Hi Listers, The following is an announcement I rec'd from RootsWeb's Missing Links list that may be of interest. I've not checked the link out, but hope it benefits someone. Marilyn CD LINKS: ARCHIVE CD BOOKS PROJECT by Rod Neep rod.neep@archivecdbooks.com The Archive CD Books Project http://www.archivecdbooks.com/ has set up a scheme of cooperation with the Family Records Centre (FRC) in London (an arm of the Public Record Office). The FRC in London has millions of visitors each year, all wanting to search for their family history and all wanting to leaf through the collection of old books. . . The old books are getting so much heavy use that some of them are starting to disintegrate, although some have been rebound (several times). However, its the pages that are really starting to suffer. So, we have come to an arrangement where the books are to be scanned and put onto CD (at no cost to the FRC) and then visitors will be able to view them on screen instead. (We shall also be supplying CDs of the large existing range to them too.) The books that need it will be renovated professionally, and we at Archive CD Books will also be paying for that work to be done. We expect that some of the renovations will cost between 100 and 200 pounds per book. All of the CDs will then be released in the range of the Archive CD Books Project, at anything between GBP 8.50 and 14.00 depending on the particular book. Anyone in the world will be able to own his/her own copy of these extremely rare and valuable books, that otherwise they never would have had the opportunity to see. Of course, it is the sale of the CDs that will actually pay for the scanning work to be done for the FRC, and also pay for the book renovations. We are starting with the collection of county directories, as they are the ones that get the hardest wear and tear at the FRC. We are working on approximately 10 books per week to begin with, and that may step up in the near future. The first ones already have been done and the books on CD released, so the project is well underway. I will be trying to keep the costs of CDs right down to the minimum, in line with all the others in the existing range. From GBP 8.50 plus post & packing. One of the best ways of keeping costs down is for some serious "word of mouth" advertising of the Archive CD Books Project in genealogy circles, reviews, etc. It has worked so far! Anyone who buys one of the CD Books is genuinely contributing towards the preservation of these old and rare books, not just the ones that we buy from dealers and give away to museums and libraries, but also those that are part of projects such as the latest ones from the Family Records Centre in London. It feels good. Very good. ARCHIVE CD BOOKS -- old books for genealogists reproduced on CD Web: http://www.archivecdbooks.com/ E-mail: enquiries@archivecdbooks.com