Cengage, Smithsonian Partner To Bring More Info To Libraries
FARMINGTON HILLS -- Gale, the Farmington Hills publisher of databases and reference resources for libraries, schools and businesses, and the Smithsonian Institution Thursday announced a licensing agreement to distribute Smithsonian assets into the library and academic markets.
Said Frank Menchaca, executive vice president, research solutions for Cengage Learning: "This agreement puts us closer to our goal of becoming the largest humanities research experience for the academic library. Through our extensive distribution channels throughout the world, in classrooms as well as in libraries, we'll put into the hands of students, teachers and researchers, a universe of materials that is structured for research in a way never before possible."
The Smithsonian Institution is the world's largest museum and research complex, with 19 museums, nine research centers and more than 140 affiliate museums around the world. The complex houses nearly 137 million objects, works of art and specimens and its facilities see nearly 30 million visitors per year. Under the agreement, Cengage Learning will have access to the complete archives of Smithsonian Magazine and Air and Space magazine, as well as collections covering American history, science, world cultures and more.
As part of this partnership, Cengage Learning will have rights to develop Smithsonian branded products created for the library and academic markets utilizing Smithsonian assets. Immediate plans in the library space include the creation of a digital archive of the complete back files of both Air and Space magazine and Smithsonian Magazine, and will incorporate new issues on an ongoing basis. The product will take advantage of Gale's market-leading application for digital primary sources, with tools to support new forms of discovery and use of Smithsonian content.
"Gale's digital research solution offers the Smithsonian a new, comprehensive way to reach the library and academic markets," said Carol LeBlanc, senior vice president, consumer and education products for Smithsonian Enterprises. "We look forward to working with Gale to create a compelling series of Smithsonian collections, enhanced by Gale's delivery system, to meet the needs of library markets worldwide."
More at www.gale.cengage.com.
