By Lynn Blumenstein & Norman Oder

• Dialog was world's first global online retrieval system of databases
• ProQuest CEO: "exceptionally good fit"
• Dialog will remain distribution channel for Thomson Reuters material

ProQuest today announced that it has signed an agreement to acquire Dialog from Thomson Reuters. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. ProQuest said that it would update Dialog’s platforms, renovate existing products, and explore new opportunities.

Founded 40 years ago, Dialog was the world’s first online retrieval system of commercial databases to be used globally. Its portfolio of products offers access to the "best of" business, engineering, finance, science, and law resources. Dialog has direct operations in 27 countries and serves information professionals and end users in more than 100 countries.

“Dialog is a highly respected source of information and a trusted brand for libraries, so it is an exceptionally good fit in the ProQuest family,” said ProQuest CEO Marty Kahn in a statement. “The companies’ content and market strengths complement each other and just as important is the match with our values—we share a deep understanding of the library community and commitment to serving it with high-quality information tools.”

ProQuest said that Dialog would remain an important distribution channel for Thomson Reuters content after the transaction, including databases such as Derwent World Patents Index (DWPI), Investext, TrademarkScan, SciSearch® and BIOSIS.