EBSCO Industries, Inc. (EBSCO), the global leader for the delivery of integrated information systems and services, confirmed that on Monday, April 7, 2003, the United States Bankruptcy Court, District of Massachusetts, Eastern Division, approved the sale of certain RoweCom U.S.A. assets to EBSCO pursuant to a definitive purchase agreement previously executed by the two parties. The sale includes the U.S. operations of RoweCom, Inc. (RoweCom), which includes the operations of Dawson, Inc., Dawson Information Quest, Inc., The Faxon Company, Inc., Turner Subscription Agency, Inc., McGregor Subscription Service, Inc., and Corporate Subscription Services, Inc.

Both parties are working expeditiously toward final closing of the sale. Final closing is primarily contingent on (1) verification of publisher support representing at least 50 percent of the aggregate monetary amount prepaid to RoweCom by customers, which was not subsequently forwarded to publishers, and (2) successful closure by EBSCO of its acquisition of RoweCom's European operations, which is contingent on receipt of French regulatory approval. Both items are expected to be finalized in the next few weeks.

EBSCO has also finalized its purchase of RoweCom Australia, Pty Ltd. The orders of RoweCom Australia customers who prepaid RoweCom, but whose payments were not forwarded to publishers, will be graced by publishers pursuant to the same methodology being utilized in the U.S. Such participating customers will be transferring their bankruptcy claim to participating publishers in exchange for 2003 issues.

About EBSCO Industries, Inc.
EBSCO Industries, Inc. is a global corporation with sales, service and manufacturing subsidiaries at work in 19 countries around the world. EBSCO's business interests include information management services, online and print journal subscription services, online research databases, real estate development, commercial printing and more. EBSCO, an acronym for Elton B. Stephens Company, is based in Birmingham, Alabama and employs 4,000 people around the world. Additional information on EBSCO Industries is available from www.ebscoind.com.

About RoweCom/divine Information Services
RoweCom, acquired by divine in November 2001, offers a wide range of content sources and innovative technologies and provides information specialists, particularly in the library, with complete solutions serving all their information needs, in print or electronic format.

Release Date: April 11, 2003