Frequently Asked Questions

Family History Books
Can you tell me more about the process for family history books?

You need to tell us about the material you have and what you are trying to achieve. Do you want a serious history book or something with lots of pictures? Do you want a keepsake for your grandchildren or something for yourself? Do you want us to write all the content or do you have something like an ancestor's diary which you want included? Do you want to include colour pictures?

We will assess your requirements to see what we can do and make some suggestions.

If you are interested, we will ask for samples of some of your documents and prepare maybe two or three pages for your comment. If you like them, we will ask you to send us a copy of all your documents (preferably on a CD) so we can review them and prepare a formal quotation and book outline. If you want us to go ahead, we will request a deposit of 25% of the final cost. As soon as we have received your deposit, we will start writing your book. Depending on the length of the volume, the writing might take some months but you will be updated on our progress during this period. At the end, we will submit a pdf proof copy of the book for your approval. Once this has been received, we will submit our final invoice. Upon receipt of payment, a single copy of your book will be despatched to the address you have specified. You will also receive back your documents and a link so that you can purchase further copies if you wish.

Who owns the copyright on family history books?

Copyright rests with the author so it remains with Aries Research unless you have chosen to prepare your own text and only require us to format it for publication.

Will the book be available in shops?

No. Family history books are designed as private publications. They do not have any ISBN so they cannot be sold in shops and there is no requirement to supply copies to legal deposit libraries.

Can I include copies of any family documents or photographs in my book?

You are obliged to check the copyright status of any documents which you supply to us. However, the fact that the book is a private publication and not made available to the general public means that you may ordinarily legally reproduce a copy of something like a census image as it is for your own use. If you were to seek to sell copies of the book to those outside the family and thus make it a conventional publication, you would need to get permission from the copyright owners.

Who is responsible for the accuracy of the book?

You are responsible for the accuracy of any family information supplied. Aries Research will not verify this information or expand on it unless you request our research service.

What methods of payment do you accept?

Our preferred method of payment is Paypal but we also accept cheques.