<PAGE>


      As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 14, 2000
                      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 of                              (I.R.S. Employer
 incorporation or organization                            Identification Number)

                          2777 Summer Street, Suite 209
                           Stamford, Connecticut 06905
                                 (203) 961-9106
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    (Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code,
                        of principal executive offices)

                INFORMATION HOLDINGS INC. 1998 STOCK OPTION PLAN
                ------------------------------------------------

                                 Mason P. Slaine
                      President and Chief Executive Officer
                            Information Holdings Inc.
                          2777 Summer Street, Suite 209
                           Stamford, Connecticut 06905
                                 (203) 961-9106
                      --------------------------------------
 (Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code,
                             of agent for service)

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

<TABLE>
                               CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<CAPTION>
                                      Proposed maximum     Proposed maximum     Amount of
Title of securities   Amount to be    offering price per   aggregate offering   registration
to be registered      registered(1)   share (2)            price(2)             fee
<S>                      <C>             <C>                  <C>                <C>
Common Stock, par        500,000         $35.65625            $17,828,125        $4,706.63
value $0.01 per share


(1)  Represents the shares of common stock of Information Holdings Inc. (the "Common Stock")
     issuable pursuant to the Information Holdings Inc. 1998 Stock Option Plan. In addition,
     this Registration Statement covers an indeterminable number of additional shares as may
     hereafter be offered or issued, pursuant to the Plan, to prevent dilution resulting from
     stock splits, stock dividends or similar transactions effected without the receipt of
     consideration.

(2)  Estimated solely for calculating the amount of the registration fee, pursuant to
     paragraphs (c) and (h) of Rule 457 under the Securities Act of 1933 (the "Securities
     Act") based upon the average of the high and low Nasdaq National Market on July 7, 2000.
</TABLE>



<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 Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ending
          December 31, 1999, filed March 29, 2000, pursuant to the Securities
          Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act");

     (b)  The Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended
          March 31, 2000, filed on May 15, 2000, pursuant to the Exchange Act;

     (c)  The Company's Current Reports on Form 8-K, filed on February 14, 2000,
          February 29, 2000, and March 15, 2000, respectively, pursuant to the
          Exchange Act;

     (d)  The Company's Registration Statement on Form S-8 (Registration No.
          333-63325), filed on September 14, 1998, pursuant to the Exchange Act;

     (e)  The description of the Company's common stock, par value $0.01 per
          share, incorporated by reference into the Company's Registration
          Statement on Form 8-A, filed on August 4, 1998, pursuant to the
          Exchange Act, and contained in the Registration Statement on Form S-1
          (Registration No. .333-56665), filed on August 4, 1998, as amended.

     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 this 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 by reference in this Registration Statement and to
be a part hereof from the date of the filing of such documents with the
Commission. Any statement contained in a document incorporated by reference
herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes hereof to the
extent that a statement contained herein (or in any other subsequently filed
document which also is incorporated by reference herein) modifies or supersedes
such statement. Any statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed to
constitute a part hereof except as so modified or superseded.

Item 8. EXHIBITS

Exhibit No.

5                   Opinion of Willkie Farr & Gallagher.

23.1                Consent of Ernst & Young LLP.

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

24                  Power of Attorney (reference is made to the signature page).


                                      -2-

<PAGE>


                                   SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Company has
duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Stamford, Connecticut on July 14,
2000.

                                       INFORMATION HOLDINGS INC.

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


                                      -3-

<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>
/s/ Mason P. Slaine             President, Chief Executive Officer and   July 14, 2000
------------------------        Director (Principal Executive Officer)
Mason P. Slaine


/s/ Vincent A. Chippari         Executive Vice President and Chief       July 14, 2000
------------------------        Financial Officer (Principal
Vincent A. Chippari             Accounting Officer and Principal
                                Financial Officer)


/s/ Michael E. Danziger         Director                                 July 14, 2000
------------------------
Michael E. Danziger


/s/ David R. Hass               Director                                 July 14, 2000
------------------------
David R. Haas


/s/ Sidney Lapidus              Director                                 July 14, 2000
------------------------
Sidney Lapidus


/s/ David E. Libowitz           Director                                 July 14, 2000
------------------------
David E. Libowitz
</TABLE>


