JISC Agreement Will Bring Elsevier's Scopus, World's Largest Science Database, To British Universities
Amsterdam, September 1, 2005
Scopus®, the world’s largest abstract & indexing (A&I) database of research information, today announced that the Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC), the UK government body that supports higher education by providing strategic guidance, advice and opportunities to use Information and Communications Technology (ICT) to support education and research, has concluded an agreement for Elsevier’s Scopus.
More than 70 universities and colleges have already taken advantage of the deal within just weeks of the agreement being announced. Supporting the teaching and research activity of Britain's universities is essential to maintaining their strong position in the international research market, therefore finding relevant high quality research as quickly as possible is hugely important to British research and Scopus is seen as the tool that gives them fast access to high quality content.
JISC works with higher education to provide a ubiquitous and reliable information environment so that users can enjoy world-class technologies in their work and study. JISC negotiates with publishers and information systems vendors on behalf of the academic community in the UK. JISC runs rigorous evaluations before deciding to include an online resource in its portfolio of collections and has been assessing Scopus since its launch in November 2004.
Lorraine Estelle, Collections Team Manager at the JISC explains that “the agreement with Scopus provides British universities with the opportunity to take advantage of a major new resource discovery tool at the terms and conditions set out by the JISC Model License.”
Acclaimed for its user-centred approach to development, Scopus has achieved unprecedented acceptance since its launch in December 2004. Early adoption has been remarkable with customer numbers now standing at over 500 worldwide. The large number of customers is attributable to the unrivalled quality, depth and breadth of its coverage, as well as the ease with which it can integrate into a researcher’s entire workflow.
Amanda Hart, Scopus Regional Sales Manager for Europe, Middle East & Africa, commented “We’re excited by all the interest in Scopus but getting the JISC’s stamp of approval was particularly important and it’s hugely significant for the UK market”.
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NOTES TO EDITORS
About JISC
The Joint Information Systems Committee is a joint committee of the UK further and higher education funding bodies, and is responsible for supporting the innovative use of information and communication technology (ICT) to support learning, teaching, and research. It is best known for providing the JANET network, a range of support, content and advisory services, and a portfolio of high-quality resources. Information about JISC, its services and programmes can be found at http://www.jisc.ac.uk
About Scopus
Covering the world’s research literature, Scopus is the largest and easiest to use navigation tool ever built. Scopus is designed and developed with over 300 users and librarians internationally. Its unique database contains abstracts and references from over 14,000 titles from 4,000 different publishers, ensuring broad interdisciplinary coverage. In addition, Scopus not only offers users citation information about the articles covered, but also integrates web & patent searches directly from its clean and simple interface. Direct links to full-text articles, library resources and other applications like reference management software, make Scopus quicker, easier and more comprehensive to use than any other literature research tool.
For more information about Scopus please visit www.info.scopus.com.
About Elsevier
Elsevier is a world-leading publisher of scientific, technical and medical information products and services. Working in partnership with the global science and health communities, Elsevier’s 6,800 employees in 86 offices worldwide publish more than 1,800 journals and 2,200 new books per year, in addition to offering a suite of innovative electronic products, such as ScienceDirect, MD Consult, Scopus, bibliographic databases, and online reference works.
Elsevier is a global business headquartered in Amsterdam, The Netherlands and has offices worldwide. Elsevier is part of Reed Elsevier Group plc, a world-leading publisher and information provider. Operating in the science and medical, legal, education and business-to-business sectors, Reed Elsevier provides high-quality and flexible information solutions to users, with increasing emphasis on the Internet as a means of delivery. Reed Elsevier's ticker symbols are REN (Euronext Amsterdam), REL (London Stock Exchange), RUK and ENL (New York Stock Exchange).