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                                                                     EXHIBIT 4.2


                                     FORM OF

                          REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

        THIS REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT, dated as of April 10, 1998 (this
"Agreement"), is made by and between IVI PUBLISHING, INC., a Minnesota
corporation (the "Company"), and the person named on the signature page hereto
(the "Initial Investor").

                              W I T N E S S E T H:

        WHEREAS, in connection with the Subscription Agreement, dated as of
April 10, 1998, between the Initial Investor and the Company (the "Subscription
Agreement"), the Company has agreed, upon the terms and subject to the
conditions of the Subscription Agreement, to issue and sell to the Initial
Investor shares (the "Preferred Shares") of Series B Convertible Preferred
Stock, $.01 par value (the "Series B Preferred Stock"), of the Company as
provided in the Subscription Agreement, which Preferred Shares are convertible
into shares (the "Conversion Shares") of Common Stock, $.01 par value (the
"Common Stock"), of the Company, and to issue common stock purchase warrants
(the "Warrants") to purchase shares (the "Warrant Shares") of Common Stock; and

        WHEREAS, to induce the Initial Investor to execute and deliver the
Subscription Agreement, the Company has agreed to provide certain registration
rights under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and
regulations thereunder, or any similar successor statute (collectively, the
"Securities Act"), and applicable state securities laws with respect to the
Conversion Shares, the Warrant Shares and the shares of Common Stock issuable
upon conversion of shares (the "Dividend Shares") of Series B Preferred Stock
which are issuable in payment of dividends on the Preferred Shares;

        NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual
covenants contained herein and other good and valuable consideration, the
receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Company and the
Initial Investor hereby agree as follows:

        1.      DEFINITIONS.

        (a) As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the
following meanings:

        "Certificate of Designations" means the Certificate of Designations of
the Series B Convertible Preferred Stock as filed by the Company with the
Secretary of State of the State of Minnesota.

        "Exchange Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.



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        "Investor" means the Initial Investor and any transferee or assignee who
agrees to become bound by the provisions of this Agreement in accordance with
Section 9 hereof.

        "Nasdaq" means the Nasdaq SmallCap Market.

        "register," "registered," and "registration" refer to a registration
effected by preparing and filing a Registration Statement or Statements in
compliance with the Securities Act and pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities
Act or any successor rule providing for offering securities on a continuous
basis ("Rule 415"), and the declaration or ordering of effectiveness of such
Registration Statement by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission
(the "SEC").

        "Registrable Securities" means the Conversion Shares, the Warrant Shares
and any shares of Common Stock issued by the Company to any Investor upon
conversion of any Dividend Shares.

        "Registration Period" means the period from the Closing Date to the
earlier of (i) the date which is three years after the SEC Effective Date, (ii)
the date on which each Investor may sell all of its Registrable Securities
without registration under the Securities Act pursuant to Rule 144, without
restriction on the manner of sale or the volume of securities which may be sold
in any period and without the requirement for the giving of any notice to, or
the making of any filing with, the SEC and (iii) the date on which the Investors
no longer beneficially own any Registrable Securities.

        "Registration Statement" means a registration statement of the Company
under the Securities Act, including any amendment thereto.

        "Rule 144" means Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act or any
other similar rule or regulation of the SEC that may at any time permit a holder
of any securities to sell securities of the Company to the public without
registration under the Securities Act.

        "SEC Effective Date" means the date the Registration Statement is first
declared effective by the SEC.

        "SEC Filing Date" means the date the Registration Statement is first
filed with the SEC pursuant to Section 2(a).

        (b) As used in this Agreement, the term Investor includes (i) each
Investor (as defined above) and (ii) each person who is a permitted transferee
or assignee of the Registrable Securities pursuant to Section 9 of this
Agreement.

        (c) Capitalized terms defined in the introductory paragraph or the
recitals to this Agreement shall have the respective meanings therein provided.
Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein shall have the
respective meanings set forth in the Subscription Agreement.



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        2.      REGISTRATION.

        (a) MANDATORY REGISTRATION. The Company shall prepare, and on or prior
to the date which is 45 days after the Closing Date, file with the SEC a
Registration Statement on Form S-3, or, if Form S-3 is not available, Form S-1
or S-2, which, on the date of filing with the SEC, covers the resale by the
Initial Investor of a number of shares of Common Stock at least equal to the sum
of (x) the number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of the
Preferred Shares, determined as if the Preferred Shares, together with accrued
and unpaid dividends thereon, were converted in full on the SEC Filing Date (and
determined without regard to the limitation on beneficial ownership contained in
the proviso to the second sentence of Section 10(a) of the Certificate of
Designations), plus (y) the number of Warrant Shares (determined without regard
to the limitation on beneficial ownership contained in Section 1.1(b) of the
Warrants) and the resale of such additional number of shares of Common Stock as
the Company shall in its discretion determine to register in connection with the
conversion of Dividend Shares, and which Registration Statement shall state
that, in accordance with Rule 416 under the Securities Act, such Registration
Statement also covers such indeterminate number of additional shares of Common
Stock as may become issuable upon conversion of the Preferred Shares and
Dividend Shares or exercise of the Warrants to prevent dilution resulting from
stock splits, stock dividends or similar transactions or by reason of changes in
the conversion price of the Preferred Shares and Dividend Shares in accordance
with the terms thereof. If at any time the number of shares of Common Stock
included in the Registration Statement required to be filed as provided in the
first sentence of this Section 2(a) shall be insufficient to cover the number of
shares of Common Stock issuable on conversion in full of the unconverted
Preferred Shares and Dividend Shares or the unexercised portions of Warrants,
then promptly, but in no event later than 20 days after such insufficiency shall
occur, the Company shall file with the SEC an additional Registration Statement
on Form S-3, or, if Form S-3 is not available, Form S-1 or S-2 (which shall not
constitute a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement filed
pursuant to the first sentence of this Section 2(a)), covering such number of
shares of Common Stock as shall be sufficient to permit such conversion and
exercise. For all purposes of this Agreement such additional Registration
Statement shall be deemed to be the Registration Statement required to be filed
by the Company pursuant to Section 2(a) of this Agreement, and the Company and
the Investors shall have the same rights and obligations with respect to such
additional Registration Statement as they shall have with respect to the initial
Registration Statement required to be filed by the Company pursuant to this
Section 2(a).

