EBSCO Information Services

{{Infobox company

| name = EBSCO Information Services

| logo = EBSCO logo.svg

| image = EBSCO Booth 2017.jpg

| image_caption = EBSCO booth at 2017 ALA Midwinter

| type = Subsidiary of EBSCO Industries

| slogan =

| foundation = 1984

| location = Ipswich, Massachusetts, United States

| key_people = Annie Callanan (CEO)

Tim Collins (Founder/Former CEO)

| industry = Information services

| products = EBSCO Discovery Service, EBSCOhost, EBSCO eBooks, EBSCO FOLIO, DynaMed, GOBI, EBSCO Learning, many others

| revenue =

| num_employees =

| homepage = {{Official URL}}

}}

EBSCO Information Services, headquartered in Ipswich, Massachusetts, is a division of EBSCO Industries Inc., a private company headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama. EBSCO provides products and services to libraries of many types around the world. Its products include EBSCONET, a complete e-resource management system, and EBSCOhost, which supplies a fee-based online research service with 375 full-text databases, a collection of 600,000-plus ebooks, subject indexes, point-of-care medical references, and an array of historical digital archives. In 2010, EBSCO introduced its EBSCO Discovery Service (EDS) to institutions, which allows searches of a portfolio of journals and magazines.{{Cite journal |url=http://newsbreaks.infotoday.com/NewsBreaks/The-New-and-Improved-EBSCO-Information-Services-89991.asp/ |title=The New and Improved EBSCO Information Services |journal=Information Today |date=2013}}

History

EBSCO Information Services is a division of EBSCO Industries Inc., a company founded in 1944 by Elton Bryson Stephens Sr. and headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama. "EBSCO" is an acronym for Elton B. Stephens Company. EBSCO Industries has annual sales of about $3 billion. It is one of the largest privately held companies in Alabama and one of the top 200 in the United States, based on revenues and employee numbers.{{cite news |url=https://www.forbes.com/lists/2006/21/biz_06privates_The-Largest-Private-Companies_Company_5.html |work=Forbes |date=November 9, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070509032000/http://www.forbes.com/lists/2006/21/biz_06privates_The-Largest-Private-Companies_Company_5.html |archive-date=May 9, 2007 |title=The Largest Private Companies |url-status=live |access-date=July 14, 2020}}

EBSCO Information Services originated in 1984 as a print publication called Popular Magazine Review, featuring article abstracts from more than 300 magazines. In 1987 the company was purchased by EBSCO Industries and its name was changed to EBSCO Publishing. It employed around 750 people by 2007.{{cite web |author=Brynko, Barbara |url= http://www.infotoday.com/it/mar11/Collins-EBSCOs-Mission-of-Growth.shtml |title=Collins: EBSCO's Mission of Growth |year=2011}} In 2003, it acquired Whitston Publishing, another database provider.{{cite journal |url=http://librarytechnology.org/news/pr.pl?id=16581 |title=EBSCO acquires Whitston Publishing Company |date=24 September 2003 |journal=Library Technology Guides |access-date=2 April 2016}} In 2010 EBSCO purchased NetLibrary and in 2011 it took over H. W. Wilson Company.{{cite press release |url= http://www.hwwilson.com/news/newsPressDetails.cfm?pressID=161 |title=EBSCO Publishing and The H.W. Wilson Company Make Joint Announcement of Merger Agreement |work=hwwilson.com |date=June 1, 2011 |access-date=August 24, 2011}}{{cite news |url=https://www.forbes.com/forbes/1997/1229/6014058a.html |work=Forbes |first=William P. |last=Barrett |date=December 29, 1997 |title=Mousetrapped|access-date=June 5, 2019}}{{cite news|url=http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/tag/hw-wilson-company/ |work=The New York Times |title=H.W. Wilson Company|date=3 February 2009 }} EBSCO Publishing merged with EBSCO Information Services on July 1, 2013, with the merged business operating as EBSCO Information Services.{{cite press release |title=EBSCO Publishing and EBSCO Information Services merge |date=May 22, 2013 |publisher=EBSCO Industries |url= https://www.ebsco.com/news-center/press-releases/ebsco-publishing-and-ebsco-information-services-merge |access-date=July 13, 2020}} In 2015 EBSCO acquired YBP (Yankee Book Peddler) Library Services from Baker & Taylor, and later renamed it GOBI Library Solutions.{{cite news|date=23 February 2015|title=EBSCO acquires YBP|work=The Bookseller|url=https://www.thebookseller.com/news/ebsco-acquires-ybp|url-status=dead|access-date=5 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150222124015/https://www.thebookseller.com/news/ebsco-acquires-ybp|archive-date=22 February 2015}}{{cite web|title=GOBI Library Solutions|url=https://gobi.ebsco.com/|publisher=EBSCO|access-date=5 March 2018}}

