A Legal Publishers List: News Archive
(1998 - 2003)

Compiled by Rob Richards, University of Colorado Law Library (1998-2001)

NEWS:

• 04/25/03 - Aspen Publishers, Inc. today announced that Citation Publishing, Inc. will be developing and offering online versions of Aspen’s highly respected Air Pollution Consultant, Hazardous Waste Consultant, and RCRA Regulations and Keyword Index.
  
• 03/15/03 - SLA's divine Information Portal - Links to major news stories about the divine/Rowecom situtation, newsgroups, and other official documents and lists. http://www.sla.org/content/interactive/infolinks/tellme/divine.cfm
  
• 03/15/03 - Kurtzman Carson Consultants - Bankruptcy administrators. Lists of gracing publishers, creditors, and court documents. http://www.kccllc.com/
  
• 01/03/03 - The sale of Kluwer Academic Publishers to the U.K. private equity funds Candover and Cinven is completed.
  
  

  ---

• 12/16/03 - LexisNexis Group announced today it will acquire FactLANE, an online news service for the Netherlands, from leading Dutch publisher PCM Uitgevers. FactLANE aggregates and distributes Dutch news online.
  
• 11/06/02 – Jones and Bartlett, an independent publisher headquartered in Massachusetts, announced the acquisition of the Health Care Book Publishing Division of Aspen Publishers, Inc., a subsidiary of Wolters Kluwer's Legal, Tax and Business North America.
  
• 10/03/02 - LexisNexis announced today that it will acquire MBO Verlag GmbH, based in Münster, Germany. MBO is a subscription based electronic publisher of information solutions for lawyers, corporations, and government clients. MBO has developed a comprehensive database of German legislation and has a wide range of jurisprudence and other legal, tax, and regulatory information products.
  
• 10/09/02 - LexisNexis Group and Anderson Publishing Company, Cincinnati, today announced a merger agreement between the two companies. The boards of directors of Anderson and of Reed Elsevier Group plc, the parent to LexisNexis Group, have approved the $21 million shareholder buyout, which is now subject to a vote of approval by Anderson shareholders. The companies expect the sale will be completed by October 31. According to the agreement, Anderson would become a wholly owned subsidiary of Matthew Bender & Co., another publishing member of the LexisNexis Group.
  
• 10/01/02 - Aspen Publishers, Inc. has purchased the assets and business of Bowne & Co., Inc.'s securities publishing division, the company's business unit engaged in the sale of books and videos on securities, corporate and legal topics.
  
• 09/23/02 - Aspen Publishers, Inc. announced today that it has acquired Accounting Research Manager™ (ARM) from Arthur Andersen. ARM is among the largest and most comprehensive online databases of expert-written analytical accounting and auditing information as well as primary source data from accounting regulators and standards boards
  
• 08/14/02 - The legal and regulatory market group of The Thomson Corporation announced the acquisition of Lawtel, a legal online information service in the United Kingdom. Lawtel will be managed by Sweet & Maxwell, a Thomson business and a leading legal publisher in the UK and Ireland. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
  
• 08/01/02 - Kluwer Law International became part of Aspen Publishers.
  
• 07/02 - West Group and Factiva announced an expanded alliance that will result in enhanced access to global news and business information from Factiva for customers of Westlaw. West also announced that it has acquired the assets of legal publisher The Harrison Company, a 94-year-old regional legal publisher for the southeastern United States. Harrison's products will be fully integrated into West print and online product offerings.
  
• 07/16/02 - LexisNexis Butterworths Canada and Quicklaw Inc. said today that they have completed the sale of Quicklaw to LexisNexis Butterworths. Prior to the acquisition, Quicklaw divested its Irwin Law publishing unit to Irwin Law management.
  
• 06/24/02 - On June 11, Thomson Corp. was listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), one of the largest companies added to that market this year. The lead underwriters were Merrill Lynch & Co. and Morgan Stanley. In making the decision, Thomson originally intended to raise $1.5 billion, with shares listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSE). The company anticipated raising $500 million from issuing new shares and an additional $1 billion from selling shares held by Woodbridge, Inc., the Thomson family’s holding company.
  
