Innovative and NetLibrary^TM Establish Alliance

eBooks to be Fully Integrated into Local Library Systems

EMERYVILLE, CALIF. - March 1, 2000 - Innovative Interfaces, a leader in Web-based, automated systems for libraries, and NetLibrary, the premier provider of electronic books (eBooks) to libraries, today announced an alliance to integrate the use of eBooks with Innovative's automated library systems (INNOPAC and Millennium).

Under the agreement, Innovative will develop additional features to enable its software to automatically notify interested libraries of the availability of specific NetLibrary eBooks, and to enable libraries to purchase eBooks electronically. For libraries that so desire, full MARC records for NetLibrary eBooks will be loaded into the library catalog with access to the eBook. Preview access (such as the ability to view the table of contents, the first few chapters, etc.) also may be provided. In addition, Innovative's systems will manage the record-keeping and statistics associated with the circulation and use of eBooks by library patrons.

Because they are Web-based, Innovative systems harness the power of the Internet using HTML, XML, and Java^TM to provide libraries with the tools for effortless management of library functions.

"We are very excited to be working with NetLibrary," said Jerry Kline, Innovative's President and CEO. "eBooks are part of the future, and our alliance with the foremost provider of digital titles enables us to continue to make the kinds of advances in Web-based technology that serve our partner libraries."

"The Internet is increasingly important to the everyday operation of the library," said NetLibrary President and CEO Timothy R. Schiewe. "As a leader in providing Web-based automated library systems, Innovative's INNOPAC and Millennium software is the perfect delivery vehicle for NetLibrary's extensive and growing collection."

Founded in August 1998, Boulder, Colo.-based NetLibrary (www.NetLibrary.com) has forged relationships with more than 160 publishers of trade, reference, academic, and scholarly books, resulting in a digital library of more than 14,000 titles and counting. NetLibrary's publishers include AMACOM Books, Harvard Business School Press, Houghton Mifflin Company, McGraw-Hill, O'Reilly & Associates, and Oxford University Press.

Innovative Interfaces (www.iii.com) is a leader in providing Web-based automated library systems. Innovative's library automation systems are installed in more than 1,000 libraries in 24 countries around the world. The company is headquartered in Emeryville, California, with offices in the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, China, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, and Thailand.

Contact:
Brian Bell
NetLibrary, Inc.
(303) 381-8703
bbell@NetLibrary.com

Barbara Cassidy
Innovative Interfaces Inc.
(510) 655-6200
bcassidy@iii.com