Teaching and research from great institutions converted into eBooks “on the fly”

 

NEW YORK – July 2, 2001 – Fathom, the premier source for online learning, has partnered with OverDrive (www.overdrive.com), a leader in eBook Technology Services, to provide visitors to the Fathom Web site (www.fathom.com) the opportunity to download thousands of lectures, interviews, articles, and learning materials in Microsoft Reader format.  Fathom’s member institutions’ faculty, researchers, and curators present an immense wealth of knowledge across every area of interest – from business to global affairs, from the arts to technology.

As a result of this partnership, visitors to the Fathom Web site will be able to search or browse on any subject and find online learning material from over a dozen premier institutions like Columbia University and the London School of Economics and Political Science and download these materials to their computer, laptop, or Pocket PC.  “We could not be more pleased to partner with OverDrive to launch this innovative technology on Fathom,” said Ann Kirschner, President and CEO of Fathom.  “OverDrive is a recognized leader in eBooks and has done a fantastic job in allowing Fathom to offer its visitors a choice of how and when to learn.”

“The technology developed with Fathom is actually quite revolutionary,” said Steve Potash, CEO of OverDrive.  “With a connection to OverDrive’s ReaderWorks servers – and no additional software – we are dynamically converting Fathom’s JHTML files into Microsoft Reader eBooks.  The extension of this eBook technology, pioneered by Fathom, is available so that any website can offer users the benefits of reading offline using Microsoft Reader,” Potash added.

“For the first time, teaching and research content from a significant number of the world’s great universities, museums, libraries and research institutions is available in Microsoft Reader format,” said Steve Stone, General Manager for Microsoft Reader Product Group at Microsoft Corp.  “We’re delighted that Fathom is adding thousands of articles and lectures from great institutions to the rapidly-growing archive of material now available in Microsoft Reader format.”

 

About Fathom

Fathom (www.fathom.com) is the leading source for online learning for professional development and lifelong learning.  Fathom brings together lectures, interviews, articles, and exhibits by faculty and experts from some of the world’s leading universities, libraries, museums, and disseminators of research.   Online courses and seminars representing the best in online education are available through Fathom, as well as books and other products.  Unique reference content spans all disciplines and fields of study.  Fathom’s member institutions include Columbia University, London School of Economics and Political Science, Cambridge University Press, The British Library, The New York Public Library, The University of Chicago, the University of Michigan, American Film Institute (AFI), RAND, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Victoria and Albert Museum, Science Museum (UK), and The Natural History Museum (UK).

About OverDrive, Inc.

OverDrive, Inc. (www.overdrive.com) is a worldwide leader in eBook Technology and services to the publishing and book industry. OverDrive provides Open eBook (OEB), .LIT, XML, PDF and Print on Demand (POD) conversion services for the ePublishing industry. Its products for eBook authoring include its free online service at www.ebookexpress.com and ReaderWorks for commercial eBook authoring and “on-the-fly” eBook authoring from Web sites. The Company provides secure eBookstore hosting and digital rights management as part of its MIDAS Technology incorporating Microsoft Digital Asset Server from Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT). OverDrive also operates www.ContentReserve.com, a global wholesale digital book service for secure distribution of eBooks and Print-on-Demand files.

Contact:

Anne Rollow

Fathom

212-279-9494 x1001

anne.rollow@fathom.com

Dawn Clark

OverDrive, Inc.

216-573-6886 x207

dclark@overdrive.com

 

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