ANN ARBOR, Mich., July 23, 2003 - ProQuest Information and Learning has acquired SIRS Publishing, Inc. (SIRS), the highly respected publisher of SIRS Researcher®, SIRS Discoverer®, SIRS Enduring Issues™ and other databases. ProQuest Information and Learning, a unit of ProQuest Company, is a leading provider of online information services to libraries and educational institutions worldwide.

SIRS, based in Boca Raton, Fla., provides online, CD-ROM and print reference databases to more than 50,000 libraries worldwide. SIRS’ proprietary published products are designed to address curriculum-oriented, research-based information needs that arise as students study social problems, science, health, controversial current issues, legal issues, ethics and more. SIRS’ databases place their editorial emphasis on balanced coverage of both current and enduring social topics.

"With the acquisition of SIRS, we have reinforced our commitment to provide a comprehensive catalog of high-value information to students using K-12 and public libraries," said Ron Klausner, president of ProQuest Information & Learning. "SIRS has a clear understanding of users’ needs for balanced information on all sides of current and enduring issues, and translates this understanding into effective products. We look forward to integrating these excellent products into ProQuest to continue to grow our business."

SIRS products are sold by subscription to libraries, school districts, and consortia worldwide. They are highly complementary to ProQuest’s existing product suite of K-12 student resources. The acquisition enhances ProQuest’s leadership in the K-12 library market and diversifies its offerings with strong topic-specific content. SIRS products join the recently acquired bigchalk™ and eLibrary^TM offerings to create a product suite that will provide ProQuest customers with a rich range of choices.

"ProQuest is elated and proud to welcome SIRS to our family of products created for student researchers.  SIRS’ editorial quality and 30-year history of excellence, service, and innovation will strengthen our publishing program.  We look forward to bringing together resources that will create clear benefits for our customers and users," said Barbara Beach, Vice President, K-12 Publishing, ProQuest Information and Learning.

The acquisition was finalized on July 21, 2003. SIRS co-founder Eleanor Goldstein will remain with ProQuest as Founding Publisher, reporting to Barbara Beach.  SIRS offices will remain in Boca Raton, Fla.

Libraries may receive more information by contacting their ProQuest account representative at 1-800-521-0600, ext 3183 or 3452 (outside the U.S., call +44-1-223-215-512) or pqsales@il.proquest.com or  contact SIRS Customer Service at 1-800-232-7477 (press “1”) or custserv@sirs.com.  Editors may call 1-800-521-0600, ext 6489 or email pr@il.proquest.com or media@sirs.com.

 

About SIRS Publishing, Inc. 

With headquarters in Boca Raton, Florida, SIRS Publishing is a leading provider of online, CD-ROM and print reference databases to more than 50,000 libraries worldwide. SIRS is an acronym for Social Issues Resources Series and its proprietary published products have been designed to address curriculum-related, assignment-driven information needs that arise as students study social problems, controversies, legal issues, and ethics. SIRS Publishing products are sold by subscription to libraries, school districts, and consortia worldwide.

 

Forward-Looking Statements 

Some of the statements contained herein constitute forward-looking statements. These statements relate to future events or our future financial performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our or our markets’ actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and other factors you should specifically consider include, among other things, the company’s ability to successfully integrate acquisitions and reduce costs, global economic conditions, product demand, financial market performance, and other risks listed under “Risk Factors” in our regular filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as “may”, “should”, “expects”, “plans”, “anticipates”, “believes”, “estimates”, “predicts”, “potential”, “continue”, “projects”, “intends”, “prospects”, “priorities”, or the negative of such terms or other comparable terminology. These statements are only predictions. Actual events or results may differ materially.

 

SIRS Products 

SIRS Knowledge Source® (SKS) is a comprehensive database portal which is comprised of several distinct reference databases including SIRS Researcher®, SIRS Government Reporter®, SIRS Renaissance® and SKS WebSelect^TM with available links to SIRS Interactive Citizenship®, SIRS Discoverer® and Discoverer WebFind^TM.

SIRS Researcher® is a general reference database containing thousands of full-text articles exploring social, scientific, health, historic, economic, political and global issues. Articles and graphics are carefully selected from 1,500 domestic and international publications according to strict criteria with regard to content and age appropriateness.

SIRS Government Reporter® delivers thousands of full-text documents and graphics concerning a wide variety of topics: health, science, economics, environment, politics, foreign affairs, business and industry.

SIRS Renaissance® - ‘Current Perspectives on the Arts & Humanities’, a reference database, provides dynamic information on Architecture & Design, Culture, Literature, Multimedia, Music, Performing Arts, Philosophy & Religion and Visual Arts.

SKS WebSelect^TM (formerly SIRS NetSelect) is an online database of carefully selected, reliable and credible Internet resources on vital issues and topics. SIRS continuously updates WebSelect to include new sites originating from around the globe and continuously monitors each site to ensure quality and accessibility.

SIRS Discoverer® is an award-winning, general reference database for children in grades 1-9 which promotes research, reading, writing and computer skills. Full-text articles and images are carefully selected from 1,600 domestic and international publications.

Discoverer WebFind™ is an online database of carefully chosen, reliable and credible Internet resources on almost any subject appropriate for researchers in grades 1-9. Each site contains content from well-documented sources relevant for younger researchers.

SIRS Interactive Citizenship® is an online program that combines cutting-edge content with state-of-the-art technology, creating an educational resource that emphasizes reading, writing and critical thinking skills. Utilizing interactive books, which can stand-alone or supplement textbooks, it dynamically links to relevant Web sites, articles and documents on SIRS databases.

SIRS Enduring Issues^TM is an eight-volume, 32-topic reference set showcasing the best articles published during the preceding year. Available in a loose-leaf format for classroom and library use, Enduring Issues is an excellent research tool.

SIRS Photo Essays are poster sets that tell a story about a specific topic. Perfect for libraries and classrooms, SIRS Photo Essays offer a vivid and visually attractive portrayal of social issues and global concepts that appeals to people of all ages. Each series covers a particular theme and is composed of four units.

About ProQuest
ProQuest creates specialized information resources and technologies that propel successful research, discovery, and lifelong learning. A global leader in serving libraries of all types, ProQuest offers the expertise of such respected brands as Chadwyck-Healey™, UMI®, SIRS®, and eLibrary®. With Serials Solutions®, Ulrich's™, RefWorks®, COS™, Dialog® and now Bowker® part of the ProQuest brand family, the company supports the breadth of the information community with innovative discovery solutions that power the business of books and the best in research experience.

More than a content provider or aggregator, ProQuest is an information partner, creating indispensable research solutions that connect people and information. Through innovative, user-centered discovery technology, ProQuest offers billions of pages of global content that includes historical newspapers, dissertations, and uniquely relevant resources for researchers of any age and sophistication—including content not likely to be digitized by others. Inspired by its customers and their end users, ProQuest is working toward a future that blends information accessibility with community to further enhance learning and encourage lifelong enrichment.

For more information, visit www.proquest.com or the ProQuest parent company website, www.cig.com.