E-research and educational publisher Gale, part of Cengage Learning, US, has announced the acquisition of HighBeam Research, Inc. HighBeam Research is the producer of HighBeam Research Library and the online reference site Encyclopedia.com. Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.
HighBeam offers a broad collection of editorially selected information that supports learning and inquiry. Its growing base of content, which includes newspaper archives, journal articles, magazines, reference works and more, provides a powerful resource for individuals, students, and business professionals. The HighBeam Research Library has garnered numerous awards, including a prestigious CODiE for 'Best Online Reference Service.'
Gale has had a presence on the open web for many years now, particularly with AccessMyLibrary, which brings users from search engines into a library environment to explore their vast content riches. Now, with the added expertise of HighBeam, Gale will have a greater opportunity to learn more about user behaviour and research trends, and will use that information to further develop and enhance the user experience for all its products. This transaction is expected to benefit HighBeam's customers, business partners and employees by bringing substantially more scale to the HighBeam business. The company's operations will continue to remain in Chicago.
