<PAGE>


   As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 14, 1998

                                                      Registration No. 333-_____
================================================================================

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                        UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                            INFORMATION HOLDINGS INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

         Delaware                                 06-1518007
(State or other jurisdiction                   (I.R.S. Employer
of incorporation or organization)            Identification Number)

                           23 Old Kings Highway South
                            Darien, Connecticut 06820
                                 (203) 662-4203

 (Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, 
                        of principal executive offices)

                      -----------------------------------
                Information Holdings Inc. 1998 Stock Option Plan
                            (Full title of the plan)
                      -----------------------------------

                                 Mason P. Slaine
                      President and Chief Executive Officer
                            Information Holdings Inc.
                           23 Old Kings Highway South
                            Darien, Connecticut 06820
                                 (203) 662-4203

 (Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area 
                          code, of agent for service)

                    ---------------------------------------
                                    Copies to
                                Steven J. Gartner
                            Willkie Farr & Gallagher
                               787 Seventh Avenue
                               New York, NY 10019
                                 (212) 728-8000
                    ---------------------------------------

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

==================================================================================================================

                                                   Proposed maximum        Proposed maximum
 Title of securities        Amount to be          offering price per      aggregate offering         Amount of
   to be registered          registered               share (1)               price (1)          registration fee
====================================================================================================================
<S>                            <C>                      <C>                  <C>                      <C>  
Common Stock, par
value $0.01 per share          866,886                  $12.00               $10,402,632              $3,069

====================================================================================================================

</TABLE>

   (1) Estimated  solely for  calculating  the amount of the  registration  fee,
       pursuant  to Rule  457(h)  under the  Securities  Act of 1933,  as 
       amended  (the "Securities Act").


<PAGE>


                                     PART II

                           INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE

                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3.  INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

         The  following  documents,  filed  with  the  Securities  and  Exchange
Commission  (the   "Commission")  by  Information   Holdings  Inc.,  a  Delaware
corporation  (the "Company") are incorporated by reference into the Registration
Statement:

         (a) the Company's  Prospectus,  dated August 6, 1998, filed pursuant to
the Securities Act on August 7, 1998.

         (b)  the   description  of  the  Company's   Common  Stock,   which  is
incorporated by reference into the Company's Registration Statement on Form 8-A,
filed pursuant to the Exchange Act on August 4, 1998.

         In addition,  all  documents  filed by the Company with the  Commission
pursuant to Sections  13(a),  13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent
to the  date  of the  Registration  Statement  and  prior  to  the  filing  of a
post-effective  amendment which indicates that all the securities offered hereby
have been sold or which  deregisters all securities then remaining  unsold shall
be deemed to be  incorporated  herein by reference  and to be a part hereof from
the date of the filing of such documents with the Commission.

Item 4.  DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

         Inapplicable

Item 5.  INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL

         Inapplicable

Item 6.  INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS

         Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law empowers a Delaware
corporation to indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be
made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding,
whether civil,  criminal,  administrative or investigative (other than an action
by or in the right of such  corporation)  by reason of the fact that such person
is or was a director,  officer, employee or agent of such corporation,  or is or
was serving at the request of such corporation as a director,  officer, employee
or agent of another corporation or enterprise.  A corporation may indemnify such
person  against  expenses  (including  attorneys'  fees),  judgments,  fines and
amounts paid in settlement  actually and  reasonably  incurred by such person in
connection with such action, suit or

<PAGE>


         
proceeding if he acted in good faith and in a manner  reasonably  believed to be
in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to
any  criminal  action or  proceeding,  has no  reasonable  cause to believe  his
conduct was unlawful.  A corporation may, in advance of the final disposition of
any civil, criminal, administrative or investigative action, suit or proceeding,
pay the expenses (including attorneys' fees) incurred by any officer or director
in defending  such action,  provided  that the director or officer  undertake to
repay such amount if it shall  ultimately be determined  that he is not entitled
to be indemnified by the corporation.

