Marcel Dekker has announced several new online publishing ventures that will allow the scientific and technical publisher to further extend its scholarly brands and provide wider access to its online journals and encyclopedias.

MD is launching the Dekker Agropedia, a print and online publishing program that will include six encyclopedias focusing on agricultural disciplines from plant study to pest management. MD also announced agreements with Tufts University to produce a print and online nutrition reference work and to produce print and online encyclopedias for the American Institute of Chemical Engineers and the American Academy of Clinical Pharmacy.

MD has also made an agreement with the four principal library subscription agents to provide online subscription services to Dekker's print and online journals. The library agents include Blackwell's, Faxon/Dawson, EBSCO and Swets.

Robert Ubell, executive v-p of New Media at Marcel Dekker, told PW the encyclopedia ventures point to the 'importance of branding even in the scholarly world.' The first encyclopedias should be available by late 2000; purchasers will be able to receive advance access online (once the works are about half complete) and will receive the print edition once the book is completed. Users can also purchase online access for a monthly or yearly fee that includes regular text updates. Its Web site is located at www.dekker.com.