ScienceDirect Expands Search Capabilities with FAST ESP(TM)

16/01/2007 - 10:56

Fast Search & Transfer(TM) (OSEAX: FAST.OL) (FAST(TM)), the
leading developer of search technologies, and ScienceDirect,
Elsevier's premier full-text research resource, today announced that
ScienceDirect has deployed the FAST Enterprise Search Platform (FAST
ESP(TM)). With FAST ESP, ScienceDirect provides a more powerful search
experience enabling users to access over eight million full-text
scientific, technical and medical articles. FAST ESP was recently
voted 'Top Search and Retrieval Technology' in Information Today's
People's Choice Awards and is a finalist for the 2007 SIIA CODiE
Awards.

Leveraging the impressive capabilities of FAST ESP, ScienceDirect
will enable researchers to quickly find the most relevant information
in their area of interest and expertise. Due to the enormous amount of
information available via ScienceDirect, accurate, reliable and rapid
search is critical to enabling users to leverage the information in a
timely and efficient manner. ScienceDirect recently reached a major
milestone by supporting its one-billionth full article download.
Through the use of FAST ESP, ScienceDirect ensures the ability to
continue to support this high volume of search and download activity.

FAST works with other Elsevier products and services, including
Scopus (http://www.info.scopus.com/), the largest abstract and
citation database of research literature and quality Web sources.
Scopus has relied on FAST ESP for more than two years and has
experienced positive response from its user community for its
exceptional search experience and result relevance. By using FAST
search technology, ScienceDirect and Scopus will be able to improve
the interoperability of the sites and further streamline the user
experience for professionals who use both resources for research.

"ScienceDirect and Scopus are dedicated to bringing researchers
the high-quality information they need, when they need it," said
Amanda Spiteri, marketing director, ScienceDirect. "The implementation
of the FAST search platform offers users an easy to use, yet
customizable way of retrieving and ranking information. The
interoperability between ScienceDirect and Scopus will be enhanced
greatly by using the same search technology."

"FAST works closely with forward-thinking organizations like
ScienceDirect and Scopus to provide the best possible user experience
for their customers," added Julie Ginches, senior director of
corporate communications for FAST. "As a result, it comes as no
surprise to us that these products are dominating their market
sectors."

About FAST

FAST creates the real-time search and business intelligence
solutions that are behind the scenes at the world's best known
companies with the most demanding information challenges. FAST's
flexible and scalable integrated technology platform and personalized
portal connects users, regardless of medium, to the relevant
information they need.

FAST is headquartered in Norway and is publicly traded under the
ticker symbol 'FAST' on the Oslo Stock Exchange. The FAST Group
operates globally with presence in Europe, the United States, Asia,
Australia, the Americas, and the Middle East. For further information
about FAST, please visit www.fastsearch.com.

About ScienceDirect

Over a quarter of the world's full text scientific, technical and
medical (STM) articles - managed by renowned editors, written by
respected authors and read by researchers from around the globe - are
available in one place: ScienceDirect (http://www.sciencedirect.com/).
Elsevier's extensive and unique full-text collection covers
authoritative titles from the core scientific literature including
high impact factor titles such as THE LANCET, Cell and Tetrahedron.
Over 8 million articles are available online, including Articles in
Press which offer rapid access to recently accepted manuscripts. The
critical mass of information available on ScienceDirect is
unsurpassed. Coverage includes over 2000 journals published by
Elsevier and dynamic linking to journals from approximately 350 STM
publishers through CrossRef. An expanding program of online major
reference works, handbooks, book series and e-Books in all fields of
science seamlessly interlinks with primary research referenced in
journal articles.

About Elsevier

Elsevier is a world-leading publisher of scientific, technical and
medical information products and services. Working in partnership with
the global science and health communities, Elsevier's 7,000 employees
in over 70 offices worldwide publish more than 2,000 journals and
1,900 new books per year, in addition to offering a suite of
innovative electronic products, such as ScienceDirect
(http://www.sciencedirect.com/), MD Consult
(http://www.mdconsult.com/), Scopus (http://www.info.scopus.com/),
bibliographic databases, and online reference works.

Elsevier (http://www.elsevier.com/) is a global business
headquartered in Amsterdam, The Netherlands and has offices worldwide.
Elsevier is part of Reed Elsevier Group plc
(http://www.reedelsevier.com/), a world-leading publisher and
information provider. Operating in the science and medical, legal,
education and business-to-business sectors, Reed Elsevier provides
high-quality and flexible information solutions to users, with
increasing emphasis on the Internet as a means of delivery. Reed
Elsevier's ticker symbols are REN (Euronext Amsterdam), REL (London
Stock Exchange), RUK and ENL (New York Stock Exchange).