Big news this morning.  See various sources, all essentially saying
the same thing.

Any insights about what this can mean for libraries?  for competing
publishers?  Seems like a culture clash.

Ann


******

Springer release:
http://www.springer.com/gp/about-springer/media/press-releases/corporate/holtzbrinck-publishing-group-and-bc-partners-announce-agreement-to-merge-majority-of-macmillan-science-and-education-with-springer-science-business-media/43672

Macmillan release:
http://se.macmillan.com/Media/News/HOLTZBRINCK-PUBLISHING-GROUP-AND-BC-PARTNERS-ANNOUNCE--AGREEMENT-TO-MERGE-MAJORITY-OF-MACMILLAN-SCIENCE-AND-EDUCATION--WITH-SPRINGER-SCIENCE-BUSINESS-MEDIA/?taxId=145

A German library colleague (Dr. Bernard Mittemaier) writes:

http://www.faz.net/aktuell/wirtschaft/unternehmen/fusionierte-springer-science-und-holtzbrinck-will-an-die-boerse-13371738.html

"says that the junior co-owner BC Partners (currently owner of
Springer) intends to exit the new company in 3 or 4 years, most
probably by going public (German medium-sized stock index MDAX)."

Lots of short reports in news media, for example:

http://www.researchinformation.info/news/news_story.php?news_id=1816

http://news.yahoo.com/nature-magazine-publisher-merge-springer-science-110236097--sector.html

http://www.standard.co.uk/business/business-news/science-and-education-publishers-springer-and-macmillan-to-merge-9979611.html