ProQuest public offering to repay debt

[Ann Okerson <ann.okerson@yale.edu>]

Of possible interest to readers of this list.
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http://www.proquestcompany.com/

ProQuest Announces Proposed Public Offering
ANN ARBOR, Mich., April 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/

ProQuest Company (NYSE: PQE), announced today that it has filed a
registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission for a
proposed public offering of 5,100,000 shares of common stock.  The total
offering consists of 3,000,000 shares expected to be offered by ProQuest
and 2,100,000 shares expected to be offered by selling shareholders.
ProQuest intends to use the net proceeds from the offering to repay debt
under its credit facility.  The company and certain selling shareholders
have granted to the underwriters of the public offering an option to
purchase up to an additional 765,000 shares to cover over- allotments, if
any. The company will not receive any proceeds from the sale of shares by
the selling shareholders. The shares will be offered through underwriters
led by Credit Suisse First Boston Corporation;  Banc of America Securities
LLC; Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc.; U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray Inc.; and
Jefferies & Company, Inc.

A registration statement relating to these securities has been filed with
the Securities and Exchange Commission but has not yet become effective.
These securities may not be sold nor may offers to buy be accepted prior
to the time the registration statement becomes effective. This press
release shall not constitute an offer to sell nor the solicitation of an
offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state
in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to
the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such
state.

A copy of the prospectus relating to the offering may be obtained when
available from Credit Suisse First Boston, Attn: Prospectus Department, 11
Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10010-3629, tel.: 212-325-2580.

About ProQuest Company

ProQuest Company (NYSE: PQE) is based in Ann Arbor, Mich., and is a
leading provider of value-added information and content to the library and
education, and automotive and powersports industries. We provide products
and services to our customers through two business segments:  Information
& Learning and Business Solutions. Through our Information & Learning
segment, which primarily serves the library and education markets, we
aggregate and publish value-added content from a wide range of sources
including newspapers, periodicals and books. Our Business Solutions
segment, formerly known as Bell & Howell Publishing Services, is primarily
engaged in the delivery in electronic form of comprehensive parts
information to the automotive market.

It also provides dealers in the powersports (motorcycle, marine, and RV)
markets with management systems that enable them to manage their
inventory, customer service and other aspects of their businesses.
Additional information on ProQuest Company can be found at
http://www.proquestcompany.com .

SOURCE ProQuest Company Web site:  http://www.proquestcompany.com

CONTACT: Alan Aldworth, President and Chief Operating Officer,
+1-734-997-4902, alan.aldworth@proquest.com , or Mark Trinske, Vice
President, Investor Relations, +1-734-997-4910, mark.trinske@proquest.com
, both of ProQuest Company