CONTACT:
Stephanie Benes, StartSpot Mediaworks, Inc.
(303) 433-5216

LibrarySpot.com Named Best Reference Web Site in Forbes' Best of the Web Guide
BookSpot.com also Selected for Best of the Web Honor

EVANSTON, IL (February 23, 2000) - LibrarySpot.com (http://www.libraryspot.com), the award-winning vertical information portal of the best library and reference resources on the Web, was one of 33 Web sites selected by Forbes magazine as a "Forbes Favorite" Web site in the publication's new Best of The Web guide. In the venerable company of sites such as ESPN.com, CNET.com and Yahoo Finance, LibrarySpot.com was selected as the "best of the best" in the reference category.

BookSpot.com (http://www.bookspot.com), LibrarySpot.com's sister site, was also selected for the Best of the Web guide in the Books category. BookSpot.com was reviewed alongside Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com and three other book sites.

The Forbes' Best of The Web guide evaluated more than 5,000 sites on five criteria: design, navigation, content, speed, and customization. Out of 1,200 sites selected for the online guide (http://www.forbesbest.com), only 260 sites were featured in the print guide and 33 were designated as "Forbes Favorites."

"We're honored to have two 'spots' in our growing network of vertical information portals selected by Forbes for this highly regarded Best of the Web guide," said Lauren Zollinger, managing editor of the StartSpot.com Network. "With the proliferation of content on the Web, selecting the best sites has become a challenging task. Forbes did an outstanding job of lifting the most useful gems to the surface, and we're proud to be listed among them."

About LibrarySpot.com

LibrarySpot.com is an award-winning 24-hour virtual library resource center for educators and students, librarians and their patrons, families, businesses and just about anyone exploring the Web for valuable research information. LibrarySpot.com simplifies the search for top-notch reference tools, periodicals and online texts, library information, encyclopedias and much more.

About BookSpot.com

BookSpot.com is one of the leading book information portals on the Internet. This free resource breaks through the information overload to bring the top book-related sites together with insightful editorial in one convenient, user-friendly spot. BookSpot.com simplifies the search for the best online texts, book reviews, reading lists, author and publisher information, book stores, book news, events and more.

About StartSpot Mediaworks

Published by StartSpot Mediaworks, Inc. (http://www.startspot.com), the StartSpot.com Network is a growing network of award-winning vertical information portals designed to make finding the best topical information on the Internet a quick, easy and enjoyable experience. Headquartered in the Northwestern University/Evanston Research Park in Evanston, Ill., StartSpot Mediaworks, Inc. strives to create exemplary, high-utility Web resources that also engage, enlighten and inspire.

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For press information, please contact Stephanie Benes at (303) 433-5216. For all other information about StartSpot.com, visit us on the Web at http://www.startspot.com or call (847) 866-1830.