         A Delaware  corporation  may  indemnify  officers  and  directors in an
action by or in the right of the  corporation to procure a judgment in its favor
under the same conditions,  except that no  indemnification is permitted without
judicial  approval  if the  officer or  director is adjudged to be liable to the
corporation.  Where an  officer  or  director  is  successful  on the  merits or
otherwise in the defense of any action referred to above,  the corporation  must
indemnify him against the expenses (including attorneys' fees) which he actually
or reasonably incurred in connection therewith.  The indemnification provided is
not deemed to be  exclusive  of any other rights to which an officer or director
may be entitled under any corporation's bylaw, agreement, vote or otherwise.

         The Company has adopted  provisions in its Bylaws that provide that the
Company  shall  indemnify  its  officers  and  directors  to the maximum  extent
permitted under the Delaware General Corporation Law.

         In  addition,  the  Purchase  Agreement  filed  as  Exhibit  1.1 to the
Registration Statement provides for indemnification of the Company, its officers
and its directors by the Underwriters under certain circumstances.

         The  Company's  officers  and  directors  are also  covered  under  the
Company's directors' and officers' insurance policy.

Item 7.  EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED

         Inapplicable

Item 8.  EXHIBITS

Exhibit No.

4.1(a)         Certificate of Incorporation of the Company.

4.2(b)         Bylaws of the Company.

4.3(c)         Specimen Common Stock certificate.

5              Opinion of Willkie Farr & Gallagher.

<PAGE>


23.1           Consent of Ernst & Young LLP (CRC Press, Inc.).

23.2           Consent of Ernst & Young LLP (Information Holdings LLC).

23.3           Consent of Ernst & Young LLP (Micropatent).

23.4           Consent of Robert A. Young, CPA (St. Lucie Press).

23.5           Consent of Willkie Farr & Gallagher (included in Exhibit 5).

24             Power of Attorney (included on the signature page).

-----------------

(a)            Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Company's 
               Registration Statement on Form S-1 (Registration No. 333-56665).

(b)            Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 to the Company's 
               Registration Statement on Form S-1 (Registration No. 333-56665).

(c)            Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Company's 
               Registration Statement on Form S-1 (Registration No. 333-56665).

Item 9.  UNDERTAKINGS

         1.       The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

                  (a) To file,  during any  period in which  offers or sales are
                      being made, a post-effective amendment to the Registration
                      Statement:

                           (i)     to include any prospectus required by 
                                   Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act;

                          (ii)     to reflect in the  prospectus any facts
                                   or events  arising after the effective  date
                                   of the  Registration  Statement (or the most
                                   recent  post-effective   amendment  thereof)
                                   which,  individually  or in  the  aggregate,
                                   represent  a   fundamental   change  in  the
                                   information  set  forth in the  Registration
                                   Statement;

                          (iii)    to include  any  material  information
                                   with respect to the plan of distribution not
                                   previously  disclosed  in  the  Registration
                                   Statement  or any  material  change  to such
                                   information in the Registration Statement;



<PAGE>


provided,  however,  that  paragraphs  (a)(i)  and  (a)(ii)  do not apply if the
information  required  to be  included in a  post-effective  amendment  by those
paragraphs  is contained in periodic  reports  filed by the Company  pursuant to
Section  13 or  Section  15(d) of the  Exchange  Act that  are  incorporated  by
reference in the Registration Statement.

                  (b) That, for the purpose of determining  any liability  under
the Securities Act, each such  post-effective  amendment shall be deemed to be a
new registration  statement relating to the securities offered therein,  and the
offering of such  securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

                  (c) To remove from  registration by means of a  post-effective
amendment  any of the  securities  being  registered  which remain unsold at the
termination of the offering.

         2. The undersigned  registrant  hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the Company's
annual  report  pursuant to Section  13(a) or Section  15(d) of the Exchange Act
that is incorporated by reference in the Registration  Statement shall be deemed
to be a new registration  statement  relating to the securities offered therein,
and the  offering  of such  securities  at that  time  shall be deemed to be the
initial bona fide offering thereof.

