The online industry has a complex genealogy which results from a series of mergers and take-overs from the mid-80s onwards. There is a belief that we have now entered a period of consolidation, yet each month the trade press carries stories of new alliances and acquisitions. Even on the rare occasions when this is not the case, information professionals to whom online matters are important speculate on who might soon link up with whom, and consider any possible consequences. At Online 95 a paper was presented on the theme of mergers and acquisitions in the online industry with particular reference to concerns voiced by those who purchase them (Hall and Butler, 1995). This article summarises trade press coverage of the important acquisitions and alliances since the completion of the paper mentioned above and addresses issues current of concern to the online industry and its supporters.

Hall, H. & Butler, A. (1995). The wave of mergers and acquisitions in the online industry and impacts on information services provision. In Raitt, D. (Ed.), Proceedings of the 19th International Online Meeting, Learned Information: London.