Aspen Publishers Joins Pubnet^TM Today

Expanding the customers options for fast, efficient, responsive service

Washington, DC, January 25, 1999. Pubnet LLC, the developer of PUBNET^® and Pubnet the pioneering e-commerce systems that link booksellers, publishers and suppliers and Aspen Publishers, Inc., a Wolters Kluwer Company, announced that starting today, Aspen Publishers customers can order books through both the Internet-based Pubnet and legacy PUBNET ordering systems.

"Aspen has joined the almost 100 publishers that receive orders through Pubnet," said Andrew Gregory, managing director, Pubnet LLC. "We are pleased to add Aspen to our growing community of education-focused publishers. Now Aspen bookstore customers can use their regular Internet access to FTP to place orders via the Web at www.pubnet.org."

"In November 1998, we mailed a survey to our bookstore customers to ascertain how Aspen could improve its service," said Judi McRee, Director of Customer Care, Aspen Publishers. "A resounding request was for Pubnet. We listened and responded."

"Customer Care is the top priority in both the publishing field and at Aspen Publishers. We aim to deliver outstanding service to our bookstores. Pubnet is another tool that enables us to meet that goal. Once we had implemented our bookstore-dedicated phone and fax lines, you told us you wanted Pubnet too. Here it is we hope that this demonstrates our continued effort to deliver outstanding Customer Care."

"Having access to the Internet and Pubnet allows law schools and commercial bookstores the ability to obtain one-stop shopping. This will reduce the need for customers to conform to standard operating hours, giving them the ability to place orders anytime, anywhere. Aspen Publishers looks forward to utilizing Pubnet in streamlining the book order and fulfillment process," said Ernest V. Manzella, Jr., Senior Vice President of Operations.

About Aspen Publishers, Inc.
Aspen Publishers is a leader in providing high-quality educational resources for law schools, paralegal studies, allied health, food science and criminal justice. Aspen now carries many of the titles from Little, Brown and Company as well as Chapman & Hall. Please watch for continued growth at Aspen Publishers in the future.

About Pubnet LLC
More than 3,000 bookstores, wholesalers, libraries and schools subscribe to PUBNET and Pubnet, making it the world's premier electronic community for the publishing and bookselling industries.

Vienna, Va. based Pubnet LLC has 11 years' experience serving the book trade. It is a limited liability corporation owned equally by the Association of American Publishers, the American Booksellers Association, the National Association of College Stores and R.R. Bowker, a division of Cahners Business Information.

Aspen Publishers
Director of Customer Care
Judi McRee, 800-317-3113
judith.mcree@aspenpubl.com

Aspen Publishers
Customer Care Bookstore Division
800-317-3113 Phone Line
800-561-4845 Fax Line

R.R. Bowker LLC Marketing Contact
Josephine Fiamingo: (908) 219-0157
josephine.fiamingo@bowker.com