Britannica Down Under!
Chicago-based Universal Images Group (UIG) is using lookat.me™ to provide over two million images to the Encyclopaedia Britannica Image Quest service.
Using lookat.me™, UIG was able to upload and process over one million images in one month, at up to 200,000 images per day. The lookat.me™ system then processed these by automating both the embedding of metadata and distribution of files containing tens of thousands of images at a time, together with the preparation of separate metadata files for all the images in the file.
The efficiency of the lookat.me™ system, coupled with the image sourcing expertise of UIG, allowed Encyclopaedia Britannica to bring forward the European launch by three months. Image Quest will now be launched in Europe at the Frankfurt Book Fair next week, instead of January next year!
George Sinclair, President of UIG said: “lookat.me™ handled our two million images at a stunning speed. Uploading terabytes of files, embedding metadata, then managing the packaging and electronic distribution of tens of thousands of images at a time. We couldn’t have met our deadline any other way. I can’t wait to start our video and footage distribution through lookat.me™. It’s just phenomenal.”
Working under Britannica’s editorial direction, UIG is using lookat.me™ to source, select, edit, aggregate and reprocess images from multiple image suppliers to create an educational image library that provides safe and fast access to the highest quality images on all topics for all ages.
A media release from UIG quoted Michael Ross, Senior Vice President of Encyclopaedia Britannica: “UIG has provided us with a unique library of content which is extensive in its coverage of subject matter. Schools, colleges, universities and public libraries can access this content online as an educational reference tool as part of our online subscription services. We were delighted that UIG is able to deliver the library on time, thus enabling us to meet our planned launch date.”
Universal Images Group (UIG) is the distribution business unit of the Virtual Picture Desk (VPD), a Chicago-based image specialist company. The Encyclopaedia Britannica Image Quest subscription service was launched in September in the US market.