"This latest partnership represents our commitment to providing the best and most comprehensive genealogy and local historical research solutions to libraries and their patrons," said Rod Gauvin, senior vice president of publishing for ProQuest. "The exclusive distribution agreement brings electronic historic maps in a patron-friendly resource to libraries for the first time."

Historic Map Works' high quality, full color digital collection of historic maps is one of the most extensive available. The core of the collection consists of nearly 100,000 cadastral, land ownership maps detailing the geographic and development history of the United States over several hundred years. There is extensive coverage of rural and suburban areas, as well as cities and towns across America.

In addition, Historic Map Works print collection contains more than 100,000 contemporaneous pages of illustrations and more than 1,000 city directories related to the cadastral maps, allowing additional research capabilities. Nearly 100,000 antiquarian maps covering the world from the 15th to 19th centuries are being added. This exclusive program with the University of Southern Maine's Osher Map Library includes many of the world's most important printed maps.

Historic Map Works' unique indexing gives historical views of locations, allowing researchers to search churches, cemeteries, ancestral lands, land boundaries, as well as migration patterns, community growth, topography and more.  Historic Map Works currently has nearly 80,000  maps and illustrations covering North America, and will grow to more than 200,000.   Historic Map Works also contains city directories and phone books that enable users to better trace and associate individuals with locations - a key component in genealogical research.