Press Room

The For Students Online collection includes 118 volumes of cross-searchable reference eBooks. These volumes cover the best-known, most-studied works and feature student-friendly analysis and context. While the entire For Students collection will be available on Gale Virtual Reference Library by May 2007, the Novels for Students backlist is available now. The Poetry for Students backlist (volumes 1-16) will be available in February; the Short Stories for Students backlist (volumes 1-16) will be available in March; and the Drama for Students backlist (volumes 1-16) will be available in May.

The U*X*L Online eBook collection includes 68 titles in 279 volumes focused on topics such as biography, environment, history, popular culture, medicine and science. Ideal for middle school and high school students looking to their public library for homework help, titles include Thomson Gale's U*X*L History Reference Libraries, Junior Worldmark, Grzimeks Student Animal Life Encyclopedia, U*X*L Encyclopedia of Drugs and Addictive Substances and Bowling Beatniks and Bell-Bottoms, among others. New titles include Chemical Compounds, Alternative Energy and five new History Reference Libraries.

Besides the obvious benefits of conserving shelf space and eliminating time-consuming activities related to theft or destruction of materials, the benefits of taking For Students and U*X*L titles onto the Gale Virtual ReferenceLibrary eBook platform are many, said Michael Eisenstein, Thomson Gale's Senior Vice President of Learning and Research Solutions for the K-12 market.

"The digital format of these key reference titles facilitate 24/7 access, increasing usage of these valuable resources even if the physical library is closed," Eisenstein said. "Each volume, the full series or the entire collection can be searched using a keyword or advanced search, making it easier for students, patrons and researchers to access the content housed in this online resource. What's more, when coupled with Thomson GalePower Search, access to Gale Virtual Reference Library becomes an all-inclusive research experience. Periodical collections and eBooks can be cross-searched, providing even more comprehensive search results and saving searchers time."

Thomson Gale PowerSearch is the company's easy-to-use cross-search platform.

Additionally, Eisenstein pointed out that the unlimited access inherent in eBook access means that every student has their own copy; they can use the same book at the same time, expanding the use of the reference collection and allowing reference materials to enter into general circulation.

For more information, contact Vanessa Birch at vanessa.birch@cengage.com.

About Thomson Learning and Thomson Gale

Thomson Learning delivers state-of-the-art, tailored learning solutions for colleges, universities, professors, students, reference centers, government agencies, corporations and professionals around the world. These solutions are delivered through specialized content, applications and services that foster academic excellence, professional development and provide measurable advantage to its customers. Thomson Learning's mission is to shape the future of global learning by delivering consistently better learning solutions for learners, instructors, and institutions. Thomson Gale(TM) (www.gale.com) serves the world's information and education needs through its vast and dynamic content pools, which are used by students and consumers in their libraries, schools and on the Internet. It is best known for the accuracy, breadth and convenience of its data, addressing all types of information needs - from homework help to health questions to business profiles - in a variety of formats - books and eBooks, databases and microfilm.