        (b) CERTAIN OFFERINGS. If any offering pursuant to a Registration
Statement pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof involves an underwritten offering,
Investors who hold a majority in interest of the Registrable Securities subject
to such underwritten offering shall have the right to select one legal counsel
and an investment banker or bankers and manager or managers to administer the
offering, which investment banker or bankers or manager or managers shall be
reasonably satisfactory to the Company. The Investors who hold the Registrable
Securities to be included in such underwriting shall pay all underwriting
discounts and commissions and other fees and expenses of such investment banker
or bankers and manager or managers so selected in accordance with this Section
2(b) (other than fees and expenses relating to registration of 



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Registrable Securities under federal or state securities laws, which are payable
by the Company pursuant to Section 5 hereof) with respect to their Registrable
Securities and the fees and expenses of such legal counsel so selected by the
Investors.

        (c) ADJUSTMENTS OF CONVERSION TERMS. The Certificate of Designations
provides, among other things, that, if (1) the Registration Statement covering
the Registrable Securities which is required to be filed by the Company pursuant
to the first sentence of Section 2(a) (A) is not filed with the SEC within 45
days of the Closing Date, (B) is not effective within 120 days after the Closing
Date or (C) shall cease to be available for use by any holder of shares of
Series B Convertible Preferred Stock which is named therein as a selling
shareholder for any reason (including, without limitation, by reason of an SEC
stop order, a material misstatement or omission in such Registration Statement
or the information contained in such Registration Statement having become
outdated) other than a Blackout Period (as defined in the Certificate of
Designations), or (2) a holder of shares of Series B Convertible Preferred Stock
becomes unable to convert any shares of Series B Convertible Preferred Stock in
accordance with Section 10(a) of the Certificate of Designations (other than by
reason of the 4.9% limitation set forth therein), then the Conversion Percentage
(as defined in the Certificate of Designations) shall be adjusted as provided in
the Certificate of Designations.

        (d) PIGGY-BACK REGISTRATIONS. If at any time the Company shall determine
to prepare and file with the SEC a Registration Statement relating to an
offering for its own account or the account of others under the Securities Act
of any of its equity securities, other than on FormaS-4 or FormaS-8 or their
then equivalents relating to equity securities to be issued solely in connection
with any acquisition of any entity or business or equity securities issuable in
connection with stock option or other employee benefit plans, the Company shall
send to each Investor who is entitled to registration rights under this Section
2(d) written notice of such determination and, if within ten (10) days after
receipt of such notice, such Investor shall so request in writing, the Company
shall include in such Registration Statement all or any part of the Registrable
Securities such Investor requests to be registered, except that if, in
connection with any underwritten public offering for the account of the Company,
the managing underwriter(s) thereof shall impose a limitation on the number of
shares of Common Stock which may be included in the Registration Statement
because, in such underwriter(s)' judgment, such limitation is necessary to
effect an orderly public distribution, then the Company shall be obligated to
include in such Registration Statement only such limited portion of the
Registrable Securities with respect to which such Investor has requested
inclusion hereunder. Any exclusion of Registrable Securities shall be made pro
rata among the Investors seeking to include Registrable Securities, in
proportion to the number of Registrable Securities sought to be included by such
Investors; provided, however, that the Company shall not exclude any Registrable
Securities unless the Company has first excluded all outstanding securities the
holders of which are not entitled by right to inclusion of securities in such
Registration Statement; and provided further, however, that, after giving effect
to the immediately preceding proviso, any exclusion of Registrable Securities
shall be made pro rata with holders of other securities having the right to
include such securities in the Registration Statement, based on the number of
securities for which registration is requested except to the extent such pro
rata exclusion of such other securities is prohibited under any written
agreement entered into by the Company with the holder of such other securities
prior to 



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the date of this Agreement, in which case such other securities shall be
excluded, if at all, in accordance with the terms of such agreement. No right to
registration of Registrable Securities under this Section 2(d) shall be
construed to limit any registration required under Section 2(a) hereof. The
obligations of the Company under this Section 2(d) may be waived by Investors
holding a majority in interest of the Registrable Securities and shall expire
after the Company has afforded the opportunity for the Investors to exercise
registration rights under this Section 2(d) for two registrations; provided,
however, that any Investor who shall have had any Registrable Securities
excluded from any Registration Statement in accordance with this Section 2(d)
shall be entitled to include in an additional Registration Statement filed by
the Company the Registrable Securities so excluded. Notwithstanding any other
provision of this Agreement, if the Registration Statement required to be filed
pursuant to Section 2(a) of this Agreement shall have been ordered effective by
the SEC and the Company shall have maintained the effectiveness of such
Registration Statement as required by this Agreement and if the Company shall
otherwise have complied in all material respects with its obligations under this
Agreement, then the Company shall not be obligated to register any Registrable
Securities on such Registration Statement referred to in this Section 2(d).

        (e) ELIGIBILITY FOR REGISTRATION STATEMENT FORMS. The Company meets the
requirements for the use of Forms S-1 and S-2 for registration of the
Registrable Securities for resale by the Investors. When the Company becomes
eligible to use Form S-3, the Company shall file all reports required to be
filed by the Company with the SEC in a timely manner so as to maintain such
eligibility for the use of Form S-3.

