2/9/2004 -- LA VERGNE, TN. Ingram Book Group today unveiled pubsource – a new ipage enhancement providing booksellers the capability to check availability and purchase book products directly from three participating publishers.

This unique arrangement makes Ingram's ipage the single source for book product from Ingram, Random House, Inc., Holtzbrinck, and HarperCollins Publishers by giving booksellers a familiar, convenient online resource for finding prices, terms, and stock availability.

"Since its first release in 1998, retailers have come to rely on ipage as their preferred product information and ordering tool," says Jim Chandler, Chief Commercial Officer of Ingram Book Group. "By extending the reach of ipage to include transactions with three of the largest trade publishers, ipage becomes one of the most powerful and versatile tools available to booksellers."

When a bookseller places an order to a publisher through pubsource, the order is sent directly from Ingram to the publisher for fulfillment. Though Ingram ships tens-of-thousands of books every day, it is not involved in the pricing, terms, delivery, or customer service associated with orders made through pubsource. pubsource facilitates easy ordering; all other components of the sale are handled exclusively by the participating publishers.

Publishers benefit because pubsource's new functionality provides the best, most cost-effective method of receiving orders from their independent retail customers.

"We are excited about partnering with publishers to make product purchases more convenient and cost-effective for booksellers," Chandler says. "ipage has shown us that technological innovations can serve to promote the industry at large and generate additional revenues across the board."

About Ingram Book Group

Ingram Book Group is a leading wholesaler of trade books, spoken audio, and magazines. Through its OneSource partnerships, Ingram also distributes music, DVD, video, Spanish language, and medical reference titles, and used and out-of-print books. Ingram and its partners provide immediate delivery of over 1 million titles. Ingram's operating units include Ingram Book Company, Ingram Periodicals Inc., Ingram International Inc., Ingram Library Services Inc., Spring Arbor Distributors Inc., Tennessee Book Company, Ingram Fulfillment Services Inc. and Ingram Customers Systems Inc.