***** Forwarded by Alison McNab <[log in to unmask]> *****

From: "Mack, Ruediger" <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Press Release: EUSIDIC and NFAIS to form global alliance of
information services
Date: Mon, 23 Oct 2000 09:44:26 +0200

For Immediate Release	20/10/2000					


EUSIDIC and NFAIS to Form Global Alliance of Information Services

Karlsruhe, Philadelphia - The European Association of Information Services
(EUSIDIC) and the National Federation of Abstracting and Information
Services (NFAIS) have announced their intent to merge their operations into
a global alliance of information services, subject to the completion of
plans and the approval of NFAIS and EUSIDIC members. 

Under the plan, EUSIDIC and NFAIS will retain their separate identities,
governance structures, and programs.   In merging operations, the two will
form an umbrella organization, "the global alliance," which will seek
additional partners in other parts of the world.  The umbrella organization
will focus on global issues, common strategies, and shared goals, while
NFAIS and EUSIDIC will retain full control over their national/regional
agendas.

The alliance will initially bring together NFAIS's membership of
approximately 50 information producers and providers with EUSIDIC's
membership of approximately 100 information services, intermediaries, users
and providers.  The two organizations will share a secretariat.

"The alliance is mutually beneficial to both organizations," said EUSIDIC
Chair Daphne Tomlinson of Siemens Building Technologies AG, Switzerland.
"EUSIDIC will bring a large membership base representing a broad spectrum of
the European Information Industry and NFAIS will offer a more solid
machinery.  The synergistic effects of joining with NFAIS in common
administrative operations are obvious.  With this alliance, both
organizations will achieve a critical mass, allowing improved membership
services and the possibility to shape and influence the global policy and
research agenda of the alliance."

Both the NFAIS Board of Directors and the EUSIDIC Council have endorsed the
decision for the two organizations to enter into detailed negotiations in
order to develop the detailed plans and complete the merger, which is
expected in early 2001.

"This alliance," said NFAIS President Brian Sweet of Ovid Technologies,
"fulfils a strategy that the NFAIS Board of Directors first outlined several
years ago.  We have been seeking a strategic partner to work with us in
creating an umbrella organization that would focus on global issues.   We
are delighted that EUSIDIC shares our vision and we look forward to working
with them in completing these plans."

Established in 1970, the European Association of Information Services
(EUSIDIC), exists to provide a forum and channels of communication for
professionals involved in the information industry, both suppliers and
users. 

The National Federation of Abstracting and Information Services (NFAIS),
founded in 1958, is a membership organization of more than 50 leading
not-for-profit, commercial, government, and academic producers and
distributors of digital information services for research and professional
communities.


EUSIDIC
c/o Fachinformationszentrum (FIZ) Karlsruhe
76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen
Germany
Phone:  +49 7247-808 403
Fax:  +49 7247-808 114
e-mail:  [log in to unmask]
Internet:  http://www.eusidic.org


NFAIS						
1518 Walnut St., Suite 307	
Philadelphia, PA 19102 USA			
Phone:  +1 215 893-1561				
Fax:  +1 215 893-1564				
e-mail:  [log in to unmask]				
Internet:  http://www.nfais.org			
						

--------------------------------
FIZ Karlsruhe
Ruediger Mack
Manager Marketing Communication
P.O. Box 24 65
D-76012 Karlsruhe
Germany
--------------------------------
Tel. +49/(0)7247 808 513
Fax  +49/(0)7247 808 136
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
http://www.fiz-karlsruhe.de 


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