• 06/05/02 - West Group and Factiva have announced an expanded alliance that will result in enhanced access to global news and business information from Factiva for customers of Westlaw, West's legal research service. West has also announced that it has acquired the assets of legal publisher The Harrison Co.
  
• 05/27/02 - Canada's Quicklaw and LexisNexis Butterworths Canada said today that they are in final negotiations for Quicklaw to be acquired by LexisNexis Butterworths.
  
• 05/15/02 - Wolters Kluwer North America announced that it has acquired Charles D. Spencer & Associates, a leading provider of print and online pension, benefits and compensation information. The Spencer assets will become part of Aspen Publishers; spencernet.com will be merged into Aspen's Loislaw.
  
• 05/06/02 - Wolters Kluwer North America announced that it has acquired a series of business and financial management titles from Prentice Hall Direct. The publications will become part of Aspen Publishers. The Prentice Hall Direct titles that have been acquired target U.S. accounting and legal professionals.
  
• 03/13/02 - Taylor & Francis has made a formal offer worth pounds 300 million to purchase Blackwell Publishing, according to the Financial Times of London. Toby Blackwell, with 37% of the shares, reportedly supports the bid, while nephew and CEO Nigel Blackwell, claiming over 40% of the shares, rejects it. The matter has yet to be put to the shareholders for a vote.
  
• 03/21/02 - Wolters Kluwer North America announced that it has acquired Casenotes Publishing Company, Inc., Santa Monica, Calif., a publisher of market-leading study aids for U.S. law students.
  
• 02/04/02 - LexisNexis to distribute Congressional Quarterly content. Congressional Quarterly, Inc. and LexisNexis Group have announced an alliance in which LexisNexis will become the exclusive online distribution partner for CQ’s proprietary legislative content in the legal, government, and business markets. The agreement also provides for joint marketing of CQ and LexisNexis products across customer bases, and the anticipation of joint product development.
  
• 02/01/02 - ProQuest Information and Learning acquires Micromedia Limited
  
• 01/24/02 - LexisNexis Academic & Library Solutions clarifies new policy for Documents on Demand Service
  
• 01/21/02 - NewsEdge, acquired by Thomson in Fall 2001, enhances news products with complete, full-text content from The New York Times.
  
• 01/17/02 - Wolters Kluwer acquires ABG Professional Information.
  
• 01/17/02 - Wolters Kluwer North America acquires Uniform Information Services (UIS), which will become part of CCH Incorporated.
  
• 01/09/02 - UK news sources have recently published conflicting reports regarding possible merger talks between Reed Elsevier plc and Wolters Kluwer nv. See, for example, the AFX report of Jan 8, 2002, casting doubt on the merger: http://www.iii.co.uk/uknews/?articleid=4266583&action=article, and the Observer newspaper article of January 6, 2002, indicating the liklihood of a merger: http://www.observer.co.uk/business/story/0,6903,628089,00.html
  
• 12/07/01 - Wolters Kluwer acquires Cutter Environment ... which will be integrated into Aspen.
  
• On November 15, 2001, OCLC announced it had made an offer to purchase netLibrary, the electronic book provider, which has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy relief. Please see the announcement at http://www.oclc.org/oclc/press/20011115.shtm. Thanks to Jane Thompson for this news.

• LexisNexis announced on October 31, 2001, that it had concluded an agreement to acquire CourtLink Corp. The acquisition is subject to approval by CourtLink's shareholders. Please see the announcement at http://www.lexisnexis.com/about/releases/0454.shtml . Thanks to Sam Thompson and T.R. Halvorson for this news.

• On September 5, 2001, Platts, a subsidiary of the McGraw-Hill Companies, announced that it had acquired Financial Times Energy (also known as "FT Energy"). Please see the press release at: http://www.platts.com/pressreleases/pressrelease2001-0905.shtml.

