{{short description|Former online archive}}
{{redirect|Highbeam|other uses|High beam (disambiguation)}}
{{CS1 config|mode=cs1}}<!--any future usage of {{Citation}} will display with CS1 formatting-->
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2025}}
{{Infobox website
| name                 = HighBeam Research
| logo                 = Logo of HighBeam Research.png
| logocaption          = HighBeam Research logo used in February 2004
| url                  = {{URL|https://web.archive.org/web/20160328080928/http://www.highbeam.com/|highbeam.com}}
| content_license      = Copyright<br />All rights reserved
| owner                = [[Gale (publisher)|Gale]] ([[Cengage]])
| launch_date          = {{start date and age|2002|8}}
| current_status       = Defunct
}}

'''HighBeam Research''' was a paid [[search engine]] and full text online archive owned by [[Gale (publisher)|Gale]], a subsidiary of [[Cengage]], for thousands of [[newspaper]]s, [[magazine]]s, [[academic journal]]s, newswires, [[trade magazine]]s, and [[encyclopedia]]s in English.<ref>{{cite web|title=Publications by category|url=http://www.highbeam.com/publications|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110427143938/http://www.highbeam.com/publications|url-status=usurped|archive-date=April 27, 2011|publisher=Cengage Learning|via=[[HighBeam Research]]|url-access=subscription|access-date=July 14, 2014}}</ref> It was headquartered in [[Chicago]], Illinois.<ref>{{cite web |title=Contact Us |access-date=September 24, 2012 |url=http://www.highbeam.com/contact-us |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110728110147/http://www.highbeam.com/contact-us |archive-date=July 28, 2011 |via=HighBeam Research |url-access=subscription |url-status=usurped |quote=HighBeam Research c/o Cengage Learning 1 North State Street Suite 900 Chicago, IL 60602 USA}}</ref> In late 2018, the archive was shut down.

== History ==
The company was established in August 2002 after [[Patrick Spain]], who had just sold [[Hoover's]], which he had co-founded, bought [[eLibrary]] and [[Encyclopedia.com]] from [[Tucows]]. The new company was called Alacritude, LLC (a combination of Alacrity and Attitude). ELibrary had a library of 1,200 newspaper, magazine and radio/TV transcript archives that were generally not freely available.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.highbeam.com/about-us|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110728110114/http://www.highbeam.com/about-us|url-status=usurped|archive-date=July 28, 2011|title=About Us|via=HighBeam Research|url-access=subscription|access-date=March 23, 2012}}</ref> Original investors included Prism Opportunity Fund of Chicago and 1 to 1 Ventures of [[Stamford, Connecticut]]. Spain stated, "There was a glaring gap between free search like [[Google]] and high-end offerings like [[LexisNexis]] and [[Factiva]]."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.internetnews.com/fina-news/article.php/3315981|title=Q&A: Patrick Spain, Founder HighBeam|work=[[InterNetNews]]|date=February 20, 2004|access-date=October 6, 2012|archive-date=April 6, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120406085111/http://www.internetnews.com/fina-news/article.php/3315981|url-status=live}}</ref>

Later in 2002, it bought Researchville.com. By 2003, it had increased its archive base to articles from 2,600 publishers. In 2004, it was renamed HighBeam Research. In 2005, it increased its publisher base to 3,500 publishers. In 2006, [[Oxford University Press]], [[Knight Ridder]] and ''[[The Washington Post]]'' archives were added. In 2008, it was purchased by [[Gale (publisher)|Gale]], a subsidiary of [[Cengage]].<ref>{{cite web|author=Gwen|url=http://www.websearchguide.ca/netblog/archives/008099.html|title=Gale Acquired HighBeam Research|work=Web search guide|date=December 16, 2008|access-date=December 4, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120305194620/http://www.websearchguide.ca/netblog/archives/008099.html|archive-date=March 5, 2012}}</ref> Highbeam featured many articles by the UK based [[Trinity Mirror]] Group.

Highbeam Research shut down in late 2018 after 16 years. When they did so, all of their content was added to [[Questia]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://veintipico.com/highbeam-research-history-features-pros-cons/ | title=Highbeam Research: History, Features, Pros, Cons – Veintipico | date=24 August 2023 | access-date=November 7, 2023 | archive-date=November 7, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231107101310/https://veintipico.com/highbeam-research-history-features-pros-cons/ | url-status=dead }}</ref> Questia itself was permanently shut down on December 21, 2020. The vast majority of that content is still accessible through Gale's institutional databases (such as [[Gale Academic OneFile]] or [[Gale Primary Sources]]).

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite journal |author=B. B. |date=March 2006 |title=In the Spotlight |volume=23 |issue=3 |page=42 |journal=Information Today}}
* {{cite book |last=Dochartaigh |first=Niall O. |title=Internet Research Skills: How To Do Your Literature Search and Find Research Information Online |date=February 15, 2007 |publisher=SAGE |isbn=978-1-4462-0399-6 |page=54 |language=en |chapter=Other article databases |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sud2w4OgbzwC&dq=%2522HighBeam%2522+research+-finance&pg=PA54}}
* {{cite news |last=Goldsborough |first=Reid |year=2004 |title=HighBeam, can help research that requires verified info |work=[[New Orleans CityBusiness]] |pages=18–19 |volume=24 |issue=42}}
* {{cite magazine |last=Goldsborough |first=Reid |date=June–July 2004 |title=When it pays to pay for research |url=https://www.theeduledger.com/home/article/15079950/when-it-pays-to-pay-for-research |magazine=Reading Today |volume=21 |issue=6}}
* {{cite magazine |last=Good |first=Chris |date=October 25, 2011 |title=Chart of the Day: The Media Loves Michelle Obama |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2011/10/chart-of-the-day-the-media-loves-michelle-obama/247344/ |access-date=2025-10-12 |magazine=[[The Atlantic]] |language=en}}
* {{cite journal |date=1 October 2004 |title=HighBeam Adds Archive Access |volume=129 |issue=16 |page=28 |journal=Library Journal}}
* {{cite press release |title=HighBeam Research Holds Virtual Open House: Offers Free Research Articles Online to Celebrate Redesigned Website |date=December 5, 2011 |publisher=Cengage Learning |location=Chicago |url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/highbeam-research-holds-virtual-open-house-offers-free-research-articles-online-to-celebrate-redesigned-website-135036598.html |agency=PR Newswire}}
* {{cite magazine |last=Misek |first=Marla |date=January–February 2004 |title=HighBeam Research: Going Beyond Googleing |magazine=[[EContent]] |pages=44–45 |volume=27 |issue=1/2}}
* {{cite news |last=Singh |first=Shruti Daté |date=28 November 2005 |title=HighBeam sells itself with more free content |work=[[Crain's Chicago Business]] |page=18 |volume=28 |issue=48}}

== External links ==

* {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020724042747/http://www.alacritude.com/ |date=July 24, 2002 |title=Alacritude }}
* {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100124015859/http://business.highbeam.com/ |date=|title=HighBeam Business }}
{{Cengage}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:HighBeam Research}}
[[Category:American companies established in 2002]]
[[Category:2018 disestablishments in the United States]]
[[Category:Cengage]]
[[Category:Companies based in Chicago]]
[[Category:Online mass media companies of the United States]]
[[Category:Defunct internet search engines]]
[[Category:Online archives of the United States]]
[[Category:Mass media companies established in 2002]]
[[Category:Internet properties established in 2002]]
[[Category:Mass media companies disestablished in 2018]]
[[Category:Internet properties disestablished in 2018]]
[[Category:2008 mergers and acquisitions]]