         3.  Insofar  as  indemnification  for  liabilities  arising  under  the
Securities Act may be permitted to directors,  officers and controlling  persons
of the Company pursuant to the foregoing provisions,  or otherwise,  the Company
has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such  indemnification  is
against  public  policy as expressed in the  Securities  Act and is,  therefore,
unenforceable.  In the  event  that a claim  for  indemnification  against  such
liabilities  (other than the payment by the Company of expenses incurred or paid
by a director,  officer or  controlling  person of the Company in the successful
defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer
or controlling  person in connection with the securities being  registered,  the
Company  will,  unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled
by  controlling  precedent,  submit to a court of appropriate  jurisdiction  the
question  whether  such  indemnification  by  it is  against  public  policy  as
expressed in the Securities  Act and will be governed by the final  adjudication
of such issue.



<PAGE>




                                   SIGNATURES



         Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Act  of  1933,  the
Registrant  has duly  caused  this  Registration  Statement  to be signed on its
behalf by the undersigned,  thereunto duly authorized,  in New York, New York on
September 11, 1998.



                                                    INFORMATION HOLDINGS INC.



                                                     By: /s/ Mason P. Slaine
                                                         Mason P. Slaine
                                                         President and
                                                         Chief Executive Officer


<PAGE>




                                Power of Attorney



         KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS,  that each  individual  whose signature
appears  below  constitutes  and appoints each of Mason P. Slaine and Vincent A.
Chippari,  as  his  true  and  lawful   attorneys-in-fact  and  agents  for  the
undersigned,  with full power of  substitution,  for and in the name,  place and
stead of the  undersigned  to sign and file  with the  Securities  and  Exchange
Commission  under  the  Securities  Act of  1933,  as  amended,  (i) any and all
pre-effective and post-effective amendments to this registration statement, (ii)
any  registration  statement  relating to this  offering that is to be effective
upon  filing  pursuant  to Rule  462(b)  under the  Securities  Act of 1933,  as
amended,  (iii) any exhibits to any such registration statement or pre-effective
or post-effective amendments,  (iv) any and all applications and other documents
in  connection  with  any  such  registration   statement  or  pre-effective  or
post-effective  amendments,  and  generally to do all things and perform any and
all acts and things  whatsoever  requisite  and necessary or desirable to enable
Information Holdings Inc. to comply with the provisions of the Securities Act of
1933,  as  amended,   and  all  requirements  of  the  Securities  and  Exchange
Commission.

     Pursuant  to  the   requirements  of  the  Securities  Act  of  1933,  this
Registration  Statement  has  been  signed  by  the  following  persons  in  the
capacities and on the dates indicated.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>


Signature                                     Title                                    Date

<S>                                           <C>                                      <C> 
                                              President, Chief Executive Officer and   September 11, 1998
/s/ Mason P. Slaine                           Director (Principal Executive Officer)
Mason P. Slaine
                                              Executive Vice President and Chief       September 11, 1998
/s/ Vincent A. Chippari                       Financial Officer (Principal
Vincent A. Chippari                           Accounting Officer and Principal
                                              Financial  Officer)
                                                                                       
/s/ Michael E. Danziger 
Michael E. Danziger                           Director                                 September 11, 1998

/s/ David R. Haas                             Director                                 September 2, 1998
David R. Haas

                                              Director                                 September 11, 1998
/s/ Sidney Lapidus
Sidney Lapidus
                                              Director                                 September 11, 1998
/s/ David E. Libowitz
David E. Libowitz
</TABLE>




<PAGE>




                                INDEX TO EXHIBITS



Exhibit No.             Description of Exhibit
----------              ----------------------

5              Opinion of Willkie Farr & Gallagher.

23.1           Consent of Ernst & Young LLP (CRC Press, Inc.).

23.2           Consent of Ernst & Young LLP (Information Ventures LLC).

23.3           Consent of Ernst & Young LLP (Micropatent).

23.4           Consent of Robert A. Young, CPA (St. Lucie Press).

23.5           Consent of Willkie Farr & Gallagher (included in Exhibit 5).

24             Power of Attorney (included on the signature page).
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "description": "REGISTRATION STATEMENT", "secsgml_size_bytes": 17414}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "INFORMATION HOLDINGS INC", "cik": "0001063744", "assigned-sic": "2731", "irs-number": "061518007", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-63325", "film-number": "98708778"}, "business-address": {"street1": "250 DODGE AVE", "city": "EAST HAVEN", "state": "CT", "zip": "06512", "phone": "2034665055"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "250 DODGE AVE", "city": "EAST HAVEN", "state": "CT", "zip": "06512"}}
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 14, 1998