• Greenwood Publishing Group has acquired Libraries Unlimited, the library and information science publisher, according to a story in Library Journal Academic Newswire on Aug. 17, 2001. Thanks to Karen Selden and Judith Dzierba for this news.

• On Aug. 9, 2001, Swets Blackwell, the subscription agent and information vendor, announced that it would acquire Martinus Nijhoff International, the subscription agent and book dealer. Swets Blackwell intends to integrate Martinus Nijhoff International's subscription information into its system in April 2002. Please see the announcement at http://www.swets.nl/news014.htm. Thanks to Maureen Dunnigan for this news.

• Butterworths (Australia) announced on July 14, 2001, that it had acquired the Australian electronic legal publisher LawNow. Please see the announcement at http://www.lexislegal.com/aus/butterworths/About/lawnow.asp. Thanks to Elissa Campbell for this news.

• Reed Elsevier plc announced on July 5, 2001, that the UK Minister for Competition had approved Reed Elsevier's acquisition of Harcourt General, Inc. On July 12, 2001, Reed Elsevier announced that it had completed its acquisition of Harcourt. Harcourt will now become a wholly owned subsidiary of Reed Elsevier. On completion of the merger, Reed Elsevier will sell Harcourt's higher education division and some Harcourt corporate and professional services businesses to The Thomson Corporation. Please see the announcements at: http://production.investis.com/ReedElsevierPlc/pressreleases/. Thanks to Jane Thomson for this news.

• On July 4, 2001, Butterworths (Australia) announced that it had acquired the Australian legal publisher Prospect Media. Please see the announcement at http://www.lexislegal.com/aus/butterworths/About/prospect.asp. Thanks to Elissa Campbell for this news.

• On June 25, 2001, Maritime Information Publishing Group of Lloyd's Register announced its merger with Fairplay Publications Limited. The new company, called Lloyd's Register - Fairplay Limited, is a major supplier of maritime legal information. Please see the announcement at http://www.lrfairplay.com/archway/advertising/AboutFairplay.htm.

• On May 7, 2001, Reed Elsevier plc announced that the U.S. Dept. of Justice (USDOJ) would permit Reed Elsevier to acquire Harcourt General, Inc. USDOJ is continuing its review of the sale of some Harcourt titles to The Thomson Corporation. Please see the announcement at: http://production.investis.com/ReedElsevierPlc/pressreleases/2001-05-07/?version=1. Thanks to Chuck Hamaker and Jane Thompson for this news.

• Wolters Kluwer nv announced on Apr. 6, 2001, that it would acquire SilverPlatter Information, and combine SilverPlatter with Ovid Technologies. The acquisition is subject to regulatory approval. Please see the announcement at: http://www.wolterskluwer.com/dynamic/newsarticle.asp?ids=1&newsid=51. Thanks to Stephanie Edwards for this news.

• On Apr. 4, 2001, The Bureau of National Affairs, Inc. announced that it had acquired STF Services Corporation, a provider of electronic tax forms. Please see the announcement at: http://www.bna.com/press/2001/stfcorp.htm. Thanks to Stephanie Edwards for this news.

• CCH Incorporated announced in a letter to customers dated Feb. 27, 2001, that Croner.CCH Group Ltd had completed transfer of its legal practice publications to Sweet & Maxwell. Transferred titles include Eastern European Newsletter, European Union Law Reports, and Doing Business in Europe.

• On Feb. 27, 2001, The Thomson Corporation announced that it intends to sell several businesses in the Thomson Financial Group, including A.S. Pratt. Please see the announcement on the Thomson website at http://www.thomson.com/PressRelease/pr142.html . Thanks to LLRX for this news.

• On Feb. 27, 2001, The Thomson Corporation announced that it intends to sell several businesses in the Thomson Financial Group, including A.S. Pratt. Please see the announcement on the Thomson website at http://www.thomson.com/PressRelease/pr142.html . Thanks to LLRX for this news.

