FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 20, 2004 

For more information, contact:
Sharon Mosher
Email: mosher{at}mail.utexas.edu
Phone: 512-471-4135

GeoScienceWorld to Launch,

Online Access to Leading Journals in the Earth Sciences

Alexandria, VA — Six leading earth science societies and one institute have agreed to develop cooperatively GeoScienceWorld (GSW), an electronic research resource unprecedented in the earth sciences.  GSW will deliver online the aggregated journal content of both its founding organizations and many other not-for-profit and independent earth science publishers.  The collection will feature full text searches across the aggregated journals and reference linking between included journal articles and, where possible, other online journals. GeoRef, the premier bibliographic database in the geosciences, will be fully integrated into GSW, expanding the search capability to include nearly all geoscience literature using a controlled vocabulary and providing direct linking to full text articles and abstracts within and outside the journals aggregation.  With time, other material such as maps, books, and geoscience digital data will be included or inter-linked on an optional participation basis with content owners. When technically practical, GSW will include non-English publications.

For two years the founding organizations—American Association of Petroleum Geologists, American Geological Institute, Geological Society of America, Geological Society of London, Mineralogical Society of America, Society for Sedimentary Geology, and Society of Exploration Geophysicists—have been developing plans for GeoScienceWorld.  Final agreement allows implementation of the plan.  A prospectus will be sent in January to societies and other journal publishers potentially interested in participating.  A free trial period for potential subscribers is anticipated prior to the launch of paid online subscription service later this year.  Charter online subscription rates will be announced this summer.  More detailed information about GeoScienceWorld (GSW) can be found at (http://www.GeoScienceWorld.org).

What the founders said about GSW:

"GeoScienceWorld will be a superior research resource that meets the demands of students, researchers and professionals who are accustomed to the benefits of electronic media."  Sharon Mosher, Past President, Geological Society of America

"GeoScienceWorld will promote integration of research across geoscience disciplines and geographic boundaries." Walt Lynn, Past President, Society of Exploration Geophysicists

"The prospect of GeoScienceWorld is tremendously exciting - it should have a significant impact on the geosciences."  Robbie Gries, Past President, American Association of Petroleum Geologists