Information Today
                   Volume 16, Number 6 • June 1999		 EBSCO Acquires CARL Corporation’s NoveList

EBSCO Publishing has announced that it has completed negotiations for the acquisition of NoveList, CARL Corporation’s electronic readers’ advisory resource for fiction readers. EBSCO Publishing Division general manager Tim Collins said: “This acquisition is a major component of our commitment to provide libraries with the resources they need to serve all of their users. NoveList will be a core component of our program to meet the needs of fiction readers regardless of the type of library they use.”

NoveList was introduced to the library market in March 1994 by CARL Corporation. The product is currently licensed for use in one out of every five public libraries in the U.S. The NoveList database provides enhanced subject access to over 69,000 fiction titles for readers of all ages. The product uses over 17,000 subject headings to provide this enhanced access. NoveList also provides access to hundreds of topic-oriented booklists, awards lists, and Web sites. A recently created editorial board composed of many of the country’s leading readers’ advisors is reviewing the product’s database to further increase NoveList’s comprehensiveness and coverage.

Originally introduced as a product for a library’s adult fiction readers, the addition of children’s and young adult titles has made NoveList a product for readers of all ages.

Since the addition of these titles, school libraries have begun to purchase the product. Expanding the school library community’s awareness of NoveList and working with key school media personnel to make NoveList even more useful in this environment will be a major focus for the product during the coming year, EBSCOreports.

“This is a very exciting time for NoveList and our customers,” said NoveList creator and product manager Duncan Smith. “CARL’s strength in the public library market has given NoveList a high degree of exposure. This new partnership will bring increased content to NoveList and allow us to add several new features to the product ahead of schedule.” Smith and the entire NoveList team will be joining EBSCO to continue the product’s tradition of rapid innovation in the area of supporting readers’ advisory services. NoveList staff will also continue to work on several research initiatives in the area of readers’ advisory services. The product’s partners in these efforts include the Chicago Public Library; the St. Louis Public Library; and the Minnesota Department of Children, Families and Learning’s Library Development and Services office.

CARL Corporation owner and CEO Ward Shaw said: “NoveList has been one of CARL’s many success stories. NoveList is a perfect example of how vendors and librarians can work together to develop the products needed to serve our communities. It has been very exciting to see NoveList grow with CARL’s support over the past 4 years.”

EBSCO Publishing is part of the EBSCO Information Services group, which provides fully integrated serials access and delivery solutions worldwide through subscription management, reference database development and production, and online multidatabase access. The EBSCO Information Services group consists of EBSCO Subscription Services and EBSCO Publishing.

Source: EBSCO Publishing, Ipswich, MA, 800/653-2726; http://www.epnet.com.

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