• Reed Elsevier plc announced Feb. 21, 2001, that there will be a delay in Reed Elsevier's acquisition of Harcourt General Inc., due to an investigation of the proposed merger by the UK Competition Commission. Please see the announcement on the Reed Elsevier website at: http://www.r-e.com/news/982756181.html.

• According to a story in Library Journal Digital, on Feb. 19, 2001 Reed Elsevier plc announced that it would "divest Bowker, Bowker U.K., D.W. Thorpe, Marquis Who's Who and several National Register Publishing Directories." Please see the story, "Reed Elsevier to Sell Bowker," at http://www.libraryjournal.com/articles/news/thisweek/20010219_17565.asp. Thanks to Deanna Barmakian and T. R. Halvorson for this news.

• Taylor & Francis Group plc announced on Feb. 14, 2001, that it had acquired the Gordon and Breach Publishing Group. Please see the announcement on the Taylor & Francis UK website: http://www.tandf.co.uk/news/pr-14-02-01.html. Thanks to Chuck Hamaker and Ann Okerson for this news.

• On Jan. 26, 2001, West Group announced that it had purchased FindLaw. Please see the announcement on the West Group website at http://www.westgroup.com/newsinfo/wgnews/presrlse/2001/wg/findlaw.htm . Thanks to Anne Ellis, National Law Journal, Jane Thompson, and Law Library Resource Exchange for news of this merger.

• Lexis-Nexis Group announced on Jan. 5, 2001 that it had acquired Book Publishing Company, the publisher of municipal codes and ordinances. For more information, please see the announcement on the Lexis-Nexis website at: http://www.lexis-nexis.com/lncc/about/newsreleases/0373.html. Thank you to Carole Hinchcliff and Martin Korn for this news.

• Wolters Kluwer North America announced on Dec. 21, 2000, that it had acquired IHS Financial Information, Inc., from IHS Group. IHS Financial will become part of CCH Incorporated. Please see the announcement on the CCH website at: http://www.cch.com/press/news/2000/ihsfinancial.htm. Thanks to Bev Agnew for this news.

• On Dec. 19, 2000, Wolters Kluwer nv announced that it would aquire Loislaw.com. Loislaw will become a unit of Aspen Publishers. Please see the announcement on the Wolters Kluwer website at http://www.wolters-kluwer.com/frame-active.html?section=press_releases&file=./pressreleases/001219.html. Thanks to Leslie Bonacum, CCH Law Librarian Liaison, for this news.

• Greenwood Publishing Group Inc. announced on Nov. 21, 2000, that it had purchased Oryx Press. Please see the announcement on the Greenwood website at: http://www.greenwood.com/oryx1.htm. We learned of this from a notice in Library Journal Academic Newswire, "The Book Report for Nov. 30, 2000."

• On Oct. 27, 2000, Harcourt General, Inc., announced that it would be acquired by Reed Elsevier plc. At the conclusion of the acquisition, Reed Elsevier will sell several portions of Harcourt to The Thomson Corporation, including Harcourt's Higher Education Group, and the higher education portion of Harcourt Publishers International. Harcourt legal publishing companies involved include Harcourt College Publishers (which publishes undergraduate textbooks on several areas of law); Gilbert Law Summaries; BAR/BRI Bar Review; Harcourt Legal & Professional Publications; Harcourt Professional Publications; Harcourt Professional Education Group, and Academic Press. For more information, please see the announcement on the Harcourt website at http://www.harcourtgeneral.com/news/20001027-26874.htm.

• Gale Group, a subsidiary of The Thomson Corporation, has acquired K.G. Saur Verlag from Reed Elsevier, according to a story in LJ Academic Newswire, "Gale Group Acquires K.G. Saur Verlag from Reed Elsevier," Sep. 14, 2000.

• On August 3, 2000, LEXIS announced that it had acquired Mealey Publications, Inc. Please see the announcement at: http://www.lexis-nexis.com/lncc/about/newsreleases/0315.html. Thanks to Gabrielle Lewis for this news.

