Infobase Publishing
Infobase Publishing is a private educational publisher serving K-12 schools and public/academic libraries with print books, eBooks, online reference databases, streaming video, and eLearning modules across imprints including Facts On File, World Almanac, and Bloom's Literary Criticism.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1941
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Infobase Publishing does
Infobase Publishing is a privately held American educational publisher that produces supplemental print and digital reference materials for the K-12 school market and for public and academic libraries. The company was founded in 1941 (some imprints) and today operates through multiple well-known imprints including Facts On File, Chelsea House, Ferguson Publishing, Bloom's Literary Criticism, World Almanac, Chelsea Clubhouse, Films for the Humanities & Sciences, and The Mailbox. Its product surface spans print books, eBooks, online reference databases (Issues & Controversies, Science Online, American History Online, African-American History Online, Bloom's Literature, World News Digest, Today's Science, Ferguson's Career Guidance Center, World Religions Online, Health Reference Center, and others), streaming video platforms (Learn360, Access Video On Demand, Just for Kids, Films On Demand), and eLearning modules, distributed through the company's digital platform at Infobase.com.
The company's technology stack is a digital publishing platform supporting eBook delivery (ebooks.infobase.com), subscription-based online databases, and streaming video on demand. Content is sourced from in-house editorial teams using credentialed contributors (professors, scholars) and from third-party content partnerships with BBC Learning, CNN Films, TED, MVD Films, and California Newsreel. Clever SSO integration (announced 2017) enables seamless authentication for K-12 users. The streaming video and online database offerings have been progressively expanded through product relaunches and the 2007 acquisition of Films Media Group.
Infobase monetizes through four primary streams: recurring subscriptions to online databases and streaming video platforms (the largest and growing segment), one-time print book and eBook purchases, standing-order subscriptions for new title delivery (e.g., World Almanac for Kids at a 20% discount), and ancillary services such as book processing ($0.40–$0.60 per item) and free MARC records for qualifying orders. Go-to-market is sales-led enterprise field sales with dedicated teams for US books/eBooks, US online products, Canada, Australia, and international markets. The company has no disclosed funding rounds, no parent company, and operates as an independent private entity built through a sequence of brand acquisitions (Films Media Group 2007, Facts On File News Services 2007, World Almanac 2009, The Mailbox 2017).
Infobase Publishing firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Infobase Publishing
- Legal name
- Infobase Publishing
- Website
- https://infobasepublishing.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1941
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Infobase Publishing is a private educational publisher serving K-12 schools and public/academic libraries with print books, eBooks, online reference databases, streaming video, and eLearning modules across imprints including Facts On File, World Almanac, and Bloom's Literary Criticism.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Infobase Publishing industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Educational Reference Publishing
- NAICS
- Book Publishers (51313)
- SIC
- Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- E-book Subscription & Bundling Services (MPAJAMAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- eBook & Digital Reading Platforms (BPAMAJAK), Children’s Reference & Informational Series Publishing (MPAJAFAN)
Keywords
Where Infobase Publishing is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Infobase Publishing business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Online Database Subscriptions: Subscription-based access to online reference databases and streaming video platforms for schools and libraries
- Print Books: One-time purchase of print reference books and encyclopedias
- eBooks: Electronic book sales available individually or in collections
- Standing Order Plans: Subscription plans that automatically deliver new titles as published (e.g., World Almanac for Kids at 20% discount)
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Standing Order Plan WK1 for World Almanac for Kids |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels2 records
Infobase Publishing product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Infobase Publishing develops, publishes, and distributes print and digital supplemental reference materials for the school and library markets. Its product portfolio includes print reference books, eBooks, online reference databases (e.g., Science Online, Issues & Controversies, World News Digest), streaming video platforms (e.g., Learn360, Access Video On Demand, Films On Demand), and eLearning Modules sold under multiple imprints including Facts On File, Chelsea House, Ferguson Publishing, Bloom's Literary Criticism, World Almanac, and Films for the Humanities & Sciences.
