Pearson, Versaware Ink Digital Textbook Agreement

by Calvin Reid -- Publishers Weekly, 2/15/1999

Pearson Education announced an agreement with Versaware Technologies to adopt the firm's Versabook technology. The technology will be used to convert Pearson's textbooks into electronic form.

Versaware has developed a system (News, April 20, 1998) that reduces the time and expense needed to convert print content into a variety of digital formats. It has been reported that the firm, based in New York and Israel, was in negotiations to be acquired by Barnes &Noble. However, Versaware has denied reports that an acquisition is afoot while confirming that it has discussed strategic partnerships with both B&N and Amazon.com.

Under this new agreement, Pearson will convert its textbooks into online versions and into Web-linked CD- ROMs. The Versaware software has been adapted to the textbook market and includes transmittable annotations, pop-up glossaries and search capabilities. Pat Leonard, senior v-p of distributed learning at Pearson, said the agreement would allow teachers and students to "incorporate the Web into their educational experience."

Leonard told PW that users will also have access to Pearson's Web-based supplemental material and that there will be periodic content updates. The CD-ROM versions will also be sold separately, said Leonard, who emphasized that even students with used Pearson textbooks will be able to get the newest information and content revisions.

Pearson will begin by converting one textbook from each of the eight divisions of Pearson Higher Education Group. Versaware has also launched a reference and multimedia Web site (News, Nov. 2, 1998) that includes an online bookstore for its digital texts (www.funkandwagnalls.com).