• On July 25, 2000, The Thomson Corporation announced that it had agreed to purchase IOB, a major Brazilian legal and regulatory publisher. IOB is a conglomerate that includes: IOB Informações Objetivas e Publicações Jurídicas, IOB Cursos de Legislação Empresarial, Mapa Fiscal Editora, and IOB Informática Ltda. Thomson will place IOB in its Legal & Regulatory Group. Please see the announcement at: http://www.thomcorp.com/PressRelease/pr119.html.

• The Thomson Corporation announced on July 13, 2000, that it would acquire Carson Group, a Canadian financial information services company. Thomson will place Carson in the Corporate Group of its Thomson Financial division. Please see the announcement at: http://www.thomson.com/PressRelease/pr116.html. Thanks to Connie Crosby for this news.

• On July 7, 2000, Reed Elsevier plc named Andrew Prozes, former executive vice president and chief operating officer for West Group, as chief executive of its "global legal publishing division," which includes LEXIS-NEXIS and several legal publishing subsidiaries. Please see the announcement at: http://www.r-e.com/news/962988086.html. More information can be found in Tim Tresslar, Lexis-Nexis Gets Chief Executive, Dayton Daily News, July 8, 2000, at 1E. Thanks to Teddy Artz for this news.

• On July 5, 2000, LawCommerce.com, which functions as, among other things, a wholesaler and marketplace for legal publications, announced that thirty large U.S. law firms had become members. Please see the announcement at: http://www.lawcommerce.com/company/press_major_firms.htm. Thanks to Karen Selden for this news.

• The Thomson Corporation announced June 5, 2000 that it would acquire Primark, a provider of financial, business, and securities information. Primark services of interest to law librarians include Disclosure and Worldscope. Please see the announcement at: http://www.thomcorp.com/PressRelease/pr104.html. Thanks to Kathie Sullivan, Genie Tyburski, and Anna Holeton for this news.

• An April 4, 2000 article in the Connecticut Law Tribune states that West Publishing Company and Mead Data Central/LEXIS-NEXIS made a secret agreement in 1988, in which West would share its electronic American case law collection and case citation system with LEXIS, for a fee of $3 million per year. The agreement came to light in the Jurisline litigation (Thomas Scheffey, West-Lexis Secret Pact Unshrouded, Connecticut Law Tribune, April 4, 2000, http://www.lawnewsnetwork.com/practice/iplaw/news/A20438-2000Apr3.html). Thanks to Constance Lundberg for this news.

• According to article published in Information Today, Michael Wilens is now the head of West Group. (Barbara Quint and Paula J. Hane, Thomson to Buy Dialog, Information Today, Mar. 22, 2000, http://www.infotoday.com/newsbreaks/nb000322-1.htm). Thanks to Margie Axtmann for this news.

• The Thomson Corporation will acquire the Information Services Division of The Dialog Corporation plc, including the Dialog, DataStar, and Profound services, according to an announcement issued by Thomson on March 23, 2000: http://www.thomcorp.com/PressRelease/pr88.html. An article about the proposed merger published in Information Today stated that Thomson has suggested that the Dialog service will be placed under the Thomson Legal and Regulatory Group (Barbara Quint and Paula J. Hane, Thomson to Buy Dialog, Information Today, Mar. 22, 2000, http://www.infotoday.com/newsbreaks/nb000322-1.htm). Thanks to Margie Axtmann and Frank Houdek for this news.

• Paul Brown, president of Lexis Publishing, has become vice president of global strategy for the legal division of Lexis Publishing's parent, Reed Elsevier, according to Laura A. Bischoff, Lexis-Nexis Stirs Churn Concern, Dayton Daily News, Mar. 16, 2000, at 1E, 6E. Thanks to Teddy Artz for this news.

• On March 14, 2000, LEXIS-NEXIS Group announced that Hans Gieskes would resign as president and chief executive officer of the group. Crispin Davis, chief executive officer of Reed Elsevier, will head the group until the appointment of a leader for Reed Elsevier's international legal division. Please see the announcement at http://www.lexis-nexis.com/lncc/about/newsreleases/LNGorgchg.html. Thanks to Teddy Artz for this news.

