8-K

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549




                                    FORM 8-K



                                 Current Report
                       Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
                       the Securities Exchange Act of 1934



                              Date of Report (Date
                          of earliest event reported):

                                  May 17, 1999



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



                         Commission File Number 1-14371
                                               ------------



                       DELAWARE                        06-1518007
          -----------------------------------         -----------
            (State or other jurisdiction of           (IRS Employer
             incorporation or organization)           Identification No.)




          2777 Summer Street, Stamford, Connecticut      06905
          ----------------------------------------------------
          (Address of principal executive offices)    (Zip Code)


               Registrant's telephone number, including area code
                                 (203) 961-9106





     Item 5.  Other Events
              ------------

          On May 17, 1999, the Registrant announced that it had agreed to
acquire all of the outstanding stock of Master Data Center, Inc., a Michigan
corporation, for consideration of approximately $33 million. A copy of the press
release is attached as Exhibit 99.1.





`
                                    SIGNATURE
                                    ---------

          Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
the Registrant has duly caused this Current Report on Form 8-K to be signed on
its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.


                                    INFORMATION HOLDINGS INC.



                                     By:/s/ Vincent A. Chippari
                                        ----------------------------
                                        Name: Vincent A. Chippari
                                        Title: Executive Vice President and
                                               Chief Financial Officer



Dated:  May 19, 1999




                                  EXHIBIT INDEX
                                  -------------

The following Exhibits are filed herewith.



Exhibit
- -------
Number                          Description
- ------                          -----------

99.1              Press Release, dated May 17, 1999,
                  announding the acquisition of Master Data
                  Center, Inc.

EX-99.1

Information Holdings Inc. to Acquire Master Data Center

NEW YORK, May 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Information Holdings Inc. (NYSE: IHI - news)
today announced that it has signed a contract to acquire the stock of Master
Data Center, Inc. (MDC) from an affiliate of Pearson p1c, the international
media company. IHI will acquire MDC for cash consideration of approximately $33
million. The transaction is expected to be completed within 90 days.

MDC is a leading provider of intellectual property services and software. MDC
provides patent annuity payment services on a worldwide basis and complementary
software product for managing patent and trademark portfolios.

Commenting on the announcement, Mason Slaine, President and CEO, said, "We are
very pleased to expand our presence in the intellectual property field through
the acquisition of MDC. Its high quality products and services complement
products offered by our MicroPatent and Optipat subsidiaries. While continuing
to grow the core MDC business, we also hope to leverage MicroPatent's Internet
technology, cross-market products and potentially develop services utilizing
aspects of both MDC and our existing business."

Information Holdings Inc., provides essential information to professional and
academic end-users, primarily in scientific, technical, medical and intellectual
property markets. The Company's CRC Press(R) business publishes professional and
academic books, journals, newsletters and electronic databases covering areas
such as life sciences, environmental sciences, engineering, mathematics,
physical sciences and business. In addition, through its MicroPatent(TM)
business, the Company is recognized as one of the leading providers of
intellectual property information over the Internet. Information Holdings Inc.
is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and trades under the symbol: IHI.

This press release includes statements which may constitute forward-looking
statements made pursuant to safe harbor





provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Although the
Company believes the expectations contained in such forward-looking statements
are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be
correct. This information may involve risks and

uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the
forward-looking statements. Factors which could cause or contribute to such
differences include, but are not limited to, factors detailed in the Company's
Securities and Exchange Commission filings.