FW: [WEB4LIB] Poor Sales Continue at Questia, More Layoffs Announ ced

[Andrea.Cheney at USPTO.GOV]

> "This is the second round of layoffs at the Houston firm, which
laid off 140 out of 280 employees in May. The firm is cutting back because
relatively few high school and college students have been willing to make
monthly payments for the service,


&&&Unless something has changed, why would high school and college students
want to make monthly payments to this type of service, when they can buy
CD's, concert tix, get their tongues pierced and other "cool" stuff? 


 >said spokeswoman Ann Brimberry, adding
that the weak economy played a part. 

&&& Yeah, students have less $$$$ for CD's, piercings, concert tix and other
"cool" stuff. Snideness aside, sounds to me that if this demographic was
their main target, poor economy or no, it was a doomed enterprise to start.
I won't even mention that high school and college students have access to
professional librarians at their institutions as well as public librarians
to help meet their research needs.

Thanks Gary.


Andrea Cheney
Electronic Resources Librarian
United States Patent and Trademark Office
Scientific and Technical Information Center
Information Access and Management Branch
2021 S. Clark Place
Crystal Plaza 3, Suite 2C06
Arlington, VA  22202
703-308-6099\fax: 3485
andrea.cheney at uspto.gov