Re: Faxon / Divine

["Sally Morris" <sec-gen@alpsp.org>]

Here is what I have just written in my members' monthly newsletter (ALPSP
is an association of non-profit publishers):

"Some of you may have heard that subscription agents Divine are in
difficulties.  None of the money which they have collected from libraries
this autumn has been passed on to publishers, and enquirers are now asked
to contact Development Specialists Inc, (pomalley@dsi.biz,
jcostie@dsi.biz, or jwheeler@dsi.biz - tel 312 263 4141), a company which
handles insolvencies and Chapter 11 reconstructions;  the share price has
fallen dramatically. It has been suggested that EBSCO may be going to
purchase the European part of the business, although I imagine competition
law might prevent them from buying the US business.

We are trying to ascertain what publishers' rights are in this situation,
and shall be liaising closely with other trade associations, both in
Europe and in the US.  Those of you with long memories may recall that
Faxon, which became part of Dawson, then RoweCom, and most recently
Divine, itself collapsed some years ago;  due to strenuous efforts by
trade associations, publishers were eventually paid in full, although the
money was both delayed and paid in stages.  I am sure it would be helpful
to those of your subscribers who pay via Divine if you were to give them
an extended grace period, for both print and electronic access, until this
mess is sorted out - after all, it's not their fault."

Sally Morris, Secretary-General 
Association of Learned and Professional Society Publishers 
South House, The Street, Clapham, Worthing, West Sussex
BN13 3UU, UK

Phone:  01903 871686 Fax:  01903 871457 E-mail:  sec-gen@alpsp.org
ALPSP Website  http://www.alpsp.org