NewspaperDirect is based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.  Until now, it has concentrated on reaching newspaper readers when they travel, though hotels, retail, and even aboard cruise ships. It employs two delivery formats:  Print-on-Demand and the newly released PressDisplay electronic daily newspapers.

The daily Print-on-Demand newspaper service offers more than 240 titles (35 from the U.S., the remainder international) that can be printed on 11"X17" paper in black & white.  NewspaperDirect assembles efeeds from its publishers overnight and enables a library to automatically download and print selected editions at copy stations within the library.  With this service, libraries can select the number of copies and titles they desire to print and make available in their reading rooms.  The print-on-demand product integrates with a library’s digital printer or copier via NewspaperDirect's PrintStation software.  Print-on-Demand will be available exclusively from ProQuest in the North American library and education markets, except for existing license agreements.

PressDisplay offers more than 180 titles from around the world in their original format for viewing using a standard web browser. The digital daily newspaper collection is keyword searchable, has unique, easy-to-use browsing and navigation tools, and provides limited back-issue viewing.  PressDisplay will be available exclusively from ProQuest in the North American library and education markets.

"By offering NewspaperDirect for libraries, ProQuest will break new ground in handling and managing newspaper print content.  As library budgets have tightened in the past few years, libraries have increasingly turned to reducing their costs associated with providing print subscription copies of newspapers. NewspaperDirect transforms and improves the library's operation," said Rod Gauvin, ProQuest senior vice president, marketing and publishing.

The NewspaperDirect program offers several advantages over existing newspaper delivery methods for libraries:

• Immediacy - the desired newspaper is available at once rather than waiting for postal services to deliver the publisher's newspaper copy several days later
• Additional titles - NewspaperDirect can instantly supply more than 240 titles to a library's current catalog
• Cost savings - the print on demand version typically costs 30-50% less than the publishers' annual print subscription prices

"We are excited about partnering with ProQuest to enable our products to better reach the library market. Our Print-on-Demand and PressDisplay products have had great initial response, and now with ProQuest's extensive distribution and support capabilities, we believe our service will become a standard at libraries everywhere. This will provide library patrons with more effective access to same-day newspapers than ever before," said Richard K. Miller, NewspaperDirect Vice President, Sales and Marketing.

Free trials for the electronic newspapers via PressDisplay 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 .

Founded in 1999, NewspaperDirect is the world leader in digital delivery and local printing of same-day newspapers from around the world. With over 240 newspaper titles, and a global network of over 375 print locations in more than 70 countries, NewspaperDirect delivers to hotels, libraries, cruise ships, corporate offices, retail outlets, home subscribers and web browsers everywhere. Over the last five years, the company has grown globally by establishing a partner network with 52 licensed partners operating on six continents. NewspaperDirect also provides internet users with direct access to their favorite newspaper online through PressDisplay.com, which leverages the company’s extensive content base and leading edge technology.  For more information, visit www.newspaperdirect.com .

ProQuest Information and Learning is a world leader in collecting, organizing, and publishing information worldwide for researchers, faculty, and students in libraries and schools. Known widely for its strength in business and economics, general reference, humanities, social sciences, and STM content, the company develops premium databases comprising periodicals, newspapers, dissertations, out-of-print books, and other scholarly information from more than 8,500 publishers worldwide.  Users access the information through the ProQuest® Web-based online information system, Chadwyck-Healey^TM electronic and microform resources, UMI® microform and print reference products, eLibrary® and SIRS® educational resources, and XanEdu® online faculty and student resources.  For more information about ProQuest Information and Learning, visit www.il.proquest.com.

ProQuest Information and Learning is a business unit of ProQuest Company (www.proquestcompany.com), which was recently named one of the 100 fastest growing technology companies in the United States by Business 2.0.