IDG Books Worldwide to Acquire Cliffs Notes

Posted on December 9, 1998

IDG Books Worldwide has announced it has signed a stock purchase agreement to acquire Cliffs Notes, a privately-held publisher of the popular literary study guides. IDGB is a global knowledge company whose portfolio includes many book brands and computer-based learning tools, including the For Dummies brand which has more than 60 million books in print.

"Cliffs Notes is beloved by millions of students who have relied on its popular Notes and study guides to help them learn about literature and to prepare for junior high, high school and college tests," said Steven Berkowitz, IDGB's president. "Cliffs has also stayed in touch with its customers by creating a powerful Web presence at Cliffs.com. At IDGB, we have built our reputation on creating best-selling brands that help people make the most of their work and personal lives. Cliffs Notes is a natural fit with our strategy of making learning enjoyable, accessible and affordable in both print and online formats."

Cliffs Notes currently publishes about 300 reference titles including its original Notes plus Quick Reviews of high school and college courses, Test Preparation guides, Advanced Placement guides and test preparation software. Each literary Notes study guide is written by academics who provide commentary and analysis of classic works. Among the most popular Cliffs Notes literary guides are those for The Scarlet Letter and Hamlet.