSI creator and editor Michael B. Clegg of the Allen County Public Library,

"Providing robust access to such a significant group of materials as genealogical and historical periodicals is a continuation of the library's commitment to service excellence," said ACPL genealogy department and project manager, Curt Witcher.

HeritageQuest Online, recently named “Best Reference Source” by Library Journal, a publication of the American Library Association, is a premier genealogical resource combining census data, family records, local histories and other primary sources, all superbly indexed for easy access through an intuitive interface. Users may search on personal names, place, type of material, and keywords. Full-image census records are further searchable by year, surname, given name, age, gender, race, birthplace, locality, county and state. Many collections are delivered in full page image, ready for printing or PDF downloading. HeritageQuest Online is also available via remote access to users in their homes.

Free trials are available. Libraries may receive more information by contacting their account representative at 1-800-521-0600, ext 3183 or 3452 (outside the U.S., call +44-1-223-215-512) or pqsales@il.proquest.com. Editors may call 1-800-521-0600, ext 6489 or email pr@il.proquest.com.

 

About Allen County Public Library

In October 2002, Hennan’s American Public Library Rating Index ranked the Allen County Public Library fifth in the nation among libraries of its size, based on population served. It was the third year that the library has been so highly rated. The Hennan’s rankings are based on 15 factors including circulation, staffing, materials, reference service and funding levels drawn from data for 2000 compiled in the Federal-State Cooperative System.

The ACPL’s genealogical and local history collection is the largest in a public library and the world’s second largest genealogy collection (only the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah, is larger).  ACPL holds the largest collection of English-language family and local history periodicals in the world.

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.cig.com.