16 May 2006

The UK's National Archives organisation has announced that it is preparing to make the 1911 national census available online on the first working day of 2012.

The 2012 date for this launch is because successive governments have agreed to set a period of 100 years before a nationwide census is made available to the public.

They believe it is the correct balance between keeping information private and allowing people, especially researchers and historians, access to personal details which show people's attitudes and beliefs during that time.

Putting the census online enables the census returns to be made available to the widest possible audience and will make it much easier for people to find specific information.

In addition, as the 1911 census is a large document, with 35,000 volumes containing the details of 35 million people and taking up about two kilometres of shelving, the National Archives states that it can stay where it is, making it easier to preserve.

During the next few months, the organisation will publish an expression of interest notice in the Official Journal of the European Union in order to find a company to work with it to carry out the project.

© Adfero Ltd

Keep up to date with industry and Nomensa news by signing up to Nomensa newsletters.