Product overview
Infobase Publishing operates as a comprehensive educational publishing company offering both print and digital products across multiple imprints. The portfolio includes core reference book and eBook imprints (Facts On File, Chelsea House, Ferguson Publishing, Bloom's Literary Criticism, Chelsea Clubhouse, and World Almanac) alongside online database and streaming video platforms (Learn360, Access Video On Demand, Just for Kids, Science Online, Issues & Controversies, Bloom's Literature, American History Online, World News Digest, Today's Science, Ferguson's Career Guidance Center, African-American History Online, Writer's Reference Center, World Religions Online, U.S. Government Online, Health Reference Center, and Films On Demand). The company serves the school and library markets with supplemental educational materials across formats including books, eBooks, online databases, eLearning Modules, and videos. Major acquisitions include Films Media Group (2007), the World Almanac brand (2009), and The Mailbox (2017).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Facts On File: Award-winning publisher of print, eBooks, and online reference materials for the school and library market, specializing in history, science, literature, geography, health, and more. Has nearly 70 years of service to librarians.
- Chelsea House
- Ferguson Publishing
- Bloom's Literary Criticism
- World Almanac
- Chelsea Clubhouse
- Films for the Humanities & Sciences
Products and services
- Science Online Curriculum-based online science reference database with videos, color diagrams, and comprehensive science content for schools and libraries.
- Issues & Controversies Online news and analysis database covering current issues and controversies for schools and libraries; recipient of multiple industry awards.
- World News Digest Online news service database providing comprehensive news coverage; named SIIA CODiE Award finalist.
- Today's Science Online science reference database covering current scientific developments; named SIIA CODiE Award finalist and Booklist Editors' Choice Reference Source.
- Bloom's Literature Online literary criticism platform featuring Harold Bloom's analysis of literary works with videos and dictionary tools.
- American History Online Comprehensive online reference database covering American history with award-winning core content and video features.
- African-American History Online Reference database covering African-American history with video features and comprehensive content.
- World Religions Online Comprehensive online reference covering world religions and religious topics.
- U.S. Government Online Reference database covering U.S. government and civics topics.
- Health Reference Center Health and medical reference database providing comprehensive health information resources.
- Writer's Reference Center Reference database for writers providing writing resources and guidance tools.
- Ferguson's Career Guidance Center Comprehensive career reference database with school search features for career education and guidance.
- Learn360 Streaming video platform for K-12 education providing access to educational video content; recipient of eSchool News Readers Choice Award.
- Access Video On Demand Streaming video platform for public libraries offering on-demand video content.
- Just for Kids Streaming video platform for children providing age-appropriate video content for library markets.
- Films On Demand Streaming video platform featuring content from California Newsreel, TEDTalks, and MVD Films for academic libraries.
- The World Almanac and Book of Facts Flagship annual print reference book, the best-selling American reference book of all time, available in single-title hardcover and via Standing Order Plan WK1 subscription.
- The World Almanac for Kids Print reference book for kids, the best-selling reference book for kids, available via standing order subscription at 20% discount.
- eBook Collections Electronic book titles offered individually and in curated collections via the ebooks.infobase.com platform; free MARC records included with eBook orders.
- The Mailbox Elementary educational resource brand providing teaching resources for elementary educators, acquired May 2017.
Quantifiable outcome
- The World Almanac is the best-selling American reference book of all time
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Infobase Publishing
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Infobase Publishing technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Feature3 records
Infobase Publishing partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and regional.
- CNN FilmscoreInfobase added CNN Films content to its streaming video collections, bringing acclaimed documentary content to the educational and library markets.
- Virtual Library of VirginiamajorInfobase won a deal with the Virtual Library of Virginia to provide digital content resources to member libraries statewide.
- BBC LearningcoreInfobase partnered with BBC Learning and doubled its BBC video content for academic, K12, and public libraries.
- NC LIVEregionalInfobase partnered with NC LIVE to provide North Carolina with essential career reference content.
- ClevercoreInfobase announced partnership integration with Clever, enabling seamless access to Infobase resources through the Clever educational platform.
- TEDcoreTEDTalks were added to Infobase's Films On Demand streaming video platforms.
- Films Media GroupmajorInfobase acquired Films Media Group, a major provider of educational video content, significantly expanding its streaming video capabilities.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Infobase Publishing competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- World Book: World Book is one of the most direct comparables, producing the World Book Encyclopedia and related reference databases targeted at K-12 schools and public libraries. Both Infobase and World Book compete head-to-head for school and library reference budgets with overlapping print and digital reference titles.
