The Information Marketplace: Models and Methods

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Information seekers value many things, among them quality, quantity, currency and completeness. Over the years, Gale's distribution strategy has evolved in tandem with these marketplace imperatives. We've carved out a place for ourselves that emphasizes breadth of content as well as ease-of-access. To these two concerns we've added the need to be entrepreneurial--to explore, experiment, and embrace emerging business models. These tactics combine into a strategy we call "one-stop-shopping" for our distribution partners. The strategy is driven by a quest to be the "knowledge behind the Internet."

Two themes strike us as critical in driving content into the hands of end-users. First, be sure end-users can find your content. This means placing content in a variety of different services and business models. To accomplish this, content providers need to create an overarching strategy for their assets. Second, be sure the content is searchable and retrievable. (This sounds easier than it really is.) Access to content is driven, in our judgment, principally by the metadata that accompanies the content itself. Hence, a robust taxonomy--integrated with individual data or full-text records--is critical for anyone producing or distributing information.

Breadth of Content & Ease of Access

Gale packages content for redistribution through multiple electronic channels outside its traditional library marketplace. Currently, Gale has content distribution arrangements in place with over 70 partners and resellers. Some are well-known names in the information industry--such as Dialog, Factiva, LexisNexis and OneSource. Others are perhaps less well-known: industry start-ups or niche players. But each customer plays a critical role in a comprehensive distribution strategy, one designed to balance risk with reward while ensuring that Gale's 800-plus databases obtain the exposure they …