British Library-Amazon Unique Alliance Announced

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

24 November 2003

http://www.bl.uk/cgi-bin/press.cgi?story=1391

Amazon.co.uk teams up with the British Library for dramatic category 
extension of rare and antiquarian titles
24 November 2003 :: Posted by British Library Press & Public Relations

Millions of British Library pre-ISBN Catalogue Records now available for
sellers to list against Exclusively on Amazon.co.uk

Amazon.co.uk, the UK's leading online retailer, has today announced a
unique alliance with the British Library. The British Library has made
available its extensive bibliographic catalogue records to Amazon.co.uk
for the first time, so that rare, antiquarian and pre-ISBN* books can be
made easier to identify and to buy online.

The British Library has added details of over 2.55 million unique
bibliographic records to the Amazon.co.uk books catalogue, with 1.7
million of these dated before the 1970 introduction of ISBN.

Old editions on the Amazon site range from famous authors such as Margaret
Mitchell's Gone With The Wind (1961), Enid Blyton's The Enchanted Wood
(1951) and The Big Noddy Book (1967) to titles such as Luther Hess
Waring's Political Theories of Martin Luther (1968) and Ivor Herbert's The
Queen Mother's Horses (1967). In addition, more obscure titles dating back
to 1570 include Italian sheet music such as Di M. Filippo di Monte ... il
Terzo Libro delli Madrigali by Philippe de Monte and old English ballads
and poems.

This is good news not only for Amazon.co.uk customers, who will benefit
from the increased selection, but also for Amazon.co.uk sellers. Sellers
of used, specialist and antiquarian books will now be able to list a far
wider selection of their titles on Amazon.co.uk.

Commenting on the new partnership, Greg Hart, Director for Amazon.co.uk's
Media Products said: "Amazon aims to be the place where you can find and
discover anything you want to buy online and our alliance with the British
Library is a clear demonstration of this strategy. We are delighted to be
able to open up the British Library archives to the public."

Natalie Ceeney, Director of Operations and Services at the British Library
added: "The Library's alliance with Amazon.co.uk is a wonderful way to
make our catalogue data relevant and available to an even wider audience.  
Our bibliographic catalogues are second-to-none and we are delighted that
Amazon.co.uk will be using them to underpin and support the marketplace
service."

In addition, as the selection introduced through the British Library
includes out of print titles, this agreement has dramatically expanded the
number of titles available for third-party sellers to list against where
Amazon.co.uk does not provide a retail offering. All of these titles will
be available only through Amazon.co.uk's third-party Marketplace service.

Marketplace is a unique feature that allows customers to buy and sell new,
used and collectable items from third-party sellers.

Selling through Amazon Marketplace is easy. Amazon.co.uk provides tools
for the casual seller listing one or two items and also for businesses
that wish to offer thousands of items in one go. Sellers can begin selling
a single item in less than 60 seconds, by entering an item into the search
box and clicking the orange button that says "Sell yours here".  
Amazon.co.uk handles all the payments via Amazon Payments. We tell sellers
when they have a sale, send them the buyer's address details and deposit
payment directly in their bank account.

*ISBN refers to the "The International Standard Book Number" a 10-digit
system allowing publishers, libraries and book dealers to identify books.


For more details please contact:
For further information on Marketplace click on 
www.amazon.co.uk/marketplace 
or contact the Amazon.co.uk Press Office on +44 (0)20 8636 9280. For 
information 
on the British Library call Colin Beesley in the Press Office on +44 
(0)1937 
546 825.

British Library Data Licensing
We have a proven and renowned commitment to supporting information 
providers in the UK and throughout the world. Our clients find British 
Library records a 'must-have' enabling them to resource a variety of 
products and services. For more information, contact Dave Wilkie or visit 
http://www.bl.uk/services/bibliographic/data.html.

Notes for editors:

About Amazon.co.uk 

Amazon.co.uk opened its virtual doors in October 1998, and strives to be
the world's most customer-centric company, where customers can find and
discover anything they might want to buy online. Amazon.co.uk and sellers
list millions of new and used items in categories such as books, CDs,
videos, DVDs, software titles, PC & video games, electronics & photo,
kitchen & home and toys. Through Amazon Marketplace, zShops and Auctions
any business or individual can sell virtually anything to Amazon.co.uk's
millions of customers. Amazon.co.uk customers enjoy the benefits of
industry-leading online-shopping technology such as secure credit-card
payment; personalised recommendations; streamlined, 1-Click� ordering and
hassle-free Bid-Click� auction bidding. Through Amazon Anywhere,
Amazon.co.uk is also available on mobile phones with WAP technology; see
www.amazon.co.uk/anywhere for details.

Amazon.com operates six websites: www.amazon.com, www.amazon.co.uk,
www.amazon.de, www.amazon.fr, www.amazon.co.jp and www.amazon.ca.  
Amazon.co.uk is the trading name for Amazon.com International Sales, Inc.,
and Amazon.com International Auctions, Inc., which are both wholly owned
subsidiaries of global online retailer Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN).

This announcement contains forward-looking statements within the meaning
of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Actual results may differ significantly
from management's expectations. These forward-looking statements involve
risks and uncertainties that include, among others, risks related to
potential future losses, significant amount of indebtedness, competition,
commercial agreements and strategic alliances, seasonality, potential
fluctuations in operating results and rate of growth, foreign exchange
rates, management of potential growth, system interruption, international
expansion, consumer trends, inventory, fulfilment centre optimisation,
limited operating history, government regulation and taxation, fraud and
new business areas. More information about factors that could affect
Amazon.com's financial results is included in Amazon.com's filings with
the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on
Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2002, and all subsequent
filings.

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