Scholastic Universe Offering More Bang for Library Bucks

LexisNexis Academic & Library Solutions has enhanced its Scholastic Universe product, increasing coverage while decreasing prices. According to the company, users will enjoy a hefty 400 percent rise in newspaper sources, thanks to the addition of 190 new U.S. titles, bringing the total to 250.

The most exciting prospect for librarians, however, is the adoption of a one-fee-for-all pricing structure, which will help save some library dollars. LexisNexis's Tita Thompson told LJ that under the old pricing structure libraries paid a separate fee for each of the four content subjects: news, legal, legislative, and statistical. "Now, libraries pay one price to purchase all four modules," Thompson said, "so purchasing is simplified and subscribers get more mileage from their investment."

For example, a community college with 2500 students that paid $3,995 for news, $1,035 for legal, $1,295 for legislative, and $1,165 for statistical—for a total of $7,490—now will pay $2,495 for all the modules together—a savings of almost $5000.

Additionally, LexisNexis has signed an agreement with Knight Ridder described as an "interactive-content alliance." The deal will see 17 more Knight Ridder newspapers, including the Miami Herald, Philadelphia Inquirer, Detroit Free Press, Charlotte Observer, and San Jose Mercury News, added to LexisNexis's regular searchable resources. On their end, Knight Ridder employees will gain access to LexisNexis information resources.