News release: xreferplus Integrated with SFXT and MetaLibR

["Ellen McCullough" <ellen.mccullough@xrefer.com>]

### Please excuse any cross-postings ###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE		

xreferplus Integrated with SFXT and MetaLibR
Mutual Library Customers and Their Patrons to Benefit 

BOSTON, MA, January 6, 2004--xrefer, provider of online ready reference
services to academic, public and corporate libraries, announced today that
its xreferplus service has been fully integrated with Ex Libris' SFX and
MetaLib systems.  Mutual customers of both companies will benefit, as
these libraries will be able to seamlessly incorporate xreferplus into
their online offerings.  Easy access to online ready reference content
while searching library holdings will save users time while adding a new
layer of understanding to the information retrieved.

Boston College and St. Joseph's University are just two of the companies'
mutual customers who will integrate xreferplus into their
MetaLib-facilitated library portals and SFX-enabled context-sensitive
linking capabilities.  Patrons at these institutions can search
xreferplus' online ready reference content in addition to other resources
in the library catalog under one, unified metasearch function. Further,
while searching in any OpenURL-enabled database--full-text articles,
abstracts or other resources--users can quickly link to a definition or
other ready reference content.

xreferplus features 1.3 million authoritative, full-text entries that
cover a wide range of subjects, including art, medicine, science,
literature and more.  The content is linked by a unique network of
cross-references that cut across topics, titles and publishers, as well as
text, image and sound files.  With xreferplus, users have access to
accurate, contextual answers for their research needs.

"We at Boston College look forward to integrating xreferplus with MetaLib
and SFX.  This will enable our students and faculty to have easier access
to ready reference materials," said Jonas Barciauskas, head of collection
development at the O'Neill Library, Boston College. "Our users will be
able to accelerate their research and check facts using standard
information sources via the web."

"We're happy to be partnering with Ex Libris to provide xreferplus as part
of a larger, integrated service to our customers, " said John G. Dove, CEO
of xrefer.  "Ex Libris is an industry innovator, and their ability to
facilitate ease of use for library patrons meshes perfectly with our goal
of providing the most comprehensive online reference service to libraries
and their users."

Jenny Walker, vice president of marketing and business development of the
Ex Libris Information Services Division said, "From the outset xrefer
recognized the importance of integrating their content into the user's
research environment, and have quickly and effectively enabled
interoperability with the Ex Libris products. Integrating xreferplus with
MetaLib and SFX is yet another step forward in facilitating a rich and
rewarding experience for researchers."

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About xrefer

xrefer (www.xrefer.com) delivers technology-enhanced online reference
services to libraries and their users worldwide.  The company's flexible
subscription service, xreferplus, features authoritative, aggregated
content from hundreds of reference books, with 1.3 million entries
covering such subjects as medicine, art, technology and more. xreferplus
adds value with proprietary cross-reference technology that integrates the
content across topics, titles and publishers to provide contextual
results.  A privately-held corporation, xrefer was founded in London, U.K.
in September 1999 and has its North American headquarters in Boston,
Massachusetts.

About Ex Libris

Ex Libris is a leading worldwide developer of high-performance
applications for libraries, information centers, and researchers. A
multinational company, Ex Libris has offices around the world. ALEPH, the
Ex Libris integrated library solution, has been installed at over 800
sites and consortia in over 50 countries. MetaLib, the information portal
for library collections, and SFX, the context-sensitive linking solution
for heterogeneous electronic resources in the scholarly information
environment, have collectively been purchased by more than 450
institutions in 30 countries. As a component of an overall digital
strategy, the DigiTool solution for constructing digital collections
rounds out the Ex Libris product suite.

For more information contact Ellen McCullough at (617) 426-5710, or by
e-mail, ellen.mccullough@xrefer.com.

********************************************
Ellen McCullough, Marketing Director
xrefer
31 St. James Ave., Suite 370
Boston, MA 02116
ph: 617-426-5710
fx: 617-426-3103
www.xrefer.com 

xreferplus: named an Outstanding Academic Title by CHOICE, 2002