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Britannica's Online Service Available Free to Illinois Public Schools
Board of Education Sponsors Statewide Access
CHICAGO, December 18, 2002 - Every public school in Illinois can now get Encyclopaedia
Britannica's online reference and education service free of charge, thanks to a grant from the Illinois
State Board of Education.
The new program, announced today by Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc., provides subscriptions
for Britannica Online School Edition to all Prairie State public schools in grades kindergarten through twelve.
The Web-based service features a suite of reference works--including the Encyclopaedia Britannica, Britannica Student Encyclopedia and Britannica Elementary Encyclopedia--periodicals, an Internet guide and a variety
of classroom learning materials. Schools can use it in classrooms, libraries, computer labs and anywhere else they
have Internet access. To get it, they simply have to sign up with Britannica to arrange access.
The company said it is setting up Illinois schools on a district-by-district basis and urged those
interested to call their district administrators. District administrators and technology coordinators should call
1-800-621-3900 or send e-mail to productinquiries@eb.com.
The statewide subscription was made possible in part by Britannica's consortium-pricing program,
which allows states and other groups of schools and libraries to realize significant savings from the prices
they'd pay by subscribing individually.
Britannica Online School Edition was introduced last spring and is already available to more than
nine million students in 15,000 schools throughout the United States.
"It's great to have our home state on board," said Patti Ginnis, senior vice president
for the Chicago-based Britannica. "We've gotten a great response to the service since the day we launched
it, and this agreement gives us momentum in providing it to schools everywhere."
About Encyclopaedia Britannica
Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. creates and markets products of the highest quality for reference,
education and learning. Its products include the 32-volume Encyclopaedia Britannica, published continuously since 1768,
as well as a growing number of single-volume titles such as Britannica Concise Encyclopedia and the Encyclopędia
Britannica Almanac. Britannica is also a leader in electronic publishing, with such products as the Ultimate
Reference Suite (CD-ROM/DVD), Britannica Premium Service (www.britannica.com),
Britannica Online (www.eb.com), and Britannica Online School Edition
(http://school.eb.com). The company makes its headquarters in Chicago
and maintains offices in London, New Delhi, Paris, Seoul, Sydney, Taipei, and Tokyo. More information is available
at www.britannica.com.
Contact:
Tom Panelas
Encyclopędia Britannica, Inc.
312-347-7309
tpanelas@us.britannica.com
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