DANBURY, Conn., Sept. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Grolier Electronic Publishing, Inc. is now shipping the fastest, sleekest version ever of its market-leading flagship reference title, "The 1996 Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia(TM)," with a completely redesigned interface, more multimedia than ever before, 33,000+ articles and the ability to link into a wealth of online information. Through the integration of CompuServe(R) and Grolier, users can now jump directly from any of 12,000 specially identified articles on the disc to their related topics online. Expected street price for the encyclopedia is $49.95.

"The integration of online information is key to the functionality and value of this and future Grolier reference and entertainment titles," says David Arganbright, president of Grolier Electronic Publishing, Inc. and Matra Hachette Multimedia. "The encyclopedia's new interface, its links to CompuServe, wealth of content, and aggressive new pricing make `The 1996 Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia' a great value."

Related and Timely Articles From CompuServe and Yearbook Feature

With its CompuServe integration, this latest version marks a major functional revolution in electronic reference works since print volumes of information were first coupled with pictures and digitized onto CD-ROMs. CompuServe will provide a free month of basic service plus ten free hours as a bonus to the already rich reference work.

Windows users also receive Internet connection with CompuServe as their provider. SPRY Mosaic, CompuServe's popular Internet browser, is included on the Grolier Windows disc.

The 1996 Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia now takes users beyond the disc into the Internet. With Grolier's easy link to CompuServe Information Service (CIS), users can leap from 12,000 selected articles on the disc to a myriad of related articles on the continuously expanding CompuServe online information service for even more information and up-to-the-minute related facts. For example, while reviewing the encyclopedia's article on "golf," users may link to CompuServe for such diverse...