Metapress was founded in 1998 as an online publication platform for content creators to produce and host their printed journal editions online.{{cite news| url=http://www.econtentmag.com/Articles/News/News-Item/MetaPress-to-Become-Primary-Host-for-Taylor-and-Francis-Group-Journals-3921.htm |title=Taylor and Francis Journal Host | work=EContent | date=January 10, 2003}} A division of EBSCO,{{cite web|url=http://www.infotoday.com/it/jun03/jacso.shtml|title=Digital Facilitators |publisher=infotoday.com |access-date=2016-09-23}} the platform became one of the world's largest scholarly content hosts,{{cite web|url=http://www.ala.org/news/news/pressreleases2009/june2009/newsite_techsource |title=ALA TechSource launches new Web site |publisher=ALA.org|date= 2009-06-05|access-date=2016-09-23}} with over 31,000 publications{{cite web |url= https://www.ukfederation.org.uk/content/Services/2008-09-24-metapress |title=UK Federation Providers |publisher=ukfederation.org.uk |access-date=2016-09-23}} from over 180 publishers.{{cite web|url=http://www.oecd.org/std/38396405.pdf |title=Statistics Dissemination Project|publisher=oecd.org |access-date=2016-09-23}} Atypon acquired the Metapress business from EBSCO in 2014, with the Metapress platform to be discontinued and customers moved to Atypon's Literatum platform.{{cite web|url=http://www2.atypon.com/news-and-events/press-release.php?id=2053 |title=Atypon Systems acquires Metapress from EBSCO Online, Inc. |date=14 April 2014 |publisher=Atypon Systems, Inc. |access-date=17 February 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150217041542/http://www2.atypon.com/news-and-events/press-release.php?id=2053 |archive-date=17 February 2015}}{{cite news |url= http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20140414006397/en/Atypon-Systems-Acquires-Metapress-EBSCO-Online |title=Atypon acquires EBSCO Online platform | work=Business Wire | date=April 14, 2014}} Content was migrated to Literatum on May 21, 2015.{{cite web |url=https://www.atypon.com/news/atypon-completes-metapress-transition-to-literatum/ |title=Atypon completes Metapress transition to Literatum |publisher=Atypon |date=27 May 2015 |access-date=20 November 2018}}

In February 2020, EBSCO Information Services announced their agreement to acquire Zepheira, a company founded in February 2007 and headquartered in Reston, Virginia, with leaders in Semantic Web and who helped develop Dublin Core, BIBFRAME and the Library.Link Network.{{cite web |date=2020-02-27 |df=mdy |title=EBSCO Information Services Acquires Linked Data Infrastructure Provider, Zepheira |work=EBSCO Information Services |url=https://www.ebsco.com/news-center/press-releases/ebsco-acquires-linked-data-infrastructure-provider-zepheira |access-date=2022-04-25}} Following its merger, Zepheira continues to operates as an independent division.{{cite journal |last=Breeding |first=Marshall |date=April 2020 |title=EBSCO Information Services Acquires Zepheira |journal =Smart Libraries Newsletter |volume=40 |issue=4 |pages=2–5 |issn=1541-8820 |url=https://librarytechnology.org/document/25077 |access-date=2022-04-25}}

In August 2024, EBSCO Industries announced the appointment of Annie Callanan as the new CEO of EBSCO Information Services. Annie Callanan replaced Tim Collins, who announced his retirement in January 2024 after serving as CEO of EIS for more than 40 years.{{cite magazine |last=Breeding |first=Marshall |date=April 2020 |title=EBSCO Industries announces Annie Callanan as new CEO of EBSCO Information Services |magazine=KnowledgeSpeaks |url=https://www.knowledgespeak.com/news/ebsco-industries-announces-annie-callanan-as-new-ceo-of-ebsco-information-services/ |access-date=2022-04-25}}