        3. OBLIGATIONS OF THE COMPANY. In connection with the registration of
the Registrable Securities, the Company shall:

        (a) prepare promptly, and file with the SEC not later than 45 days after
the Closing Date, a Registration Statement with respect to the number of
Registrable Securities provided in Section 2(a), and thereafter to use its best
efforts to cause each Registration Statement relating to Registrable Securities
to become effective as soon as possible after such filing, and keep the
Registration Statement effective pursuant to Rule 415 at all times during the
Registration Period; submit to the SEC, within three business days after the
Company learns that no review of the Registration Statement will be made by the
staff of the SEC or that the staff of the SEC has no further comments on the
Registration Statement, as the case may be, a request for acceleration of
effectiveness of the Registration Statement to a time and date not later than 48
hours after the submission of such request; notify the Investors of the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement on the date the Registration
Statement is declared effective; and the Company represents and warrants to, and
covenants and agrees with, the Investors that the Registration Statement
(including any amendments or supplements thereto and prospectuses contained
therein), at the time it is first filed with the SEC, at the time it is ordered
effective by the SEC and at all time during which it is required to be effective
hereunder (and each such amendment and supplement at the time it is filed with
the SEC and at all time during which it is available for use in connection with
the offer and sale of the Registrable Securities) shall not contain any untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be



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stated therein, or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the
circumstances in which they were made, not misleading;

        (b) prepare and file with the SEC such amendments (including
post-effective amendments) and supplements to the Registration Statement and the
prospectus used in connection with the Registration Statement as may be
necessary to keep the Registration Statement effective at all times during the
Registration Period, and, during the Registration Period, comply with the
provisions of the Securities Act with respect to the disposition of all
Registrable Securities of the Company covered by the Registration Statement
until such time as all of such Registrable Securities have been disposed of in
accordance with the intended methods of disposition by the seller or sellers
thereof as set forth in the Registration Statement;

        (c) furnish to each Investor whose Registrable Securities are included
in the Registration Statement and its legal counsel, (1) promptly after the same
is prepared and publicly distributed, filed with the SEC or received by the
Company, one copy of the Registration Statement and any amendment thereto, each
preliminary prospectus and prospectus and each amendment or supplement thereto,
each letter written by or on behalf of the Company to the SEC or the staff of
the SEC and each item of correspondence from the SEC or the staff of the SEC
relating to such Registration Statement (other than any portion of any thereof
which contains information for which the Company has sought confidential
treatment) and (2) such number of copies of a prospectus, including a
preliminary prospectus, and all amendments and supplements thereto and such
other documents, as such Investor may reasonably request in order to facilitate
the disposition of the Registrable Securities owned by such Investor;

        (d) use reasonable efforts to (i) register and qualify the Registrable
Securities covered by the Registration Statement under such securities or blue
sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Investors who hold a majority in interest
of the Registrable Securities being offered reasonably request, (ii) prepare and
file in those jurisdictions such amendments (including post-effective
amendments) and supplements to such registrations and qualifications as may be
necessary to maintain the effectiveness thereof at all times until the end of
the Registration Period, (iii) take such other actions as may be necessary to
maintain such registrations and qualifications in effect at all times during the
Registration Period and (iv) take all other actions reasonably necessary or
advisable to qualify the Registrable Securities for sale in such jurisdictions;
provided, however, that the Company shall not be required in connection
therewith or as a condition thereto (I) to qualify to do business in any
jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to qualify but for this
Section 3(d), (II) to subject itself to general taxation in any such
jurisdiction, (III) to file a general consent to service of process in any such
jurisdiction, (IV) to provide any undertakings that cause more than nominal
expense or burden to the Company or (V) to make any change in its Certificate of
Incorporation or by-laws, which in each case the Board of Directors of the
Company determines to be contrary to the best interests of the Company and its
shareholders;

        (e) in the event that the Registrable Securities are being offered in an
underwritten offering, enter into and perform its obligations under an
underwriting agreement, in 



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usual and customary form, including, without limitation, customary
indemnification and contribution obligations, with the underwriters of such
offering;

        (f) as promptly as practicable after becoming aware of such event or
circumstance, notify each Investor of any event or circumstance of which the
Company has knowledge, as a result of which the prospectus included in the
Registration Statement, as then in effect, includes an untrue statement of a
material fact or omits to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading, and use its best efforts promptly to
prepare a supplement or amendment to the Registration Statement to correct such
untrue statement or omission, file such supplement or amendment with the SEC at
such time as shall permit the Investors to sell Registrable Securities pursuant
to the Registration Statement as promptly as practical, and deliver a number of
copies of such supplement or amendment to each Investor as such Investor may
reasonably request;

        (g) as promptly as practicable after becoming aware of such event,
notify each Investor who holds Registrable Securities being sold (or, in the
event of an underwritten offering, the managing underwriters) of the issuance by
the SEC of any stop order or other suspension of effectiveness of the
Registration Statement at the earliest possible time;

        (h) permit a single firm of counsel designated as selling shareholders'
counsel by the Investors who hold a majority in interest of the Registrable
Securities being sold to review and comment on the Registration Statement and
all amendments and supplements thereto a reasonable period of time prior to
their filing with the SEC;

        (i) make generally available to its security holders as soon as
practical, but not later than ninety (90) days after the close of the period
covered thereby, an earnings statement (in form complying with the provisions of
Rule 158 under the Securities Act) covering a twelve-month period beginning not
later than the first day of the Company's fiscal quarter next following the
effective date of the Registration Statement;

        (j) at the request of the Investors who hold a majority in interest of
the Registrable Securities being sold, furnish on the date that Registrable
Securities are delivered to an underwriter, if any, for sale in connection with
the Registration Statement (i) a letter, dated such date, from the Company's
independent certified public accountants in form and substance as is customarily
given by independent certified public accountants to underwriters in an
underwritten public offering, addressed to the underwriters; and (ii) an
opinion, dated such date, from counsel representing the Company for purposes of
such Registration Statement, in form and substance as is customarily given in an
underwritten public offering, addressed to the underwriters and the Investors;