                                      -4-

<PAGE>


                                INDEX TO EXHIBITS

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

5                   Opinion of Willkie Farr & Gallagher.

23.1                Consent of Ernst & Young LLP

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

24                  Power of Attorney (reference is made to the signature page).
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "filename": "0001.txt", "description": "REGISTRATION STATEMENT", "secsgml_size_bytes": 10352}]
{"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": "333-41460", "film-number": "673237"}, "business-address": {"street1": "2777 SUMMER STREET", "street2": "SUITE 209", "city": "STAMFORD", "state": "CT", "zip": "06905", "phone": "2034665055"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "2777 SUMMER STREET", "street2": "SUITE 209", "city": "STAMFORD", "state": "CT", "zip": "06905"}}
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 14, 2000
                      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 of                              (I.R.S. Employer
 incorporation or organization                            Identification Number)

                          2777 Summer Street, Suite 209
                           Stamford, Connecticut 06905
                                 (203) 961-9106
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    (Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code,
                        of principal executive offices)

                INFORMATION HOLDINGS INC. 1998 STOCK OPTION PLAN
                ------------------------------------------------

                                 Mason P. Slaine
                      President and Chief Executive Officer
                            Information Holdings Inc.
                          2777 Summer Street, Suite 209
                           Stamford, Connecticut 06905
                                 (203) 961-9106
                      --------------------------------------
 (Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code,
                             of agent for service)

                                    COPY 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     Amount of
Title of securities   Amount to be    offering price per   aggregate offering   registration
to be registered      registered(1)   share (2)            price(2)             fee
Common Stock, par        500,000         $35.65625            $17,828,125        $4,706.63
value $0.01 per share

(1)  Represents the shares of common stock of Information Holdings Inc. (the "Common Stock")
     issuable pursuant to the Information Holdings Inc. 1998 Stock Option Plan. In addition,
     this Registration Statement covers an indeterminable number of additional shares as may
     hereafter be offered or issued, pursuant to the Plan, to prevent dilution resulting from
     stock splits, stock dividends or similar transactions effected without the receipt of
     consideration.

(2)  Estimated solely for calculating the amount of the registration fee, pursuant to
     paragraphs (c) and (h) of Rule 457 under the Securities Act of 1933 (the "Securities
     Act") based upon the average of the high and low Nasdaq National Market on July 7, 2000.
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 Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ending
          December 31, 1999, filed March 29, 2000, pursuant to the Securities
          Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act");

     (b)  The Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended
          March 31, 2000, filed on May 15, 2000, pursuant to the Exchange Act;

     (c)  The Company's Current Reports on Form 8-K, filed on February 14, 2000,
          February 29, 2000, and March 15, 2000, respectively, pursuant to the
          Exchange Act;

     (d)  The Company's Registration Statement on Form S-8 (Registration No.
          333-63325), filed on September 14, 1998, pursuant to the Exchange Act;

     (e)  The description of the Company's common stock, par value $0.01 per
          share, incorporated by reference into the Company's Registration
          Statement on Form 8-A, filed on August 4, 1998, pursuant to the
          Exchange Act, and contained in the Registration Statement on Form S-1
          (Registration No. .333-56665), filed on August 4, 1998, as amended.

     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 this 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 by reference in this Registration Statement and to
be a part hereof from the date of the filing of such documents with the
Commission. Any statement contained in a document incorporated by reference
herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes hereof to the
extent that a statement contained herein (or in any other subsequently filed
document which also is incorporated by reference herein) modifies or supersedes
such statement. Any statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed to
constitute a part hereof except as so modified or superseded.

Item 8. EXHIBITS

Exhibit No.

5                   Opinion of Willkie Farr & Gallagher.

23.1                Consent of Ernst & Young LLP.

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

24                  Power of Attorney (reference is made to the signature page).

                                      -2-
SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Company has
duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Stamford, Connecticut on July 14,
2000.

                                       INFORMATION HOLDINGS INC.

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

                                      -3-
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
/s/ Mason P. Slaine             President, Chief Executive Officer and   July 14, 2000
------------------------        Director (Principal Executive Officer)
Mason P. Slaine

/s/ Vincent A. Chippari         Executive Vice President and Chief       July 14, 2000
------------------------        Financial Officer (Principal
Vincent A. Chippari             Accounting Officer and Principal
                                Financial Officer)

/s/ Michael E. Danziger         Director                                 July 14, 2000
------------------------
Michael E. Danziger

/s/ David R. Hass               Director                                 July 14, 2000
------------------------
David R. Haas

/s/ Sidney Lapidus              Director                                 July 14, 2000
------------------------
Sidney Lapidus

/s/ David E. Libowitz           Director                                 July 14, 2000
------------------------
David E. Libowitz
-4-
INDEX TO EXHIBITS

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

5                   Opinion of Willkie Farr & Gallagher.

23.1                Consent of Ernst & Young LLP

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

24                  Power of Attorney (reference is made to the signature page).