Database Utilities / Distributors

Database utilities or distributors

• These companies provide access to databases produced by themselves and by other database vendors.
• Sometimes these companies are called database "publishers"
• Example companies:
  • Dialog
  • Lexis-Nexis
  • Dow-Jones
• Note: This does not exlude the fact that a number of major database producers (such as Gale Group) also resell access to other companies' database, thus acting as database utilities.

Major utilities or distributors

• In the US, there are about a dozen prominent database utilities, including:
  • Dialog, the market-leading database utility with 600+ DBs
    • Now owned by Thompson Corp.
  • DataStar - European but owned by Thompson Corp.
  • Lexis-Nexis
  • Dow-Jones
  • Questel-Orbit
  • Gale Group
  • Ovid
  • H.W. Wilson

Companies Providing Consolidated Secondary Access

• Some new companies focus on Web-based delivery, consolidating licensed database content from other database vendors. Consequently, these companies are called "Consolidators."
• Examples:
  • Electric Library is a primary example.
    • ($9.95/month for home use. Educational or corporate use is in the $1,000-plus range for about 5 terminals. It can go into the tens of thousands of dollars or more.)
    • Produced by Infonautics.
    • URL for enterprise versions: www.education.elibrary.com/
    • URL for home version (elibrary): ask.elibrary.com/
  • NorthernLight
    • Now owned by devine inc.
    • Claims over 25 million full-text documents from over 7,000 publications.
    • Licenses content from a variety of other database producers, distributors, and original publishers.
    • URL: www.nlsearch.com, www.nlresearch.com, www.northernlight.com

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