        (k) make available for inspection by any Investor, any underwriter
participating in any disposition pursuant to the Registration Statement, and any
attorney, accountant or other agent retained by any such Investor or underwriter
(collectively, the "Inspectors"), all pertinent financial and other records,
pertinent corporate documents and properties of the Company



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(collectively, the "Records"), as shall be reasonably necessary to enable each
Inspector to exercise its due diligence responsibility, and cause the Company's
officers, directors and employees to supply all information which any Inspector
may reasonably request for purposes of such due diligence; provided, however,
that each Inspector shall hold in confidence and shall not make any disclosure
(except to an Investor) of any Record or other information which the Company
determines in good faith to be confidential, and of which determination the
Inspectors are so notified, unless (i) the disclosure of such Records is
necessary to avoid or correct a misstatement or omission in any Registration
Statement, (ii) the release of such Records is ordered pursuant to a subpoena or
other order from a court or government body of competent jurisdiction or (iii)
the information in such Records has been made generally available to the public
other than by disclosure in violation of this or any other agreement. The
Company shall not be required to disclose any confidential information in such
Records to any Inspector until and unless such Inspector shall have entered into
confidentiality agreements (in form and substance satisfactory to the Company)
with the Company with respect thereto, substantially in the form of this Section
3(k). Each Investor agrees that it shall, upon learning that disclosure of such
Records is sought in or by a court or governmental body of competent
jurisdiction or through other means, give prompt notice to the Company and allow
the Company, at the CompanyAEs own expense, to undertake appropriate action to
prevent disclosure of, or to obtain a protective order for, the Records deemed
confidential. The Company shall hold in confidence and shall not make any
disclosure of information concerning an Investor provided to the Company
pursuant to Section 4(e) hereof unless (i) disclosure of such information is
necessary to comply with federal or state securities laws, (ii) the disclosure
of such information is necessary to avoid or correct a misstatement or omission
in any Registration Statement, (iii) the release of such information is ordered
pursuant to a subpoena or other order from a court or governmental body of
competent jurisdiction or (iv) such information has been made generally
available to the public other than by disclosure in violation of this or any
other agreement. The Company agrees that it shall, upon learning that disclosure
of such information concerning an Investor is sought in or by a court or
governmental body of competent jurisdiction or through other means, give prompt
notice to such Investor, at such InvestorAEs own expense, to undertake
appropriate action to prevent disclosure of, or to obtain a protective order
for, such information;

        (l) use its best efforts (i) to cause all the Registrable Securities
covered by the Registration Statement to be listed on the Nasdaq or such other
principal securities market on which securities of the same class or series
issued by the Company are then listed or traded or (ii) if securities of the
same class or series as the Registrable Securities are not then listed on Nasdaq
or any such other securities market, to cause all of the Registrable Securities
covered by the Registration Statement to be listed on the New York Stock
Exchange, the American Stock Exchange or the Nasdaq National Market;

        (m) provide a transfer agent and registrar, which may be a single
entity, for the Registrable Securities not later than the effective date of the
Registration Statement;

        (n) cooperate with the Investors who hold Registrable Securities being
offered and the managing underwriter or underwriters, if any, to facilitate the
timely preparation and delivery of certificates (not bearing any restrictive
legends) representing Registrable Securities to



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be offered pursuant to the Registration Statement and enable such certificates
to be in such denominations or amounts as the case may be, as the managing
underwriter or underwriters, if any, or the Investors may reasonably request and
registered in such names as the managing underwriter or underwriters, if any, or
the Investors may request; and, within three business days after a Registration
Statement which includes Registrable Securities is ordered effective by the SEC,
the Company shall deliver to the transfer agent for the Registrable Securities
(with copies to the Investors whose Registrable Securities are included in such
Registration Statement) an instruction substantially in the form attached hereto
as EXHIBIT 1 and shall cause legal counsel selected by the Company to deliver to
the Investors an opinion of such counsel in the form attached hereto as EXHIBIT
2 (with a copy to the Company's transfer agent);

        (o) during the period the Company is required to maintain effectiveness
of the Registration Statement pursuant to Section 3(a), the Company shall not
bid for or purchase any Common Stock or any right to purchase Common Stock or
attempt to induce any person to purchase any such security or right if such bid,
purchase or attempt would in any way limit the right of the Investors to sell
Registrable Securities by reason of the limitations set forth in Regulation M
under the Exchange Act; and

        (p) take all other reasonable actions necessary to expedite and
facilitate disposition by the Investors of the Registrable Securities pursuant
to the Registration Statement.

        4. OBLIGATIONS OF THE INVESTORS. In connection with the registration of
the Registrable Securities, the Investors shall have the following obligations:

        (a) It shall be a condition precedent to the obligations of the Company
to complete the registration pursuant to this Agreement with respect to the
Registrable Securities of a particular Investor that such Investor shall furnish
to the Company such information regarding itself, the Registrable Securities
held by it and the intended method of disposition of the Registrable Securities
held by it as shall be reasonably required to effect the registration of such
Registrable Securities and shall execute such documents in connection with such
registration as the Company may reasonably request. At least four (4) days prior
to the first anticipated filing date of the Registration Statement, the Company
shall notify each Investor of the information the Company requires from each
such Investor (the "Requested Information") if any of such Investor's
Registrable Securities are eligible for inclusion in the Registration Statement.
If at least one (1) business day prior to the filing date the Company has not
received the Requested Information from an Investor (a "Non-Responsive
Investor"), then the Company may file the Registration Statement without
including Registrable Securities of such Non-Responsive Investor but shall not
be relieved of its obligation to file a Registration Statement with the SEC
relating to the Registrable Securities of such Non-Responsive Investor promptly
after such Non-Responsive Investor provides the Requested Information;