• RIA Group changed its name to Thomson Tax & Accounting Group on January 1, 2000. Thanks to West Group Corporate Communications for this information.

• In 1999, CCH Incorporated acquired State Taxation Institute and Bankers Systems, Inc. Thanks to M. Walters at Wolters Kluwer U.S. for this information.

• We confirmed in December 1999 that Thomas Law Book Company of St. Louis, Missouri, went out of business in February 1999. Thanks to Jan Herweg and Donna Barratt for confirming this.

• In November 1999, Aspen Publishers, Inc. acquired Summers Press. Thanks to M. Walters at Wolters Kluwer U.S. for this information.

• The Thomson Corporation announced on November 16, 1999, that it had acquired ELLIS Publications, a Maastricht-based publisher of European Union legal and regulatory information. ELLIS is to be placed under the Thomson Legal & Regulatory Group. A Thomson press release provided this information.

• Lexis-Nexis, Inc. announced on November 12, 1999 "the consolidation of CIS and NEXIS management." Sales operations for CIS will not be affected, according the the announcement, which was e-mailed to Lexis-Nexis customers.

• Gale Group announced in a printed letter dated November 1, 1999 that its subsidiary, Primary Source Media -- a publisher of microform and electronic collections, some of which are on legal topics -- was changing its name to Primary Source Microfilm. The subsidary's electronic products have been moved to the Gale Group brand. Thanks to Barbara Bintliff for this news.

• On October 27, 1999, West Group announced that it had completed its divestiture of the non-legal components of its subsidiary, Information America: "West Group merged the remaining legal information aspects of Information America into its current operations. In July, Wolters Kluwer acquired Document Resources (DR) and Data Filing Services (DFS), and in August, DBT Online, Inc. acquired the online public records business, including KnowX.com and Informed." This was announced on West Group's SERVICENEWS Internet mailing list.

• MicroJuris, a Puerto Rican publisher of electronic judicial & legislative information, announced in October 1999 that it had acquired Escrutino Legislativo from Lexis Law Publishing. Escrutinio Legislativo will continue operating from Lexis' offices until Jan., 2000, after which they will be moved to MicroJuris' offices. They can be contacted via e-mail at escrutinio@microjuris.com. Thanks to Maria Cap for this news.

• Wolters Kluwer NV announced on October 7, 1999 that it had purchased Corsearch, a U.S. trade name research firm, from The Official Information Company (TOIC). Corsearch is to become part of CCH Legal Information Services, pending approval of the acquisition by U.S. trade regulators. Please see the announcement at: http://www.wolters-kluwer.com/pressreleases/991007.html. Thanks to Bob Oakley and Frank Houdek for this news.

• QL Systems Limited (QUICKLAW) announced on October 6, 1999, that it would acquire Irwin Law, a Toronto legal publisher. Please see the announcement at: http://www3.quicklaw.com/cgi-bin/announcedoc.pl?DOCNO=314.

• On September 30, 1999, QL Systems Limited (QUICKLAW) announced that it had agreed to acquire Current Legal Resources Inc. See the announcement at http://www3.quicklaw.com/cgi-bin/announcedoc.pl?DOCNO=310. Thanks to Chris Graesser and Frank Houdek for this news.

• Taylor & Francis Group has recently acquired Europa Publications, and intends to acquire the International Journals Division of Scandinavian University Press, according to Library Journal Academic Newswire, September 30, 1999.

• Bell & Howell Information and Learning -- formerly UMI -- announced on September 29, 1999 that it had acquired the Chadwyck-Healey Group, the UK publisher. Please see the announcement at: http://www.umi.com/hp/PressRel/990929.html.

• On September 16, 1999, RoweCom, the subscription agent, announced that it would acquire Dawson Information Services Group, the owners of Faxon, a leading academic subscription agent. Please see the announcement at: http://www.rowe.com/news/prs99.asp?pr=dawson. Thanks to Eleanor Cook for this news.

