Please post: Press Release: Swets Blackwell Acquires Everett

[Ylann Schemm <yschemm@nl.swets.com>]

PRESS RELEASE

Lisse, NL and Abingdon, UK
October 9th 2003    

Swets Blackwell Acquires Everett 

Swets Blackwell announced today their acquisition of W.H. Everett & Son
Ltd, the subscription business of the world's oldest independent
bookseller and subscription agent. All subscription activities currently
handled from Everett's head office in London will be integrated into Swets
Blackwell's system by the end of October. Current Everett customers will
be served from one of 23 Swets Blackwell regional offices located around
the world.

Colin Harrison, Managing Director of W.H. Everett & Son Ltd. commented: "I
am sad that a company which has managed to stay independent for over 200
years is finally being taken over. At the same time I am very happy that
the subscriptions sale is to Swets - a company where we have many friends,
especially in their UK company, but also in Holland and overseas."

Eric van Amerongen, CEO of Swets Blackwell added, "We are extremely
pleased that Everett's subscription services will become a part of Swets
Blackwell. The addition of their prestigious government, academic and
corporate clients will complement our existing customer base nicely. Swets
Blackwell will ensure that all customer queries and concerns about the
acquisition are handled carefully."

About Swets Blackwell:

Swets Blackwell (www.swetsblackwell.com <http://www.swetsblackwell.com>)
is a leading, global subscription agent, with offices in 23 countries
across six continents. It provides a wide variety of subscription
management solutions for academic, scientific, technical, medical,
corporate and government libraries and information centres worldwide.
Founded in 1901, Swets Blackwell counts among its 60,000 customers many of
the world's major research libraries and over 30% of the Fortune 500
companies. Please note that Swets Blackwell will change its name to Swets
Information Services as of December 2nd 2003.

About W.H. Everett & Son Ltd:

Since 1793, the world's oldest independent bookseller and subscription
agent has provided uninterrupted service to people who need information.
Everett's began as a shop in the shadow of London's St Paul's Cathedral.
For over 200 years, Everett's responded to the logistically more
manageable, but distinctly more urgent and demanding expectations of
libraries worldwide. What has always remained consistent at Everett's is
their commitment to serving their customers.

Swets Blackwell Media Contact:
Ylann Schemm
Communications Executive 
Swets Blackwell
Tel: +31 252 435 584
Email: press@nl.swets.com <mailto:press@nl.swets.com>

W.H. Everett & Son Ltd 
Media Contact:
Colin Harrison
Managing Director
W.H. Everett & Son Ltd
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7348 6352
Email: colin.harrison@everett.co.uk <mailto:colin.harrison@everett.co.uk>