A heritage centre will be created at the city's library

Liverpool City Council said the �40m proposals to digitalise the historic Central Library will make it the first in the world with an online facility for tracing family roots.

A heritage centre will be built as part of the modernisation, which is expected to be completed in 2007.

Millions of archives, including birth certificates and school registers, will be available from the library on the internet.

The council hopes that the plans will make the city a major world centre for genealogy.

They are a significant part of the city's bid to become the European Capital of Culture in 2008.

This project will make it the best in the world Councillor Warren Bradley

The council's executive board will consider the proposals, and a bid for �17.5m of private finance to fund them.

Councillor Warren Bradley, executive member for leisure and culture on the city council, said: "Our Central Library is recognised by the government as one of the best in the UK for service and its archives.

"This project will make it the best in the world.

"We will now be asking what the people of the city think. We are working extremely hard with our partners to make sure it is a success."