Gale Launches Ebook Program

Posted on October 25, 2002

Gale, a research and reference publisher for libraries, announced that it is launching an ebook program. Through an alliance with netLibrary, Gale's reference works will be available in versions that library patrons can search and read via the Internet. Gale is a business unit of The Thomson Corporation.

The initial list of titles is culled from four Gale imprints, including Charles Scribner's Sons, Gale, Macmillan Reference USA, and St. James Press. The companies ultimately expect to make hundreds of works available as ebooks. netLibrary will host Gale ebooks, which will be available to any institution with a netLibrary account. Content will be identical to the print version. Gale ebooks will be sold as individual units or in bundles with print titles.

"The Gale brand is not only about accurate, reliable content. It's also about easy access to that content," said Gale President Allen Paschal. "Considering the enhanced searching capabilities and round-the-clock availability of ebooks, this format is a natural addition to our delivery model."

netLibrary allows full-text searches conducted across hundreds of books or within a specific book to speed research and reference projects. The books can be viewed online from a library, office, home, or remote location using an Internet browser, or can be downloaded to a laptop. Ebooks are available for varying checkout periods and are automatically checked back into the library collection when the checkout period expires.

John Barnes, Gale's senior vice-president of business development, said, "We're genuinely pleased to be working with netLibrary and by extension, OCLC, its parent. Like Gale, they're committed to technological innovation and have a passion for serving the library community."