Products

Databases: EBSCO provides a range of library database services.{{cite web |url=https://www.ebscohost.com/title-lists|title=Title Lists |publisher=EBSCO Information Services |access-date=2 April 2016}} Many of the databases, such as MEDLINE and EconLit, are licensed from content vendors. Others, such as Academic Search, America: History and Life, Art Index, Art Abstracts, Art Full Text, Business Source, Clinical Reference Systems, Criminal Justice Abstracts, Education Abstracts, Environment Complete, Health Source, Historical Abstracts, History Reference Center, MasterFILE, NetLibrary, Primary Search, Professional Development Collection, and USP DI are compiled by EBSCO itself. EBSCO can be configured to route to open access publications through Unpaywall data.{{Cite web|url=https://cloud.ebsco.com/apps/unpaywall|title=Unpaywall | EBSCO Apps & Cloud Services|access-date=2020-04-25|archive-date=2021-01-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210129140028/https://cloud.ebsco.com/apps/unpaywall|url-status=dead}}
Discovery: This product is used to create a unified, customized index of an institution's information resources, and a means of accessing all the content from a single search box. The system works by harvesting metadata from both internal and external sources, and then creating a preindexed service.
FOLIO: a microservices software platform in open-source model. EBSCO provides implementation for the core of software, hosting services, as well as actively contributing to its continued development.{{Cite web |title=EBSCO FOLIO |url=https://www.ebsco.com/academic-libraries/products/ebsco-folio |access-date=2024-06-29 |website=www.ebsco.com |language=en}}
eBooks: EBSCO provides ebooks and audiobooks across a wide range of subject matter. EBSCO reports that their database includes over a million ebooks from over 1500 publishers.{{cite web |title=EBSCO eBooks and audiobooks |url=https://www.ebscohost.com/ebooks |access-date=26 February 2018}}
DynaMedex is a clinical decision support solution. Under a new name, DynaMedex, formerly DynaMed and Micromedex with Watson,{{cite web |title=DynaMed® and Micromedex® with Watson™ will now become DynaMedex™ |url=https://www.knowledgespeak.com/news/dynamed-and-micromedex-with-watson-will-now-become-dynamedex/ |access-date=12 October 2022}} continues to enhance clinical decision support and operations for healthcare providers and health systems is a clinical reference tool for physicians and other health care professionals for use at the point-of-care. In 2024, DynaMed was named 2024 Best in KLAS for clinical decision Support clinical resources {{cite web |title=DynaMed® receives prestigious Best in KLAS Award for Clinical Decision Support |url=https://www.knowledgespeak.com/news/dynamed-receives-prestigious-best-in-klas-award-for-clinical-decision-support/ |access-date=9 February 2024}} by KLAS, a research firm that specializes in monitoring and reporting the performance of healthcare vendors.{{cite news |title=Clinical Decision Support 2013: Sizing up the competition |date=December 2013 |publisher=KLAS Research |url=http://www.www.klasresearch.com/store/ReportDetail.aspx?Productid=863 }}{{dead link|date=September 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} In 2012, it ranked highest among 10 online clinical resources in a study in the Journal of Clinical Epidemiology{{cite journal |title=The quality, breadth, and timeliness of content updating vary substantially for 10 online medical texts: an analytic survey |date=September 10, 2012 |journal=Journal of Clinical Epidemiology |volume=65 |issue=12 |pages=1289–95 |pmid=22974495 |doi=10.1016/j.jclinepi.2012.05.003|last1=Prorok |first1=J. C. |last2=Iserman |first2=E. C. |last3=Wilczynski |first3=N. L. |last4=Haynes |first4=R. B. }} and also had the highest overall performance in the disease reference product category in two successive reports on clinical decision support resources by KLAS, a research firm that specializes in monitoring and reporting the performance of healthcare vendors.{{cite news |title=Clinical Decision Support 2013: Sizing up the competition |date=December 2013 |publisher=KLAS Research |url=http://www.www.klasresearch.com/store/ReportDetail.aspx?Productid=863 }}{{dead link|date=September 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
Ebooks: It provides DRM-protected e-books through its subsidiary NetLibrary, which was purchased in 2010 from Online Computer Library Center. It competes in this market with OverDrive's Digital Library Reserve.

Green and philanthropic initiatives

EBSCO has two large solar electric arrays, is converting its corporate fleet of cars to hybrids, has established a "Green Team" at its headquarters, and has released GreenFILE, a free database designed to help people research the impact humans have on the environment. EBSCO was awarded a 2008 Environmental Merit Award Award from the United States Environmental Protection Agency's New England Office and was honored by the Special Library Association as "Green Champions" as part of the association's "Knowledge to Go Green" initiative on Earth Day 2009.{{Cite journal|url=http://www.ebscohost.com/uploads/imported/thisTopic-dbTopic-889.pdf/ |title=A Small Company with Big Ideas for the Environment|journal=Business & the Environment with ISO 14000 Updates|date=2007}}

EBSCO philanthropic initiatives include efforts to bridge the digital divide (between the industrialized world and developing nations) and work with the Open Society Foundations to provide essential research databases for universities in 39 developing countries.{{Cite journal|url=http://www.infotoday.com/it/dec11/Benchley-Partnerships-in-Progress.shtml#EBSCO/ |title=EBSCO: A Plan for All Seasons|journal=Information Today|date=2011}}

For nine consecutive years, EBSCO has accepted applications for grants to fund solar installations from libraries around the world. Committed to decreasing its carbon footprint, EBSCO has awarded libraries more than $2,000,000 in grants since 2015.{{Cite journal|url=http://librarytechnology.org/pr/29676/ |title=EBSCO Information Services opens submissions for the 2024 EBSCO Solar Grant|journal=Library Technology Guides|date=2024}}