- Rosen Publishing: Rosen Publishing produces K-12 reference and curriculum-aligned nonfiction books, eBooks, and databases for the school and library market, directly overlapping Infobase's Chelsea House, Facts On File, and database offerings. Both companies target the same librarian/educator buyer with curriculum-support content.
- ABC-CLIO: ABC-CLIO publishes subscription reference databases (history, issues, geography) for school and academic libraries, directly comparable to Infobase's Issues & Controversies, American History Online, and World Religions Online. Similar GTM into K-12 and academic institutions.
- EBSCO Information Services: EBSCO provides subscription research databases and eBooks primarily to academic and public libraries, with a comparable library-database subscription model and customer base. Competes directly with Infobase's database products in school and library procurement cycles.
- Britannica Group: Britannica publishes the Encyclopedia Britannica and Britannica School/ImageQuest products targeted at K-12 schools and public libraries, directly competing with Infobase's flagship encyclopedias and reference databases. Most iconic legacy competitor in the reference space.
Broad incumbents
- Gale (Cengage): Gale is a much larger educational and library reference publisher offering databases, eBooks, and streaming video (Gale In Context, GVRL) across academic and public libraries. Overlaps with Infobase's online databases and school/library GTM, but operates at meaningfully greater scale and product breadth.
- ProQuest (Clarivate): ProQuest, part of Clarivate, offers extensive academic and library databases, eBooks, and streaming video serving academic and K-12 libraries. Overlaps with Infobase's database and video products, but at a far larger scale across academic and corporate markets.
- Scholastic: Scholastic is a much larger K-12 educational content and book club provider with deep relationships in U.S. elementary and secondary schools. Overlaps with Infobase's school-market focus, though Scholastic's core franchise (book clubs, book fairs) is broader than reference publishing.
- Oxford University Press: Oxford University Press publishes academic and reference titles, including dictionaries and scholarly works sold into school, academic, and library markets. Comparable as a reference publisher, though significantly larger and with a broader academic orientation.
Emerging players
- Capstone (PebbleGo): Capstone operates PebbleGo and other digital reference and literacy platforms targeted at K-5 schools and libraries, an emerging competitor in the digital reference space where Infobase also plays (Chelsea Clubhouse, Just for Kids). Comparable product format but a narrower age-grade focus.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Infobase Publishing social profiles
Digital presenceInfobase Publishing financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Infobase Publishing leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Infobase Publishing subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries11 records
Infobase Publishing funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Infobase Publishing M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Infobase Publishing
What does Infobase Publishing do?
Infobase Publishing develops, publishes, and distributes print and digital supplemental reference materials for the school and library markets. Its product portfolio includes print reference books, eBooks, online reference databases (e.g., Science Online, Issues & Controversies, World News Digest), streaming video platforms (e.g., Learn360, Access Video On Demand, Films On Demand), and eLearning Modules sold under multiple imprints including Facts On File, Chelsea House, Ferguson Publishing, Bloom's Literary Criticism, World Almanac, and Films for the Humanities & Sciences.
Is Infobase Publishing a public or private company?
Infobase Publishing is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Infobase Publishing founded?
Infobase Publishing was founded in 1941. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Infobase Publishing based?
Infobase Publishing is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Infobase Publishing make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Online Database Subscriptions are the primary driver. The others are print Books, eBooks and standing Order Plans.
Who are Infobase Publishing's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are World Book, Rosen Publishing, ABC-CLIO, EBSCO Information Services and Britannica Group. Broad incumbents are Gale (Cengage), ProQuest (Clarivate), Scholastic and Oxford University Press. Capstone (PebbleGo) is listed as an emerging player.
Does Infobase Publishing have an API?
No public API is recorded for Infobase Publishing.
What industry is Infobase Publishing in?
Infobase Publishing's product category is Educational Reference Publishing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJAMAB, E-book Subscription & Bundling Services, with a secondary code of BPAMAJAK, eBook & Digital Reading Platforms. Its NAICS code is 51313 and its SIC code is 2731.