Genealogy.com® and ProQuest Partner to Develop Products

First Subscriptions to Launch Are The U.S. Census Collection — The Key Source for Genealogical Research — and The Family & Local Histories Collection — The Most Extensive Collection of Family Histories Available Anywhere

September 17, 2002 (FREMONT, CALIFORNIA) — Genealogy.com, a division of A&E Television Networks, and ProQuest Information and Learning Company have partnered to develop new database products for family history research. Under the terms of the agreement, Genealogy.com (www.Genealogy.com) will market these new products to consumers, while ProQuest (www.ProQuest.com) will market to libraries. The announcement was made today by Rob Armstrong, Senior Vice President & General Manager, Genealogy.com and Joe Reynolds, President and CEO, ProQuest Information and Learning.

Through this exclusive partnership, Genealogy.com is offering The U.S. Census Collection, a significant online source for federally created genealogical information available for the censuses taken from 1790 to 1930. The fully indexed U.S. Census Collection contains document images describing millions of individuals. It is available by subscription for $19.99 monthly or $99.99 annually.

Also debuting is The Family & Local Histories Collection, an extensive collection of family histories. Previously accessible only at libraries through ProQuest, this comprehensive and growing database contains over 7.5 million fully searchable pages including rare genealogical journals, local histories and diversified primary sources. The easy-to-use database will be available to Genealogy.com subscribers for $14.99 per month or $79.99 per year.

"A leading publisher of content in the academic and library markets, ProQuest is a great match for Genealogy.com, as both companies are in the business of preserving history," said Mr. Armstrong. "With ProQuest, Genealogy.com will bring the collection of family and local histories both to experienced genealogy hobbyists, and to those who are just beginning family research."

"As one of the top general interest passions and hobbies in the U.S., genealogical research continues to attract enthusiasts seeking information about their families and heritage," Reynolds said. "Much of the family and local history information from ProQuest is not available in any other online resource. We're delighted to make that information more accessible to genealogical enthusiasts and researchers through our relationship with Genealogy.com."

Access Millions of Actual Federal Census Records

The U.S. Census Collection at Genealogy.com offers a wealth of data for family history research. The Federal Census, taken every 10 years, is the largest, most continuous and most uniform body of records available to American genealogists. Novices interested in moving past family lore and putting actual names and dates to their grandparents, great-grandparents and earlier generations will appreciate the instant access to millions of records provided by this landmark data collection. Professional genealogists also appreciate the anytime, anywhere access and expert indexing of these records.

The U.S. Census Collection from Genealogy.com will be released in stages, launching with complete images from every state for the Census years 1790, 1800, 1810, 1840, 1870, and 1900, providing data for more than 123 million individuals at the turn of two centuries.

Every month until the collection is complete, new content will be added for subscribers to search and explore. Upon completion, The U.S. Census Collection from Genealogy.com will include all the images and indexes available for every state from every decade from 1790-1930, referencing more than 500 million names across 140 years.

Because the 1890 Census was lost in a fire in 1921, the 1900 Census bridges the gap for many Americans whose immigrant ancestors arrived in the United States during the prior two decades. The U.S. Census Collection features images of the original hand-written documents for 75 million individuals.

Rich details provide new leads and expand a search to other record types: marriage years provide clues for when and where to search for marriage records, parents' birthplaces lead to birth certificates for an older generation, and immigration and naturalization dates can lead to immigration documents and a link to the "old country." Even more impressive is the way in which these records can lead to real-life experiences. By discovering the street on which your ancestors lived, you can walk in their footsteps and visit their old neighborhood or even the house where they lived.

Leland Meitzler, editor of Heritage Quest magazine, notes that The U.S. Census Collection is a landmark resource for anyone building a family tree. "This new software offers unparalleled access to the single most important body of records available to American genealogists. Users are bound to uncover more branches of their family tree than ever before."

Not Just a Name, But a Story

Going far beyond the genealogical basics into full-fledged family histories, the Family & Local Histories Collection offers not just names, but priceless stories not found anywhere else. Although a perfect starting point for the novice genealogist, experienced researchers will also have the opportunity to utilize the powerful search engine to access incredibly comprehensive records that provide information across generations back to 1700. In addition to family and local histories, books include tax rolls, cemetery lists, wills, military rosters, maps, atlases, church, court and school records and printed histories encompassing towns and families from all 50 states, Canada and the British Isles. The collection currently contains 16,000 total titles, with an additional 9,000 to be loaded and 1,200- 1,500 new titles added each year from genealogical societies and libraries.

Says noted genealogical researcher Dick Eastman, "Family & Local Histories provides a unique, ongoing collection of research materials for tracing family lineage and American culture…the whole thing was intuitive and easy to navigate. It's a great genealogy resource."

Extensive and Powerful Library-Quality Genealogical Data — All Accessible from the Comforts of Home

The Family & Local Histories Collection includes:

• A rich and always growing database containing greater and more in-depth information than previously available to consumers, virtually guaranteeing salient ancestral information and records for anyone interested in researching their family history.
• 7.5 million fully-searchable pages, currently containing more than 7,200 family histories and exclusive digital images plus thousands of local histories.
• Multiple search options — people, places, and publications — which makes searching easier and more accurate.
• Bibliographic citations and full text of all monographs and serials, which provides new research leads.
• The ability to jump directly to a keyword hit in a book or article.
• Downloading of digital images in PDF format for more extensive viewing and printing. The text can also be magnified 200% or 400% — a great tool when decoding cryptic or faded text.
• A "Notebook" feature which allows consumers to take notes and save them for future use.

For more information about these new data collections and a wide range of other indispensable genealogical research tools and databases, visit www.Genealogy.com.

What are the system requirements?

Both the Family & Local Histories Collection and the U.S. Census Collection can be viewed using any Internet-ready computer that has Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 and higher or Netscape Navigator 4.0 and higher. As with all Windows programs, a faster processor, more RAM and more free disk space will enhance performance.

About Genealogy.com

Genealogy.com is a subsidiary of A&E Television Networks (AETN). The company enriches the lives of its customers by providing the tools, resources and community that empower them to uncover and share their unique family stories. Headquartered in Fremont, CA, it designs, develops and markets genealogy software applications and online resources that enable family history enthusiasts to research, organize and document their heritage at home or away. Developing software since 1984, Genealogy.com continues to be the leader in the genealogy technology space, producing the #1 selling family tree software — Family Tree Maker — for more than a decade. The company also provides extensive online genealogy resources, including subscriptions that give researchers continuous, easy access to valuable family history information, such as the U.S. Census Collection, Family and Local Histories Collection, International & Passenger Records, World Family Tree, and Genealogy Library. Other AETN Web sites include AandE.com, HistoryChannel.com and Biography.com.

About ProQuest Information and Learning

ProQuest Information and Learning, a division of ProQuest Company, is a world leader in collecting, organizing and distributing information worldwide to researchers, faculty, and students in libraries and schools. Known widely for its strength in business and economics, general-reference, humanities, social sciences, and STM content, the company develops premium databases comprising periodicals, newspapers, dissertations, out-of-print books, and other scholarly information from more than 8,500 publishers worldwide. Users access the information through the ProQuest® Web-based online information system, Chadwyck-Healey™ electronic and microform resources, UMI® microform and print reference products, and XanEdu™ online faculty and student resources. For more information about the Ann Arbor, Mich.-based ProQuest Information and Learning, visit www.il.proquest.com.

Contact Genealogy.com

Beth Blenz-Clucas
DKPR
Phone: (503) 293-9498
blenzb@aol.com