This year, Facts On File, the award-winning publisher of print, online, and eBook reference materials, celebrates its 70th anniversary providing schools and libraries with authoritative, curriculum-based educational products for the high school, academic, and public library markets.
In 1941, Facts On File began serving students, educators, and librarians with high-quality titles that complement the curriculum in a variety of subject areas. Known in its early days for its books and trademark On File® binders, the publisher has since greatly expanded both the breadth of its list as well as the number of product formats—now offering not only print titles, but eBooks, online databases, eLearning Modules, and streaming video products as well.
“The past 70 years have seen a lot of changes—ups and downs in the economy, an explosion of technology,” said Mark McDonnell, president of Infobase Learning, now the parent company of Facts On File and other esteemed imprints. “We are deeply proud to have remained a leader in the school and library publishing field throughout.”
“A great synergy has developed between us and our customers over the years,” continued Mr. McDonnell. “Our commitment to growing with the evolving needs of librarians and educators has kept our publishing program dynamic and fresh, as we find flexible new ways to deliver the reliable educational content for which we’re known.”
The acquisition of the Films Media Group (FMG) in 2007 allowed Facts On File to greatly expand its online offerings, integrating FMG’s wealth of video content into Facts On File’s existing online reference databases and developing new products such as eLearning Modules and new streaming video subscriptions. The acquisition of The World Almanac® in 2009, Chelsea House in 2007, and Ferguson’s, a career reference publisher, in 2003 also provided Facts On File with a wide range of valuable material to use in creating new databases (for instance, the award-winning Ferguson’s Career Guidance Center, Bloom’s Literary Reference Online, The World Almanac® Online, and The World Almanac® for Kids Online) and enhancing existing ones.
Facts On File has also garnered numerous awards and honors on the print side over the past 70 years—for titles such as Encyclopedia of American History, Encyclopedia of Muslim-American History, Encyclopedia of Marine Science, Student’s Encyclopedia of American Literary Characters, and Encyclopedia of World History, along with others in fields spanning history, geography, science, literature and language, religion, medical and health, and more.
