With apologies for cross-posting:
Ingenta and BIDS
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Ingenta and the JISC are pleased to announce that Ingenta has agreed to
take full financial responsibility for the BIDS collection of services
commencing 1st August 2002. Formed with JISC funding at the University of
Bath in 1991, BIDS has been a pioneer in the delivery of online
bibliographic resources and e-journals for the UK HE sector. Since 1998
Ingenta has successfully operated the BIDS service on behalf of the
University of Bath. Although no longer subsidised by the JISC, BIDS will
continue to provide services targetted at the UK's higher and further
education and research council communities. Bibliographic services
currently available via BIDS include PsycINFO, IBSS
(International Bibliography of the Social Sciences), Inspec, the Education
Datasets (ERIC and BEI), and CAB Abstracts.
For some time BIDS, under Ingenta's direction, has been building up a
portfolio of commercially hosted services and Ingenta will continue to
support and develop BIDS, working with JISC initiatives wherever
appropriate. Users of BIDS database services will also continue to benefit
from the close links with Ingenta's highly successful full text services,
with search results linked to the 5,400 online journal titles accessible
through Ingenta.
As well as assisting the JISC in conducting a successful exit strategy for
BIDS, Ingenta is also in the process of taking financial and managerial
responsibility for the JISC's eLib HERON course pack service, currently
operated by Stirling and Napier Universities. Ingenta will take full
responsibility for HERON from 1st August and links to the HERON service
will be incorporated into the BIDS website.
These changes are fully supported by the JISC, the University of Bath, the
BIDS Steering Group and the JIBS User Group.
Mark Rowse, Ingenta's CEO, says "Ingenta is delighted to be able to
support the continued development of BIDS as a bibliographic and e-journal
resource for the UK's HE and FE sectors. As one of the most widely known
services of its type, it has benefited greatly from the continuing loyalty
and support of information professionals and users throughout the sector
and Ingenta looks forward to building on this in the future. "
Sir Maxwell Irvine, Chair of the JISC, says "BIDS has performed an
important and valued service to the community since it was formed over 10
years ago. The JISC acknowledges the professionalism with which BIDS staff
have delivered its services during this period. We look forward to
exploring opportunities for future collaboration with Ingenta in the
delivery of new services to the UK's education and research communities."
Professor Glynis Breakwell, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bath,
says "We are delighted to see the next stage in the evolution of the BIDS
service.
The University of Bath, and the entire education community, are grateful to
JISC for the funding that awoke UK academics to the importance of such
electronic information sources. The success of Ingenta shows the UK's
strength in commercial development of University funded initiatives."
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Terry Morrow Tel: +44 1225 361026
Director Fax: +44 1225 361152
BIDS
P O Box 3077 http://www.bids.ac.uk
Bath, BA2 3EF, UK http://www.ingenta.com
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