                                                      Registration No. 333-_____
================================================================================

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                        UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                            INFORMATION HOLDINGS INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

         Delaware                                 06-1518007
(State or other jurisdiction                   (I.R.S. Employer
of incorporation or organization)            Identification Number)

                           23 Old Kings Highway South
                            Darien, Connecticut 06820
                                 (203) 662-4203

 (Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, 
                        of principal executive offices)

                      -----------------------------------
                Information Holdings Inc. 1998 Stock Option Plan
                            (Full title of the plan)
                      -----------------------------------

                                 Mason P. Slaine
                      President and Chief Executive Officer
                            Information Holdings Inc.
                           23 Old Kings Highway South
                            Darien, Connecticut 06820
                                 (203) 662-4203

 (Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area 
                          code, of agent for service)

                    ---------------------------------------
                                    Copies to
                                Steven J. Gartner
                            Willkie Farr & Gallagher
                               787 Seventh Avenue
                               New York, NY 10019
                                 (212) 728-8000
                    ---------------------------------------
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

==================================================================================================================

                                                   Proposed maximum        Proposed maximum
 Title of securities        Amount to be          offering price per      aggregate offering         Amount of
   to be registered          registered               share (1)               price (1)          registration fee
====================================================================================================================
Common Stock, par
value $0.01 per share          866,886                  $12.00               $10,402,632              $3,069

====================================================================================================================
(1) Estimated  solely for  calculating  the amount of the  registration  fee,
       pursuant  to Rule  457(h)  under the  Securities  Act of 1933,  as 
       amended  (the "Securities Act").
PART II

                           INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE

                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3.  INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

         The  following  documents,  filed  with  the  Securities  and  Exchange
Commission  (the   "Commission")  by  Information   Holdings  Inc.,  a  Delaware
corporation  (the "Company") are incorporated by reference into the Registration
Statement:

         (a) the Company's  Prospectus,  dated August 6, 1998, filed pursuant to
the Securities Act on August 7, 1998.

         (b)  the   description  of  the  Company's   Common  Stock,   which  is
incorporated by reference into the Company's Registration Statement on Form 8-A,
filed pursuant to the Exchange Act on August 4, 1998.

         In addition,  all  documents  filed by the Company with the  Commission
pursuant to Sections  13(a),  13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent
to the  date  of the  Registration  Statement  and  prior  to  the  filing  of a
post-effective  amendment which indicates that all the securities offered hereby
have been sold or which  deregisters all securities then remaining  unsold shall
be deemed to be  incorporated  herein by reference  and to be a part hereof from
the date of the filing of such documents with the Commission.

Item 4.  DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

         Inapplicable

Item 5.  INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL

         Inapplicable

Item 6.  INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS

         Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law empowers a Delaware
corporation to indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be
made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding,
whether civil,  criminal,  administrative or investigative (other than an action
by or in the right of such  corporation)  by reason of the fact that such person
is or was a director,  officer, employee or agent of such corporation,  or is or
was serving at the request of such corporation as a director,  officer, employee
or agent of another corporation or enterprise.  A corporation may indemnify such
person  against  expenses  (including  attorneys'  fees),  judgments,  fines and
amounts paid in settlement  actually and  reasonably  incurred by such person in
connection with such action, suit or
proceeding if he acted in good faith and in a manner  reasonably  believed to be
in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to
any  criminal  action or  proceeding,  has no  reasonable  cause to believe  his
conduct was unlawful.  A corporation may, in advance of the final disposition of
any civil, criminal, administrative or investigative action, suit or proceeding,
pay the expenses (including attorneys' fees) incurred by any officer or director
in defending  such action,  provided  that the director or officer  undertake to
repay such amount if it shall  ultimately be determined  that he is not entitled
to be indemnified by the corporation.

