EBSCO Publishing Offers Enhanced Versions of NoveList ® and NoveList ® K-8

IPSWICH , Mass. — May 24, 2005 — To further assist librarians and patrons in locating the works of fiction that interest them most, EBSCO Publishing (EBSCO) is pleased to make available updated versions of NoveList ® and NoveList ® K-8 . These new editions provide several exciting enhancements, many of which have been requested by existing NoveList and NoveList K-8 customers.

Whether librarians are helping their patrons find the next book to read in the Cat Who series, looking for the most popular English mysteries to recommend, or checking the availability of the latest Author Read-alikes, these new versions of NoveList and NoveList K-8make their jobs much easier. Since NoveList is used in over 50 percent of the public libraries in the United States , EBSCO is confident that this new version will be of interest to anyone involved with connecting readers and books.

New Tabbed Interface
NoveList and NoveList K-8 now utilize a tab-oriented interface. These new tabs, which appear across the top of the page, make it easier to access NoveList and the customized content that it provides. Current users of NoveList can continue to search the database, using the techniques that they have grown accustomed to, by simply clicking on the “Search Our Database” tab. In addition, the same lists that users have long enjoyed are still available under the “Browse Lists” tab. The tabs marked “For Readers,” “Readers’ Advisory,” and “School Resources” now take users to the materials previously found under “Read about Popular Titles and Topics” and “Features for Teachers.” For example, the popular Author Read-alikes and Book Discussion Guides are now under the “For Readers” tab.

Enhanced Series Searching
NoveList’s new series search allows users to view the books that comprise a series in the order in which they appear in the series (as opposed to publication date, etc.). This new feature also displays the series volume number on the search results page.

Popularity Sorting
With NoveList’s new popularity sorting feature, users can find, for example, a list of mystery titles published in the last five years and then see which ones have been the most popular. Popularity information is gathered from thousands of libraries and retail outlets nationwide and is based on ordering information received from Baker & Taylor. If a book has met the popularity criteria, a series of one to four stars will be displayed to indicate the popularity factor for that title. Librarians now have a way of guiding their patrons to the most widely read books in any genre or any topic, even if they are not familiar with all of the books that are relevant to the patron’s genre or area of interest.

Phonetic Search Help
Trying to remember the exact spelling of an author’s name can be difficult at times. In order to alleviate this source of frustration, NoveList now offers phonetic search help. For example, fans of the Lord of the Rings series no longer have to try and remember whether “Tolkein” or “Tolkien” is the correct spelling of the author’s name. If they enter the incorrect one, NoveList’s new phonetic search help feature will prompt them with the correct spelling of the author’s name.

EBSCO Publishing is part of the EBSCO Information Services group. EBSCO Information Services provides libraries and research centers with online and print journal subscription services, e-resource access and management services, full-text and secondary database development and access, an OpenURL-compliant link resolver, online book purchasing and related information services. EBSCO maintains a title database of more than 298,000 serial titles and upholds relationships with more than 78,000 publishers around the world. EBSCO’s 32 Regional Offices worldwide are staffed with personnel who speak the local language and understand the particular challenges faced by librarians in their areas, offering a uniquely personal level of service. Specialized divisions serve academic, biomedical, government, public, school and special libraries as well as corporations. For more information, visit www.ebsco.com.