• During August 1999, Gale Group acquired Documents Index, the publisher of Andriot's Guide to U.S. Government Publications. Thanks to Barbie Selby for this news.

• On August 26, 1999, QL Systems Limited (QUICKLAW) and Current Legal Resources Inc. announced a joint agreement in which CLR would provide U.S. legal material for the QUICKLAW service. Please see the press release at: http://www3.quicklaw.com/cgi-bin/newsdoc.pl?DOCNO=306. Thanks to Margie Axtmann for this news.

• In August 1999, LEXIS-NEXIS Group announced the formation of LEXIS Publishing, which includes the following "brands" of legal information products and services:
  • LEXIS-NEXIS -- computerized legal research
  • SHEPARD'S -- citators
  • Matthew Bender -- analytical services
  • Michie -- annotated statutes
  • Martindale-Hubbell -- directory of lawyers and law firms
  Thanks to the Committee on Relations with Information Vendors of the American Association of Law Libraries for this information.

• In the July/August 1999 issue of Legal Information Alert, Donna Tuke Heroy reported in the "For Your Information Column" the following publications mergers:
  • LawStuff, Inc., operator of the lawstuffusa.com website, has merged with law.com. Both are now owned by American Lawyer Media, Inc.
  • The newsletter legal.online, formerly published by Legal Communications, Ltd., has been acquired by Leader Publications, and merged with The Internet Newsletter.
  • The Daily Record Co., a subsidiary of Dolan Media, has acquired The Internet Lawyer magazine.
  • Glasser Legal Works has acquired The Internet Connection: Your Guide to Government Resources from Bernan Associates.

• Baker & Taylor, Inc., the book wholesaler, announced on July 28, 1999 that it was reorganizing and placing its library services -- including the newly acquired Yankee Book Peddler -- in a division called "Baker &Taylor Institutional." See the press release at: http://www.baker-taylor.com/WhatsNew/FinalReOrg.html. On August 2, 1999, Library Journal reported that Baker & Taylor would go public in an initial public offering. Thanks to LeGrande Fletcher for this news.

• Open Market agreed to sell its Folio line of products to NextPage, LC, on July 1, 1999. Please see the announcement at http://www.nextpage.com/lpbin/lpext.dll/npcom/foliopress/nex$ Thanks to Philip Carter for this news.

• Blackwell Ltd and Swets & Zeitlinger BV announced on June 23, 1999 that they would merge their subscription agency services. Please see the press release at: http://www.blackwell.com/news/swets.html. Thanks to Margie Axtmann for this news.

• Baker & Taylor, Inc. and Yankee Book Peddler, Inc. announced on June 22, 1999 that Baker & Taylor's Academic Library Services operation would merge with Yankee Book Peddler. The new wholesaling service will be a subsidiary of Baker & Taylor, called YBP Library Services. For more information, please see the press release on the Baker & Taylor website at: http://www.baker-taylor.com/whatsnew/CLSYBP.html.

• Wolters Kluwer U.S. has purchased Bureau of Business Practice (BBP) from Pearson Publishing. The acquisition will take effect as of close of business June 25, 1999. Thank you to the public information staff at Prentice Hall for confirming this!

• On June 14, 1999, Congressional Quarterly, Inc. announced that it had acquired the legislative tracking services of Legi-Slate, Inc., from the Washington Post Company. The Legi-Slate customer service operation will be acquired by State Net.

• On May 26, 1999, QUICKLAW announced that it would cease distributing WESTLAW to the Canadian market by the end of August 1999. By September 1, 1999, WESTLAW will be distributed in Canada by Carswell, another subsidiary of the Thomson Corporation. See the announcement on the QUICKLAW website at http://www3.quicklaw.com/cgi-bin/newsdoc.pl?DOCNO=286. Thanks to Margie Axtmann for this news!

• Wolters Kluwer announced on May 20, 1999 that it had acquired Telecommunications Reports International, Inc. (TRI). TRI will become a subsidiary of CCH Incorporated.

