Websites using Proquest

Okay, let s break down ProQuest, covering its overview, revenue, alternatives, pricing, and customer care.

ProQuest Overview

• What it is: ProQuest is a global information content and technology company. It s a major provider of research tools and resources for libraries, universities, schools, and businesses. They aggregate and curate a vast amount of information, including:

  • Scholarly journals
  • Ebooks
  • Newspapers
  • Dissertations and theses
  • Historical archives
  • Government documents
  • Primary source materials
  • Videos
  • News feeds
  • Workflow tools

• Key Products and Services:

  • ProQuest Platform: A central platform for accessing a wide range of ProQuest content. It s designed for researchers to discover, access, and manage information.
  • Dissertations & Theses Global: The world s most comprehensive collection of graduate works.
  • Ebook Central: A platform for accessing and managing ebooks from various publishers.
  • ProQuest One Academic: A comprehensive solution that brings together scholarly journals, ebooks, dissertations & theses, news, and video content in one place.
  • Alexander Street: Streaming video collections for education, research, and counseling.
  • RefWorks: A web-based citation management tool.
  • Pivot-RP: A database of research funding opportunities.
  • Ex Libris: (A ProQuest company) Provides library automation solutions, including Alma (a unified library management system) and Primo (a discovery and delivery solution). Ex Libris products serve academic, national, and research libraries.
  • Dialog: (A ProQuest Company) Delivers in-depth business, science, and technology information

• Target Audience:

  • Academic institutions (universities, colleges, community colleges)
  • K-12 schools
  • Public libraries
  • Government agencies
  • Corporations (R&D departments, market research teams, etc.)
  • Researchers
  • Students
  • Faculty
  • Librarians

• Mission (Generally): To empower researchers and librarians to discover, access, and use information effectively to advance knowledge and solve problems.

Revenue

• ProQuest is privately held by Clarivate Analytics. Therefore, specific standalone revenue figures are not publicly available. However, Clarivate includes ProQuest in its overall financial reporting. Looking at Clarivate s annual reports will give you a sense of the financial scale and performance of the business that includes ProQuest. The most recent information will always be on Clarivate s investor relations website.
• Historically, ProQuest was acquired by Cambridge Information Group (CIG) in 2007, and then later acquired by Clarivate in 2021.

Alternatives

The best alternative depends on the specific needs and content focus. Here s a breakdown by category:

• General Research Databases:

  • EBSCO Information Services: Another major aggregator of scholarly journals, magazines, books, and other research materials. Offers a broad range of databases, including Academic Search Premier, Business Source Complete, and MEDLINE.
  • Gale (Cengage Learning): Provides research databases, ebooks, and other educational resources. Known for its Literature Resource Center and historical newspaper archives.
  • JSTOR: Focuses on providing access to digitized back issues of scholarly journals, as well as books and primary sources. Strong in the humanities and social sciences.
  • Google Scholar: A freely available search engine that indexes scholarly literature from across the web. Useful for broad searches but may not provide access to full-text articles unless the user is affiliated with a subscribing institution.
  • Web of Science (Clarivate): A subscription-based service providing citation indexes for scientific and scholarly research.
  • Scopus (Elsevier): Another subscription-based citation database, covering a wide range of disciplines.

• Dissertations and Theses:

  • While ProQuest is dominant, some universities maintain their own open-access repositories of dissertations and theses.
  • Institutional Repositories: Many universities host digital repositories of their own dissertations and theses.

• Ebooks:

  • OverDrive: Primarily serves public libraries with ebooks and audiobooks.
  • EBSCOhost Collection Manager: Allows libraries to purchase and manage ebooks from various publishers.
  • Gale eBooks: Offers a collection of reference ebooks.

• Citation Management:

  • Mendeley (Elsevier): A free reference manager and academic social network.
  • Zotero: A free and open-source reference manager.

• Library Management Systems (Alternatives to Ex Libris Alma):

  • Koha: An open-source ILS (Integrated Library System).
  • FOLIO: An open-source library services platform.
  • Sierra (Innovative Interfaces): A proprietary ILS.
  • WorldCat Discovery (OCLC): A discovery service that integrates with OCLC s library management systems.

Pricing

• ProQuest uses a subscription-based pricing model. The cost varies significantly based on:

  • The specific products and databases subscribed to: A comprehensive package like ProQuest One Academic will cost more than a single database.
  • The size and type of institution: Large universities pay significantly more than small colleges or public libraries.
  • The number of users: Pricing may be tiered based on the number of students, faculty, or employees.
  • Concurrent user licenses: The number of users who can access the database simultaneously.
  • Negotiated discounts: Libraries and institutions often negotiate pricing with ProQuest.

• How to Get a Quote: The best way to determine the price is to contact ProQuest directly for a customized quote. They will assess your needs and provide a pricing proposal. Go to the ProQuest website and look for contact information or a request a quote form.

Customer Care Details

• Support Channels: ProQuest typically offers multiple support channels:

  • Online Help Center/Knowledge Base: A comprehensive collection of articles, FAQs, and tutorials. This is often the first place to look for answers.
  • Email Support: A way to submit questions or issues via email. Response times vary.
  • Phone Support: A direct line to speak with a support representative. Phone support hours may be limited.
  • Chat Support: Real-time online chat with a support agent (availability varies).
  • Account Managers: Larger institutions often have dedicated account managers who can provide personalized support and assistance.
  • Training and Webinars: ProQuest offers training sessions and webinars to help users learn how to effectively use their products.

• Finding Contact Information:

  • Visit the ProQuest website. Look for Contact Us, Support, or Help links.
  • Check the documentation for the specific ProQuest product you are using.
  • If you are affiliated with a library or institution, contact your librarian or IT department for assistance. They may have specific contacts at ProQuest.

• Typical Customer Care Issues:

  • Technical issues: Problems accessing databases, broken links, or software glitches.
  • Content inquiries: Questions about the coverage of specific journals or the availability of particular documents.
  • Subscription management: Adding or removing users, renewing subscriptions, or changing billing information.
  • Training requests: Requesting training sessions for staff or users.
  • Access problems: Troubleshooting login issues or access restrictions.
  • API related questions: Information regarding ProQuest APIs, which can be used to access and use ProQuest data

Key Considerations when Evaluating ProQuest (and Alternatives):

• Content Coverage: Does the resource offer the specific journals, books, or other materials that your users need?
• Search Functionality: How easy is it to find relevant information using the search tools?
• User Interface: Is the interface intuitive and user-friendly?
• Accessibility: Is the resource accessible to users with disabilities?
• Integration: Does the resource integrate well with other library systems and tools?
• Cost: Is the cost of the resource justified by its value?
• Customer Support: Is the vendor responsive and helpful when you have questions or problems?

In summary, ProQuest is a leading provider of information solutions for researchers and libraries. While its exact revenue figures are not public, it s a significant part of Clarivate. There are several alternatives available, and the best choice depends on the specific needs of the institution or user. Pricing is subscription-based and varies based on factors like the size of the institution and the content included. ProQuest provides various customer care channels to support its users.