        (b) Each Investor by such Investor's acceptance of the Registrable
Securities agrees to cooperate with the Company as reasonably requested by the
Company in connection with the preparation and filing of the Registration
Statement hereunder, unless such Investor has 



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notified the Company in writing of such Investor's election to exclude all of
such Investor's Registrable Securities from the Registration Statement;

        (c) In the event Investors holding a majority in interest of the
Registrable Securities being registered determine to engage the services of an
underwriter, each Investor agrees to enter into and perform such Investor's
obligations under an underwriting agreement, in usual and customary form,
including, without limitation, customary indemnification and contribution
obligations, with the managing underwriter of such offering and take such other
actions as are reasonably required in order to expedite or facilitate the
disposition of the Registrable Securities, unless such Investor has notified the
Company in writing of such Investor's election to exclude all of such Investor's
Registrable Securities from the Registration Statement;

        (d) Each Investor agrees that, upon receipt of any notice from the
Company of the happening of any event of the kind described in Section 3(f) or
3(g), such Investor will immediately discontinue disposition of Registrable
Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement covering such Registrable
Securities until such Investor's receipt of the copies of the supplemented or
amended prospectus contemplated by Section 3(f) or 3(g) and, if so directed by
the Company, such Investor shall deliver to the Company (at the expense of the
Company) or destroy (and deliver to the Company a certificate of destruction)
all copies in such Investor's possession of the prospectus covering such
Registrable Securities current at the time of receipt of such notice; and

        (e) No Investor may participate in any underwritten registration
hereunder unless such Investor (i) agrees to sell such Investor's Registrable
Securities on the basis provided in any underwriting arrangements approved by
the Investors entitled hereunder to approve such arrangements, (ii) completes
and executes all questionnaires, powers of attorney, indemnities, underwriting
agreements and other documents reasonably required under the terms of such
underwriting arrangements and (iii) agrees to pay its pro rata share of all
underwriting discounts and commissions and other fees and expenses of investment
bankers and any manager or managers of such underwriting and legal expenses of
the underwriters applicable with respect to its Registrable Securities, in each
case to the extent not payable by the Company pursuant to the terms of this
Agreement.

        5. EXPENSES OF REGISTRATION. All reasonable expenses, other than
underwriting discounts and commissions and other fees and expenses of investment
bankers and other than brokerage commissions, incurred in connection with
registrations, filings or qualifications pursuant to Section 3, including,
without limitation, all registration, listing and qualifications fees, printers
and accounting fees and the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company
and the Investors, shall be borne by the Company, provided, however, that the
Investors shall bear the fees and out-of-pocket expenses of the one legal
counsel selected by the Investors pursuant to Section 2(b) hereof.

        6. INDEMNIFICATION. In the event any Registrable Securities are included
in a Registration Statement under this Agreement:



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            (a) To the extent permitted by law, the Company will indemnify and
hold harmless each Investor who holds such Registrable Securities, the
directors, if any, of such Investor, the officers, if any, of such Investor,
each person, if any, who controls any Investor within the meaning of the
Securities Act or the Exchange Act, any underwriter (as defined in the
Securities Act) for the Investors, the directors, if any, of such underwriter
and the officers, if any, of such underwriter, and each person, if any, who
controls any such underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act or the
Exchange Act (each, an "Indemnified Person"), against any losses, claims,
damages, liabilities or expenses (joint or several) incurred (collectively,
"Claims") to which any of them may become subject under the Securities Act, the
Exchange Act or otherwise, insofar as such Claims (or actions or proceedings,
whether commenced or threatened, in respect thereof) arise out of or are based
upon any of the following statements, omissions or violations in the
Registration Statement, or any post-effective amendment thereof, or any
prospectus included therein: (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or any
post-effective amendment thereof or the omission or alleged omission to state
therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading, (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact contained in any preliminary prospectus if used
prior to the effective date of such Registration Statement, or contained in the
final prospectus (as amended or supplemented, if the Company files any amendment
thereof or supplement thereto with the SEC) or the omission or alleged omission
to state therein any material fact necessary to make the statements made
therein, in light of the circumstances under which the statements therein were
made, not misleading or (iii) any violation or alleged violation by the Company
of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, any state securities law or any rule or
regulation under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or any state securities
law (the matters in the foregoing clauses (i) through (iii) being, collectively,
"Violations"). Subject to the restrictions set forth in Section 6(d) with
respect to the number of legal counsel, the Company shall reimburse the
Investors and each such underwriter or controlling person, promptly as such
expenses are incurred and are due and payable, for any legal fees or other
reasonable expenses incurred by them in connection with investigating or
defending any such Claim. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained
herein, the indemnification agreement contained in this Section 6(a): (I) shall
not apply to a Claim arising out of or based upon a Violation which occurs in
reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the
Company by any Indemnified Person or underwriter for such Indemnified Person
expressly for use in connection with the preparation of the Registration
Statement, the prospectus or any such amendment thereof or supplement thereto,
if such prospectus was timely made available by the Company pursuant to Section
3(c) hereof; (II) with respect to any preliminary prospectus shall not inure to
the benefit of any such person from whom the person asserting any such Claim
purchased the Registrable Securities that are the subject thereof (or to the
benefit of any person controlling such person) if the untrue statement or
omission of material fact contained in the preliminary prospectus was corrected
in the prospectus, as then amended or supplemented, if such prospectus was
timely made available by the Company pursuant to Section 3(c) hereof; and (III)
shall not apply to amounts paid in settlement of any Claim if such settlement is
effected without the prior written consent of the Company, which consent shall
not be unreasonably withheld. Such indemnity shall remain in full force and
effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the Indemnified
Person and shall survive the transfer of the Registrable Securities by the
Investors pursuant to Section 9.



