In a blockbuster deal for the library market, EBSCO Publishing announced that it has acquired the Bronx-based H.W. Wilson Company. Wilson, which offers more than 80 databases on its well-regarded WilsonWeb platform is a natural fit for EBSCO, a database industry leader with more than 300 databases and nearly 300,000 e-books available via its EBSCOhost platform.
In a release, Tim Collins, president of EBSCO Publishing, said the acquisition would “heighten the value and quality” of both EBSCO and Wilson resources. “Upholding the integrity of the Wilson indexing is essential, and extending these attributes to EBSCOhost resources is a critical part of this venture,” Collins said. Harry Regan, president & CEO for Wilson, added that the acquisition will result in “a broader and deeper range of products and services for the library reference community with significantly added value.” Financial details were not disclosed.
According to company officials, from an FAQ on the EBSCO Web Site, Wilson indexing, abstracts and full text will be fully searchable via EBSCO Discovery Service for subscribers of Wilson databases. In addition, the “vast majority” of Wilson databases will be maintained, while some will be merged with related EBSCO databases. Librarian feedback, the FAQ notes will be key in some product decisions, and some of Wilson’s print products may discontinued. Wilson Web access will be maintained through 2011, while the rollout of Wilson databases on EBSCOhost will roll out over the next “several months.”
