ProQuest, a Cambridge
Information Group company, has acquired WebFeat, acclaimed pioneer of
federated search, a technology that enables simultaneous search of all an
organization's databases, dramatically increasing research productivity.
ProQuest plans to merge WebFeat with Serials Solutions, its Seattle-based
business unit and developer of e-resource access and management tools for
libraries.
"WebFeat is an exceptional fit with Serials Solutions and within
ProQuest as a whole," said Marty Kahn, ProQuest CEO. "It brings significant
technological expertise that will be further enhanced when combined with
Serials Solutions' technology. Just as important is WebFeat's commitment to
delivery of superior service to libraries. It's a perfect match with our
organization."
Under the leadership of Serials Solutions' general manager, Jane Burke,
the strengths of WebFeat's and Serials Solutions' federated search
platforms will be combined to create a single, market-leading solution. The
new platform will debut in early 2009, providing libraries with more power
and efficiency in accessing their data pools. The current search platforms
from both Serials Solutions and WebFeat will continue to be supported as
this development proceeds.
"With more and more e-resources in collections, librarians are looking
hard at the tools that will deliver the greatest level of 'discovery' and
federated search is one of the most important," said Ms. Burke. "Merging
Serials Solutions and WebFeat will combine the best of this technology and
create a superior tool for access."
Founded by information industry veteran Todd Miller, WebFeat introduced
the first federated search technology in 1998 and has continued as a market
leader, serving more than 16,500 libraries, conducting more than 172
million database searches annually. Mr. Miller, who holds four patents in
the field of federated search, will remain with WebFeat briefly as a
consultant. Then, WebFeat employees will be aligned functionally within
Serials Solutions' current organizational structure. While WebFeat staff
will become part of Serials Solutions, its customer support and all
development activities will continue uninterrupted.
"I'm proud to see WebFeat enter the next chapter of its history as part
of a company that is committed to creating the tools that will keep
libraries central to the research process," said Mr. Miller. "WebFeat and
Serials Solutions have an exceptional combination of strengths and I'm
certain this merger will take federated search to the next level."
ProQuest
ProQuest provides seamless access to and navigation of more than 125
billion digital pages of the world's scholarship, delivering it to the
desktop and into the workflow of serious researchers in multiple fields,
from arts, literature, and social science to science, technology, and
medicine.
ProQuest's vast content pools are available to researchers through
libraries of all types and include the world's largest digital newspaper
archive, periodical databases comprising the output of more than 9,000
titles and spanning more than 500 years, the pre-eminent dissertation
collection, and various other scholarly collections. Users access the
information through the ProQuest(R) and CSA Illumina(TM) online information
systems, Chadwyck-Healey(TM) electronic and microform resources, UMI(R)
microform and print reference products, eLibrary(R) and SIRS(R) educational
resources, Ulrich's(R) Serials Analysis System, COS Scholar Universe, and
Serials Solutions(R) resource management tools. Through the expertise of
business units Serials Solutions and RefWorks/COS, ProQuest provides
technological tools that allow researchers and libraries to better manage
and use their information resources.
Serials Solutions
Since introducing the first A-to-Z Title List in 2000, Serials
Solutions has been a global leader in the library technology marketplace.
Founded by a librarian for librarians, Serials Solutions helps library
staff and patrons find and use electronic content. Today, with over 2000
clients worldwide, Serials Solutions is the premier vendor of e-resource
access and management services (ERAMS), providing a complete and integrated
access and management solution for libraries of all sizes and types. The
Serials Solutions family of services includes 360 Core, 360 Link, 360
Search, 360 MARC Updates, 360 Resource Manager, and the new 360 Counter
e-resource assessment service. The foundation of Serials Solutions
technology is Serials Solutions KnowledgeWorks, the authoritative
e-resource knowledgebase. Serials Solutions is also the exclusive source
for Ulrichsweb.com and Ulrich's Serials Analysis System. Through its
Software as a Service (SaaS) technology model, Serials Solutions provides
fast implementation, easy customization, and outstanding value to its
client libraries.
WebFeat
WebFeat(R) is the developer of the WebFeat and WebFeat Express(TM)
Search Solutions, used by more than 16,500 leading public, academic,
government and Global 1000 libraries and information centers. Its
next-generation federated search and e-resource management tools are used
by the U.S.'s largest public libraries, as well as a variety of statewide
library systems and the nation's most prestigious research libraries. Its
products include WebFeat Express federated search solution, WebFeat
Enterprise Edition for multi-library networks, WebFeat Custom API and
SMART(TM), WebFeat's usage tracker. WebFeat Menu Manager(TM) and WebFeat
Proxy(TM) provide tools for access and management of e-resource
collections. The company has earned industry recognition from such leading
organizations as Library Journal and the Gartner Group.
SOURCE ProQuest
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