ANN ARBOR, Mich., August 17, 2004 - ProQuest Information and Learning will launch dynamic standards-based searching in its K-12 databases this month. ProQuest Information and Learning, a unit of ProQuest Company, creates and publishes databases for libraries and educational institutions worldwide.

Standards-based searching allows educators to locate resources in ProQuest’s portfolio of K-12 products by content standard and benchmark.  ProQuest’s proprietary, patented correlation technology allows the knowledge database to update constantly as content and standards change. The feature will be available in eLibrary®, eLibrary Curriculum Edition®, and the SIRS® suite of databases.

When complete, the new feature will cover all core curricula subjects and will include all states’ standards for English Language Arts, Mathematics, Sciences, and Social Studies/Sciences—plus national standards for Technology and Health.  Standards-based searching saves time for educators during the lesson-planning process.  It provides students with targeted, on-task information and insures that library resources are aligned directly to learning benchmarks.  The searches are dynamic so that the results are always current.

“As the standards-based education movement grows, teachers want more than ever to find and use the right instructional resources to address national, state and local educational standards,” said Al De Seta, President K-12, ProQuest Information and Learning. “As a leading K-12 content provider, one of ProQuest’s most important roles is to provide educators with the tools and resources to achieve that goal.”

Other providers offer standards-based searching only for limited content sets, with static alignment to standards. ProQuest is the first aggregated database provider to offer the service with dynamic searching across content and every current state and national learning standard.  In total, eLibrary and SIRS will allow educators to search by standards across more than 50 million documents.

The new feature provides schools with a vast pool of reliable, relevant content to augment existing curriculum materials. For the first time, educators can access standards-aligned full-text periodical articles, reference works, primary sources, websites, maps, pictures, audio/video, transcripts, and more in a single search. Plus, unlike other databases, the web content is monitored and reviewed hourly by ProQuest editors to ensure it’s safe and appropriate for the classroom.

Standards searching launches directly from the main search page with customized displays and work-station access.  Users will find topics, websites, and articles that match the curriculum standards for their state.  With a few clicks, users find benchmarks and begin matching them to ProQuest resources.  Results display all topics related to the benchmark.  Topics lead to related websites, periodicals, reference works, and multimedia sources.  Dynamic searches include updated content as new documents are added daily.

Free trials are available. Libraries may receive more information by contacting their account representative at 1-800-521-0600, ext. 3183 or 3452 (outside the U.S, call +44-1-223-215-512) or pqsales@il.proquest.com. Editors may call 1-800-521-0600, ext. 6489 or email pr@il.proquest.com.

About ProQuest
ProQuest creates specialized information resources and technologies that propel successful research, discovery, and lifelong learning. A global leader in serving libraries of all types, ProQuest offers the expertise of such respected brands as Chadwyck-Healey™, UMI®, SIRS®, and eLibrary®. With Serials Solutions®, Ulrich's™, RefWorks®, COS™, Dialog® and now Bowker® part of the ProQuest brand family, the company supports the breadth of the information community with innovative discovery solutions that power the business of books and the best in research experience.

More than a content provider or aggregator, ProQuest is an information partner, creating indispensable research solutions that connect people and information. Through innovative, user-centered discovery technology, ProQuest offers billions of pages of global content that includes historical newspapers, dissertations, and uniquely relevant resources for researchers of any age and sophistication—including content not likely to be digitized by others. Inspired by its customers and their end users, ProQuest is working toward a future that blends information accessibility with community to further enhance learning and encourage lifelong enrichment.

For more information, visit www.proquest.com or the ProQuest parent company website, www.cig.com.