• Blackwell's Ltd., parent of Blackwell's Book Services, a major book wholesaler and subscription agent to libraries, announced on Friday, April 16, 1999, that it had completed negotiations to acquire Academic Book Center, a U.S. book wholesaler. Please see the announcement at http://www.blackwell.com/news/AcBCPressRelease.html. Thanks to Laura Orr-Waters for this news!

• On March 9, 1999, Lexis-Nexis announced that it had acquired CD Law, Inc., a provider of electronic legal information services for Washington State. Please see the press release at: http://www.lexis-nexis.com/lncc/about/newsreleases/0251.html. Thanks to John Teskey for this news!

• Western Legal Publications Limited has become a division of Canada Law Book Inc., according to a press release issued March 4, 1999. Western was formerly a peer subsidiary of Canada Law Book, which is owned by Cartwright Omni Corporation. Geralyn Christmas of Canada Law Book distributed the press release on the CALL-L listserv.

• On February 24, 1999, OCLC, Inc. announced an agreement that could lead to the acquisition of PAIS, Public Affairs Information Service, Inc. The companies hope to conclude the merger in April 1999. Please see the press release on the OCLC website at: http://www.oclc.org/oclc/press/19990224.htm. Thank you to Barbara Bintliff for this information!

• The Thomson Corporation will place its legal information services subsidiaries under a new division, called Thomson Legal & Regulatory Group, according to a West Group press release issued February 17, 1999. Brian Hall, president and chief executive officer of West Group, will head the new division. It appears that the existing Thomson legal information subsidiaries will retain their present names and publishing responsibilities under the new organizational structure. Thanks to Margie Axtmann for this news!

• In November 1998, LRP Publications acquired Dartnell Corp., "a publisher of training and motivational resources for business and industry." Thanks to Gary Bagin for this news!

• Elsevier Science Inc., a subsidiary of Reed Elsevier PLC, announced on October 8, 1998, that it had entered into a letter of intent to acquire JAI Press/Ablex Publishing. JAI Press publishes serials and monographic series in business, economics, and the social sciences, including major titles in the field of law and economics. Ablex Publishing produces monographs in the areas of cognitive science, psychology, linguistics, education, and library science. According to the press release regarding the letter of intent, "Ablex has now been integrated into JAI." Thanks to Barbara Bintliff for this news!

• On October 6, 1998, William S. Hein and Co., Inc., and Fred B. Rothman and Co., announced that the acquisition of Fred B. Rothman and Co. by William S. Hein and Co., Inc., would take place in October 15, 1998.

• Ovid Technologies, a major vendor of subscription-based scientific and medical electronic information services, announced on September 29, 1998 that it was to be acquired by Wolters Kluwer. The acquisition of Ovid should significantly enhance Wolters Kluwer's electronic publishing capability. Thank you to Barbara Bintliff for this information!

• In a September 14, 1998 press release, Thomson Business Information, a division of The Thomson Corporation, announced that it has merged three Thomson publishers -- Gale Research, Information Access Company (IAC), and Primary Source Media -- into a new entity called "The Gale Group."

• The August 14, 1998 issue of Professional Publishing Report provides the following news: "With the completion of its $1.65 billion acquisition of legal publisher Matthew Bender and online legal citation service Shepard's Co. from Times Mirror this month, Lexis-Nexis (Dayton, OH) also gained a minority position in VersusLaw, one of its biggest Web-based rivals, Paul Brown, chief operating officer of legal publishing for Lexis-Nexis, told PPR sister publication Electronic Information Report." Thanks to Chris Wren and Donna Tuke Heroy for this information!

• On July 31, 1998, Reed Elsevier completed its acquisition of Matthew Bender from Times Mirror, and its purchase from Times Mirror of the 50% of Shepard's that Reed did not previously own.

• On Feb. 10, 1998, West Group announced its acquisition of Federal Publications, Inc., a publisher of government contracting, construction contracting, and immigration materials. Thanks to Kathie Sullivan for letting us know about this!

Back to the top of this page