                                      -11-

<PAGE>   12

        (b) In connection with any Registration Statement in which an Investor
is participating, each such Investor agrees to indemnify and hold harmless, to
the same extent and in the same manner set forth in Section 6(a), the Company,
each of its directors, each of its officers who signs the Registration
Statement, each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of
the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, any underwriter and any other
shareholder selling securities pursuant to the Registration Statement or any of
its directors or officers or any person who controls such shareholder or
underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act
(collectively and together with an Indemnified Person, an "Indemnified Party"),
against any Claim to which any of them may become subject, under the Securities
Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, insofar as such Claim arises out of or is
based upon any Violation, in each case to the extent (and only to the extent)
that such Violation occurs in reliance upon and in conformity with written
information furnished to the Company by such Investor expressly for use in
connection with such Registration Statement; and such Investor will reimburse
any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by any Indemnified Party in
connection with investigating or defending any such Claim; provided, however,
that the indemnity agreement contained in this Section 6(b) shall not apply to
amounts paid in settlement of any Claim if such settlement is effected without
the prior written consent of such Investor, which consent shall not be
unreasonably withheld; provided, further, however, that the Investor shall be
liable under this Section 6(b) for only that amount of a Claim as does not
exceed the amount by which the net proceeds to such Investor from the sale of
Registrable Securities pursuant to such Registration Statement exceeds the cost
of such Registrable Securities to such Investor. Such indemnity shall remain in
full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of
such Indemnified Party and shall survive the transfer of the Registrable
Securities by the Investors pursuant to Section 9. Notwithstanding anything to
the contrary contained herein, the indemnification agreement contained in this
Section 6(b) with respect to any preliminary prospectus shall not inure to the
benefit of any Indemnified Party if the untrue statement or omission of material
fact contained in the preliminary prospectus was corrected on a timely basis in
the prospectus, as then amended or supplemented.

        (c) The Company shall be entitled to receive indemnities from
underwriters, selling brokers, dealer managers and similar securities industry
professionals participating in any distribution, to the same extent as provided
above, with respect to information so furnished in writing by such persons
expressly for inclusion in the Registration Statement.

        (d) Promptly after receipt by an Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party
under this Section 6 of notice of the commencement of any action (including any
governmental action), such Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party shall, if a
Claim in respect thereof is to be made against any indemnifying party under this
Section 6, deliver to the indemnifying party a written notice of the
commencement thereof and the indemnifying party shall have the right to
participate in, and, to the extent the indemnifying party so desires, jointly
with any other indemnifying party similarly noticed, to assume control of the
defense thereof with counsel selected by the indemnifying party but reasonably
acceptable to the Indemnified Person or the Indemnified Party, as the case may
be; provided, however, that an Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party shall
have the right to retain its own counsel with the fees and expenses to be paid
by the indemnifying party, 



                                      -12-

<PAGE>   13

if, in the reasonable opinion of counsel retained by the indemnifying party, the
representation by such counsel of the Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party
and the indemnifying party would be inappropriate due to actual or potential
differing interests between such Indemnified Person or Indemnified Party and any
other party represented by such counsel in such proceeding. In such event, the
Company shall pay for only one separate legal counsel for the Investors; such
legal counsel shall be selected by the Investors holding a majority in interest
of the Registrable Securities included in the Registration Statement to which
the Claim relates. The failure to deliver written notice to the indemnifying
party within a reasonable time of the commencement of any such action shall not
relieve such indemnifying party of any liability to the Indemnified Person or
Indemnified Party under this Section 6, except to the extent that the
indemnifying party is prejudiced in its ability to defend such action. The
indemnification required by this Section 6 shall be made by periodic payments of
the amount thereof during the course of the investigation or defense, as such
expense, loss, damage or liability is incurred and is due and payable.

        7. CONTRIBUTION. To the extent any indemnification by an indemnifying
party is prohibited or limited by law, the indemnifying party agrees to make the
maximum contribution with respect to any amounts for which it would otherwise be
liable under Section 6 to the fullest extent permitted by law; provided,
however, that (a) no contribution shall be made under circumstances where the
maker would not have been liable for indemnification under the fault standards
set forth in Section 6, (b) no seller of Registrable Securities guilty of
fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the
Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any seller of Registrable
Securities who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation and (c)
contribution by any seller of Registrable Securities shall be limited in amount
to the amount by which the net amount of proceeds received by such seller from
the sale of such Registrable Securities exceeds the purchase price paid by such
seller for such Registrable Securities.

        8. REPORTS UNDER EXCHANGE ACT. With a view to making available to the
Investors the benefits of Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act or any
other similar rule or regulation of the SEC that may at any time permit the
Investors to sell securities of the Company to the public without registration
("Rule 144"), the Company agrees to:

        (a) make and keep public information available, as those terms are
understood and defined in Rule 144;

        (b) file with the SEC in a timely manner all reports and other documents
required of the Company under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act; and

        (c) furnish to each Investor so long as such Investor owns Registrable
Securities, promptly upon request, (i) a written statement by the Company that
it has complied with the reporting requirements of Rule 144 and the Exchange
Act, (ii) a copy of the most recent annual or quarterly report of the Company
and such other reports and documents so filed by the Company and (iii) such
other information as may be reasonably requested to permit the Investors to sell
such securities pursuant to Rule 144 without registration.



