Stenlake Publishing of Ayrshire are collaborating with Internet giant Google on the latter's "Field Trip" app for smartphones. The app can be downloaded for free and can be set for an interest in history. When the user physically approaches a site or place for which there is a "card" on the app, the global positioning system alerts the phone.

Stenlake are uploading images and adapted text from their local history publications for a variety of locations in the UK, Ireland and abroad (the company has three titles in print for Zambia/Zimbabwe as well as an extensive list in both Northern Ireland and the Republic). Areas already covered include Maryhill and Pollokshaws in Glasgow.

The app also offers offers some historical background and photos allowing simple "then and now" comparisons.

Managing director and founder, Richard Stenlake says: "Visitors and roots-seekers are often desperate for local history information. In many cases they have no local history research experience and the app offers a gateway to further information for them. Hopefully this will be good for visitors, good for publishers like ourselves who have been badly affected by the loss of so many high street bookshops and good for the promotion and enjoyment of local and family history as a whole."