         A Delaware  corporation  may  indemnify  officers  and  directors in an
action by or in the right of the  corporation to procure a judgment in its favor
under the same conditions,  except that no  indemnification is permitted without
judicial  approval  if the  officer or  director is adjudged to be liable to the
corporation.  Where an  officer  or  director  is  successful  on the  merits or
otherwise in the defense of any action referred to above,  the corporation  must
indemnify him against the expenses (including attorneys' fees) which he actually
or reasonably incurred in connection therewith.  The indemnification provided is
not deemed to be  exclusive  of any other rights to which an officer or director
may be entitled under any corporation's bylaw, agreement, vote or otherwise.

         The Company has adopted  provisions in its Bylaws that provide that the
Company  shall  indemnify  its  officers  and  directors  to the maximum  extent
permitted under the Delaware General Corporation Law.

         In  addition,  the  Purchase  Agreement  filed  as  Exhibit  1.1 to the
Registration Statement provides for indemnification of the Company, its officers
and its directors by the Underwriters under certain circumstances.

         The  Company's  officers  and  directors  are also  covered  under  the
Company's directors' and officers' insurance policy.

Item 7.  EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED

         Inapplicable

Item 8.  EXHIBITS

Exhibit No.

4.1(a)         Certificate of Incorporation of the Company.

4.2(b)         Bylaws of the Company.

4.3(c)         Specimen Common Stock certificate.

5              Opinion of Willkie Farr & Gallagher.
23.1           Consent of Ernst & Young LLP (CRC Press, Inc.).

23.2           Consent of Ernst & Young LLP (Information Holdings LLC).

23.3           Consent of Ernst & Young LLP (Micropatent).

23.4           Consent of Robert A. Young, CPA (St. Lucie Press).

23.5           Consent of Willkie Farr & Gallagher (included in Exhibit 5).

24             Power of Attorney (included on the signature page).

-----------------

(a)            Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Company's 
               Registration Statement on Form S-1 (Registration No. 333-56665).

(b)            Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 to the Company's 
               Registration Statement on Form S-1 (Registration No. 333-56665).

(c)            Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Company's 
               Registration Statement on Form S-1 (Registration No. 333-56665).

Item 9.  UNDERTAKINGS

         1.       The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

                  (a) To file,  during any  period in which  offers or sales are
                      being made, a post-effective amendment to the Registration
                      Statement:

                           (i)     to include any prospectus required by 
                                   Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act;

                          (ii)     to reflect in the  prospectus any facts
                                   or events  arising after the effective  date
                                   of the  Registration  Statement (or the most
                                   recent  post-effective   amendment  thereof)
                                   which,  individually  or in  the  aggregate,
                                   represent  a   fundamental   change  in  the
                                   information  set  forth in the  Registration
                                   Statement;

                          (iii)    to include  any  material  information
                                   with respect to the plan of distribution not
                                   previously  disclosed  in  the  Registration
                                   Statement  or any  material  change  to such
                                   information in the Registration Statement;
provided,  however,  that  paragraphs  (a)(i)  and  (a)(ii)  do not apply if the
information  required  to be  included in a  post-effective  amendment  by those
paragraphs  is contained in periodic  reports  filed by the Company  pursuant to
Section  13 or  Section  15(d) of the  Exchange  Act that  are  incorporated  by
reference in the Registration Statement.

                  (b) That, for the purpose of determining  any liability  under
the Securities Act, each such  post-effective  amendment shall be deemed to be a
new registration  statement relating to the securities offered therein,  and the
offering of such  securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

                  (c) To remove from  registration by means of a  post-effective
amendment  any of the  securities  being  registered  which remain unsold at the
termination of the offering.

         2. The undersigned  registrant  hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the Company's
annual  report  pursuant to Section  13(a) or Section  15(d) of the Exchange Act
that is incorporated by reference in the Registration  Statement shall be deemed
to be a new registration  statement  relating to the securities offered therein,
and the  offering  of such  securities  at that  time  shall be deemed to be the
initial bona fide offering thereof.

