For more than a decade, Microsoft® Encarta® has helped inquisitive minds realize the educational benefits of technology, and this year it is extending the focus to the youngest generation of learners. Today, Microsoft Corp. unveils Encarta Reference Library Premium 2005, the newest version of the best-selling reference library in the United States.1 With cool new content tailored specifically for elementary-aged children and helpful homework tools, Encarta Reference Library Premium 2005 is a comprehensive, current and trustworthy source of information for learners of all ages.

It may be years until they can drive a car, but U.S. school children are already speeding along the information superhighway in their quest for education. In fact, 53 percent of elementary school children with home access to the Internet complete schoolwork with online resources.2 As technology continues to attract ever-younger audiences, Encarta Reference Library Premium 2005 includes Encarta Kids, new content designed from the ground up with a younger audience in mind.