                                      -13-

<PAGE>   14
        9. ASSIGNMENT OF THE REGISTRATION RIGHTS. The rights to have the Company
register Registrable Securities pursuant to this Agreement shall be
automatically assigned by the Investors to any transferee of all or any portion
of such securities (or all or any portion of the Preferred Shares, the Dividend
Shares or the Warrants) only if: (a) the Investor agrees in writing with the
transferee or assignee to assign such rights, and a copy of such agreement is
furnished to the Company within a reasonable time after such assignment, (b) the
Company is, within a reasonable time after such transfer or assignment,
furnished with written notice of (i) the name and address of such transferee or
assignee and (ii) the securities with respect to which such registration rights
are being transferred or assigned, (c) immediately following such transfer or
assignment the further disposition of such securities by the transferee or
assignee is restricted under the Securities Act and applicable state securities
laws, and (d) at or before the time the Company received the written notice
contemplated by clause (b) of this sentence the transferee or assignee agrees in
writing with the Company to be bound by all of the provisions contained herein.
In connection with any such transfer the Company shall, at its sole cost and
expense, promptly after such assignment take such actions as shall be reasonably
acceptable to the Initial Investor and such transferee to assure that the
Registration Statement and related prospectus are available for use by such
transferee for sales of the Registrable Securities in respect of which the
rights to registration have been so assigned. In connection with any such
assignment, each Investor shall have the right to assign to such transferee such
Investor's rights under the Subscription Agreement by notice of such assignment
to the Company. Following such notice of assignment of rights under the
Subscription Agreement, the Company shall be obligated to such transferee to
perform all of its covenants under of the Subscription Agreement as if such
transferee were the Buyer under the Subscription Agreement.

        10. AMENDMENT OF REGISTRATION RIGHTS. Any provision of this Agreement
may be amended and the observance thereof may be waived (either generally or in
a particular instance and either retroactively or prospectively), only with the
written consent of the Company and Investors who hold a majority in interest of
the Registrable Securities. Any amendment or waiver effected in accordance with
this Section 10 shall be binding upon each Investor and the Company.

        11. MISCELLANEOUS.

        (a) A person or entity is deemed to be a holder of Registrable
Securities whenever such person or entity owns of record such Registrable
Securities. If the Company receives conflicting instructions, notices or
elections from two or more persons or entities with respect to the same
Registrable Securities, the Company shall act upon the basis of instructions,
notice or election received from the registered owner of such Registrable
Securities.

        (b) Notices required or permitted to be given hereunder shall be in
writing and shall be deemed to be sufficiently given when personally delivered
(by hand, by courier, by telephone line facsimile transmission or other means)
(i) if to the Company, at 1601 Fifth Avenue, Suite 1900, Seattle, Washington,
98101, Attention: Chief Financial Officer, telephone line facsimile transmission
number (206) 292-6836, with a copy to C. Kent Carlson, Esq., Preston Gates &
Ellis LLP, 701 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, Washington 98104 (telephone line
facsimile 



                                      -14-

<PAGE>   15

number (206) 623-7022), (ii) if to the Initial Investor, ______________________,
telephone line facsimile transmission number _________________ and (iii) if to
any other Investor, at such address as such Investor shall have provided in
writing to the Company, or at such other address as each such party furnishes by
notice given in accordance with this Section 11(b).

        (c) Failure of any party to exercise any right or remedy under this
Agreement or otherwise, or delay by a party in exercising such right or remedy,
shall not operate as a waiver thereof.

        (d) This Agreement shall be enforced, governed by and construed in
accordance with the laws of the State of Washington applicable to agreements
made and to be performed entirely within such State. In the event that any
provision of this Agreement is invalid or unenforceable under any applicable
statute or rule of law, then such provision shall be deemed inoperative to the
extent that it may conflict therewith and shall be deemed modified to conform
with such statute or rule of law. Any provision hereof which may prove invalid
or unenforceable under any law shall not affect the validity or enforceability
of any other provision hereof.

        (e) This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement among the parties
hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof. There are no restrictions,
promises, warranties or undertakings, other than those set forth or referred to
herein. This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings among
the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof.

        (f) Subject to the requirements of Section 9 hereof, this Agreement
shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors and assigns of
each of the parties hereto.

        (g) All pronouns and any variations thereof refer to the masculine,
feminine or neuter, singular or plural, as the context may require.

        (h) The headings in this Agreement are for convenience of reference only
and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.

        (i) The Company acknowledges that any failure by the Company to perform
its obligations under this Agreement, including, without limitation, the
Company's obligations under Section 3(n), or any delay in such performance could
result in damages to the Investors and the Company agrees that, in addition to
any other liability the Company may have by reason of any such failure or delay,
the Company shall be liable for all direct and consequential damages caused by
any such failure or delay.

        (j) This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of
which shall be deemed an original but all of which shall constitute one and the
same agreement. This Agreement, once executed by a party, may be delivered to
the other party hereto by telephone line facsimile transmission of a copy of
this Agreement bearing the signature of the party so delivering this Agreement.



                                      -15-

<PAGE>   16

        IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be duly
executed by their respective officers thereunto duly authorized as of day and
year first above written.

                                             IVI PUBLISHING, INC.



                                             By:  ______________________________
                                                  Name:
                                                  Title:



                                             By:  ______________________________



                                      -16-

<PAGE>   17

                                                                   EXHIBIT 1
                                                                       TO
                                                                  REGISTRATION
                                                                RIGHTS AGREEMENT

                              [Company Letterhead]

                                     [Date]

American Stock Transfer & Trust Company,
   as Transfer Agent, Warrant Agent and Registrar
6201 Fifteenth Avenue
Brooklyn, New York 11219


Ladies and Gentlemen:

        This letter shall serve as our irrevocable authorization and direction
to you [(1) to transfer or re-register the certificates for the shares of Common
Stock, $.01 par value (the "Common Stock"), of IVI Publishing, Inc., a Minnesota
corporation (the "Company"), represented by certificate numbers _______ and
_______ for an aggregate of _______ shares (the "Outstanding Shares") of Common
Stock presently registered in the name of [Name of Investors] upon surrender of
such certificate(s) to you, notwithstanding the legend appearing on such
certificates, and (2) ] to issue (a) shares (the "Conversion Shares") of Common
Stock to or upon 



----------
(1) Omit if no conversions of Preferred Stock or exercises of Warrants have
occurred before SEC registration is declared effective.