         3.  Insofar  as  indemnification  for  liabilities  arising  under  the
Securities Act may be permitted to directors,  officers and controlling  persons
of the Company pursuant to the foregoing provisions,  or otherwise,  the Company
has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such  indemnification  is
against  public  policy as expressed in the  Securities  Act and is,  therefore,
unenforceable.  In the  event  that a claim  for  indemnification  against  such
liabilities  (other than the payment by the Company of expenses incurred or paid
by a director,  officer or  controlling  person of the Company in the successful
defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer
or controlling  person in connection with the securities being  registered,  the
Company  will,  unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled
by  controlling  precedent,  submit to a court of appropriate  jurisdiction  the
question  whether  such  indemnification  by  it is  against  public  policy  as
expressed in the Securities  Act and will be governed by the final  adjudication
of such issue.
SIGNATURES

         Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Act  of  1933,  the
Registrant  has duly  caused  this  Registration  Statement  to be signed on its
behalf by the undersigned,  thereunto duly authorized,  in New York, New York on
September 11, 1998.

                                                    INFORMATION HOLDINGS INC.

                                                     By: /s/ Mason P. Slaine
                                                         Mason P. Slaine
                                                         President and
                                                         Chief Executive Officer
Power of Attorney

         KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS,  that each  individual  whose signature
appears  below  constitutes  and appoints each of Mason P. Slaine and Vincent A.
Chippari,  as  his  true  and  lawful   attorneys-in-fact  and  agents  for  the
undersigned,  with full power of  substitution,  for and in the name,  place and
stead of the  undersigned  to sign and file  with the  Securities  and  Exchange
Commission  under  the  Securities  Act of  1933,  as  amended,  (i) any and all
pre-effective and post-effective amendments to this registration statement, (ii)
any  registration  statement  relating to this  offering that is to be effective
upon  filing  pursuant  to Rule  462(b)  under the  Securities  Act of 1933,  as
amended,  (iii) any exhibits to any such registration statement or pre-effective
or post-effective amendments,  (iv) any and all applications and other documents
in  connection  with  any  such  registration   statement  or  pre-effective  or
post-effective  amendments,  and  generally to do all things and perform any and
all acts and things  whatsoever  requisite  and necessary or desirable to enable
Information Holdings Inc. to comply with the provisions of the Securities Act of
1933,  as  amended,   and  all  requirements  of  the  Securities  and  Exchange
Commission.

     Pursuant  to  the   requirements  of  the  Securities  Act  of  1933,  this
Registration  Statement  has  been  signed  by  the  following  persons  in  the
capacities and on the dates indicated.
Signature                                     Title                                    Date
President, Chief Executive Officer and   September 11, 1998
/s/ Mason P. Slaine                           Director (Principal Executive Officer)
Mason P. Slaine
                                              Executive Vice President and Chief       September 11, 1998
/s/ Vincent A. Chippari                       Financial Officer (Principal
Vincent A. Chippari                           Accounting Officer and Principal
                                              Financial  Officer)
                                                                                       
/s/ Michael E. Danziger 
Michael E. Danziger                           Director                                 September 11, 1998

/s/ David R. Haas                             Director                                 September 2, 1998
David R. Haas

                                              Director                                 September 11, 1998
/s/ Sidney Lapidus
Sidney Lapidus
                                              Director                                 September 11, 1998
/s/ David E. Libowitz
David E. Libowitz
INDEX TO EXHIBITS

Exhibit No.             Description of Exhibit
----------              ----------------------

5              Opinion of Willkie Farr & Gallagher.

23.1           Consent of Ernst & Young LLP (CRC Press, Inc.).

23.2           Consent of Ernst & Young LLP (Information Ventures LLC).

23.3           Consent of Ernst & Young LLP (Micropatent).

23.4           Consent of Robert A. Young, CPA (St. Lucie Press).

23.5           Consent of Willkie Farr & Gallagher (included in Exhibit 5).

24             Power of Attorney (included on the signature page).