Association of Research Libraries (ARL®)

Project Background

As research libraries make a shift to electronic collections, ARL is especially concerned about journals that offer only a print subscription, or perhaps, electronic access solely through commercial aggregators. If journal cancellations continue to be as extreme as predicted, many humanities and social science journals that are highly valued will be at risk. ARL and partner organizations have conducted and published research in recent years that describe library publishing capabilities and the opportunities those capabilities can provide to the scholarly community. This ARL project--Publishing Support for Small Print-Based Publishers: Options for ARL Libraries--investigated how research libraries can expand and strengthen their role in scholarly communication and, at the same time, secure perpetual access to an electronic version of at risk journals from small publishers who currently offer only print subscriptions. While the project was expected to primarily benefit publishers of humanities and social science print journals, project segments could also apply to STM publications.

The project had three interrelated phases:

Phase 1: Identify criteria and select U.S. and Canadian candidate titles

In consultation with libraries conducting cancellation projects, at risk titles were determined. Data was also being obtained from subscription agents and evaluated for further study.

Phase 2: Evaluate publisher requirements

Interviews were conducted with a sample of print only publishers to identify their needs in order to publish online to both make their titles more accessible and eligible for electronic archiving. A variety of options were examined.

Phase 3: Explore publishing options

Discussions with libraries and university presses will determine options for potential matches for at risk titles and libraries with publishing capacity.

ARL contracted with Informed Strategies to conduct the investigation. October Ivins, eContent Solutions, and Judy Luther, President, Informed Strategies, were the project consultants.

Project Results

The project began in 2009, and the consultants discussed their initial findings with the ARL Reshaping Scholarly Communication Steering Committee in October 2009. They also led a briefing session, “Options for Research Library support of Small Publisher Operations,” at the ARL Membership Meeting. The final report, “Publishing Support for Small Print-Based Publishers: Options for ARL Libraries,” was completed in September 2010, and the report recommendations were accepted by the Steering Committee in October 2010.

The report to ARL includes identification of the extent and characterization of journal titles for which support would be necessary, reviews of the capabilities and interest of research library publishing services to support the publishers, and recommendations for actions ARL and member libraries might undertake to address the needs of the editors and publishers of these small print-only titles. Appendices provide talking points for campus outreach, and annotated bibliography, and an overview of the landscape for publishing options.