From: Susan Berteaux [sberteaux@maritime.edu]
Sent: Thursday, March 16, 2006 12:12 PM
To: gbenway@maritime.edu; tbrady@maritime.edu; mcampbell@maritime.edu;
cdalton@maritime.edu; jfitzpatrick@maritime.edu; bfuller@maritime.edu;
dmackey@maritime.edu; lletourneau@maritime.edu; pmodic@maritime.edu;
jmurphy@maritime.edu; jquinn@maritime.edu; tmckenzie@maritime.edu; Ani
Dasgupta; bghosh@maritime.edu; jmcdonald@maritime.edu;
mmacgregor@maritime.edu; codonnell@maritime.edu; tbushy@maritime.edu;
rcarroll@maritime.edu
Cc: Arlene Cardoza; Eleanor Shea; 'Susan Berteaux'; Wes Hanson
Subject: Database TRIAL: World Trade Ref international trade database

Kenn Kovitz, the representative from World Trade Press, contacted me on 15 March following up on an inquiry he had from a Captain Peg Branden (whom I do not know) and Thomas McKenzie about MMA access to the World Trade Ref database. This resource has high relevance for Marine Transportation, International Maritime Business and Engineering; other departments may also find some useful data.
 
I set up a trial so you can evaluate the database content:
   Go to http://www.worldtraderef.com and enter the username and password: 

            username :  wtr  
            password:  trade06  

Your feedback on the value of this database is important in making a decision to purchase a subscription to this product in FY 2006/07.  We do not have access to a database like this, at this time.  It is heavily used in the industry, but other maritime academy libraries do not subscribe to this product. Some of the content seems to be collated from other resources, but if the data is packaged in an efficient, easy-to-use product, then the value added may be worth the subscription fee. [The price he quoted for MMA would be $1,500 for 2006-07; then we can expect a 5%-8% increase per year, thereafter.] More background information from the vendor, follows, below.

--> By the end of April -- Let me know if this is an important product 
--> for
the Marine Transportation program.

-- Susan


-----Original Message-----
From: Kenn Kovitz [mailto:kkovitz@worldtradepress.com]
Sent: Wednesday, March 15, 2006 3:38 PM
To: Sberteaux@maritime.edu
Subject: World Trade Ref international trade database information- Follow up on phone conversation

Dear Ms. Berteaux:

Thank you for taking the time to talk with me today about World Trade Press and its very comprehensive international trade database product, which we call "World Trade Ref" (short for World Trade Reference). I appreciate your willingness to pass the information below on to your Marine Transportation Department, and your willingness to consider this product as a potential student and staff resource.

As promised, I have attached a pdf brochure about this product for your review and to provide a bit of background to instructors at the Academy.
However, as I mentioned, this product is updated so often that even this recent brochure does not reflect all the latest additions to the product.

As for the additions that have been made to the database since the brochure was created, here are some of the highlights:

1. Under the category of "Air Transport," we have added extremely detailed information regarding every major international airport in the world.

2. Under the category of "Country Data," we have added summary demographic data and population pyramids for 227 countries and advanced demographic data for 227 countries.

3. We have added sections covering export tariff codes, country and regional tariff information, and U.S. international trade statistics.

If you would like to take a look at the database, or want to check out these new features, just go to http://www.worldtraderef.com and enter the username "wtr" and the password "trade06."  I would particularly commend to you the sections entitled "Ocean Transport," "Basics of International Trade," and "Documents," but I think that you will find a substantial amount of other material in this database that will be of use to your students and staff.

As a further FYI, the next planned addition to the database is a comprehensive section on sourcing, including outsourcing....which will most likely be added to the database in the next few months.

For further information about World Trade Press and the array of book, e-content and map products that we offer, please visit our website at http://www.worldtradepress.com.

Please let me know if you have any questions at all or if anything is unclear. Otherwise, I will most likely be back in touch with you in a couple of weeks to see if you have an interest in setting up campus-wide access.

Best regards,

--Kenn

Kenn Kovitz, J.D.
V.P. Corporate Sales
World Trade Press
Books, E-Content & Maps for International Trade 1450 Grant Avenue, Suite 204 Novato, CA 94945
(415) 898-1124, Ext. 201
http://www.worldtradepress.com
e-mail: Kkovitz@worldtradepress.com