                                      1-17

<PAGE>   18

the order of the holder from time to time on conversion of the shares (the
"Preferred Shares") of Series B Convertible Preferred Stock, a a a par value, of
the Company upon receipt by you of a Notice of Conversion of Series B
Convertible Preferred Stock in the form enclosed herewith, and (b) shares (the
"Warrant Shares") of Common Stock to or upon the order of the holder from time
to time on exercise of the Common Stock Purchase Warrants (the "Warrants")
exercisable for Common Stock issued by the Company upon receipt by you of a
Subscription Form from such holder in the form enclosed herewith. [The transfer
or re-registration of the certificates for the Outstanding Shares by you should
be made at such time as you are requested to do so by the record holder of the
Outstanding Shares. The certificate issued upon such transfer or re-registration
should be registered in such name as requested by the holder of record of the
certificate surrendered to you and should not bear any legend which would
restrict the transfer of the shares represented thereby. In addition, you are
hereby directed to remove any stop-transfer instruction relating to the
Outstanding Shares.] Certificates for the Conversion Shares and Warrant Shares
should not bear any restrictive legend and should not be subject to any
stop-transfer restriction.

        Contemporaneously with the delivery of this letter, the Company is
delivering to you an opinion of Preston Gates & Ellis LLP as to registration of
the Outstanding Shares and the Conversion Shares and Warrant Shares under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended.



                                      1-19
<PAGE>   19

        Should you have any questions concerning this matter, please contact me.

                                             Very truly yours,

                                             IVI PUBLISHING, INC.




                                             By:a                              a
                                                --------------------------------
                                                Name:
                                                Title:

Enclosures
cc:        [Names of Investors]



                                      1-20
<PAGE>   20

                                                                    EXHIBIT 2
                                                                      TO
                                                                  REGISTRATION
                                                                RIGHTS AGREEMENT

                            aaaaaaaaaaaaaaa aaa, 1998


[Names and Addresses of Investors]



                              IVI PUBLISHING, INC.
                            ASHARES OF COMMON STOCKA

Ladies and Gentlemen:

        We are counsel to IVI Publishing, Inc., a Minnesota corporation (the
"Company"), and we understand that the Company has sold to [Names of Investors]
(the "Holders") an aggregate of 5,000 shares (the "Preferred Shares") of the
CompanyAEs Series B Convertible Preferred Stock, $.01 par value (the "Preferred
Stock") and issued to the Holders Common Stock Purchase Warrants (the
"Warrants"). The Preferred Shares were sold, and the Warrants were issued, to
the Holders pursuant to several Subscription Agreements, dated as of April 10,
1998, between the Holders and the Company (the "Subscription Agreements").
Pursuant to the several Registration Rights Agreements, dated as of April 10,
1998, between the Company and each Holder (the "Registration Rights Agreements")
entered into in connection with the purchase by the Holders of the Preferred
Shares, the Company agreed with each Holder, among other things, to register for
resale (1) the shares (the "Conversion Shares") of Common Stock issuable upon
conversion of the Preferred Shares and conversion of the shares of Preferred
Stock issuable as dividends on the Preferred Shares and (2) the shares (the
"Warrant Shares") of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants under
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), upon the terms
provided in the Registration Rights Agreements. The Conversion Shares and the
Warrant Shares are referred to herein collectively as the "Shares". Pursuant to
the Registration Rights Agreements, on aaaaaaaaa aaa, 1998 the Company filed a
Registration Statement on Form [S-1, S-2] (File No. 333-__________) (the
"Registration Statement") with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"SEC") relating to the Shares, which names the Holders as selling shareholders
thereunder.

        [Other introductory and scope of examination language to be inserted]

        Based on the foregoing, we are of the opinion that:



                                      2-21

<PAGE>   21

                     (1) Since the Closing Date, the Company has timely filed
           with the SEC all forms, reports and other documents required to be
           filed with the SEC under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
           amended (the "1934 Act"). All of such forms, reports and other
           documents complied, when filed, in all material respects, with all
           applicable requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1934 Act;

                     (2) The Registration Statement and the Prospectus contained
           therein (other than the financial statements and schedules and other
           financial and statistical information contained or incorporated by
           reference therein, as to which we have not been requested to and do
           not express any opinion) comply as to form in all material respects
           with the applicable requirements of the 1933 Act and the rules and
           regulations promulgated thereunder; and

                     (3) The Registration Statement has become effective under
           the 1933 Act, to the best of our knowledge after due inquiry, no stop
           order proceedings with respect thereto have been instituted or
           threatened by the SEC. The Shares have been registered, and are
           available for resale, under the 1933 Act.

                     Members of this firm's Primary Lawyer Group (as defined
below) have participated in the preparation of the Registration Statement and
the Prospectus, including review and discussions with officers and other
representatives of the Company, representatives of the independent public
accountants for the Company, and your representatives at which the contents of
the Registration Statement and the Prospectus contained therein and related
matters were discussed, and, although we are not passing upon and do not assume
any responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements
contained in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus contained therein, on
the basis of the foregoing, nothing has come to the attention of the Primary
Lawyer Group that leads them to believe either that the Registration Statement
at the time the Registration Statement became effective contained an untrue
statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or
that the Prospectus contained in the Registration Statement, as of its date,
contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein,
in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading (it
being understood that we have not been requested to and do not express any view
with respect to the financial statements and schedules and other financial and
statistical data included or incorporated by reference in the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus contained therein). For purposes of this letter, the
term "Primary Lawyer Group" shall mean Mark R. Beatty and Christopher H.
Cunningham.

                     Paragraph (3) of this opinion may be relied upon by
American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as Transfer Agent, Warrant Agent and
Registrar (the "Transfer Agent") as if addressed to the Transfer Agent.



                                             Very truly yours,



                                      2-22
<PAGE>   22


cc:        American Stock Transfer & Trust Company,
              as Transfer Agent, Warrant Agent and Registrar



                                      2-23