BOULDER, COLO. - January 23, 2001 - netLibrary and its MetaText digital textbook division today announced a joint technology and marketing agreement with Blackboard Inc., the leading provider of Internet infrastructure software for e-Learning. The agreement calls for netLibrary and Blackboard to integrate MetaText digital textbooks with Blackboard 5tm, Blackboard’s comprehensive e-Learning software platform. Through the integration, Blackboard and netLibrary will enable instructors and students to identify, adopt, purchase and use MetaText editions through the Blackboard platform. The agreement between netLibrary and Blackboard represents a logical next step in e-Learning, combining the powerful and established e-Learning tools of Blackboard’s course management system with the enhanced pedagogical value of MetaText edition digital textbooks. Among other pedagogical tools, MetaText editions enable instructors to communicate with and educate students by self-publishing annotations to the text, which are viewable by all students in a class. Students can also take advantage of enhanced user features to search, navigate, annotate, highlight and bookmark their MetaText editions. "Blackboard works to provide the education market with the best e-Learning tools available," said Matthew Pittinsky, chairman, Blackboard Inc. "This agreement with netLibrary is the perfect complement to our current course management efforts." Through the collaboration, Blackboard instructors will be able to browse a list of MetaText editions during the Blackboard course setup process. Upon selection of a MetaText edition by an instructor and purchase by a student, Blackboard and netLibrary will share user authentication information, making Blackboard a single sign-on location through which instructors and students may access their MetaText editions. Blackboard and netLibrary intend to make this integrated e-Learning/eTextbook solution available to classes beginning in Fall semester 2001.