Is anyone else noticing more problems than usual with online journals transferring from one publisher to another?
The Transfer Code of Practice has certainly helped improve these situations because we knew ahead of time what titles were moving and where, but coordinating the cut off of access from the prior publisher’s site and the new site hasn’t
gone so well.
In one case, three subscribed titles moved from a small publisher to a large publisher. We were denied access to full-text for one of the three. The problem was resolved fairly rapidly. At least the new publisher had the content mounted
online.
The latest situation involves a journal moving from the University of California Press (via JSTOR Current Scholarship) to Sage (who had endorsed the Transfer Code of Practice). We know from past experience that U Calif Press offers no
grace period and is not on the Transfer list. Therefore, it was no surprise to see that we have no access on the JSTOR platform. However, Sage does not yet have any online content for this journal. (or so well hidden that neither my colleague nor I could
find it)
The transfer of two other subscribed titles that moved from the U of Calif Press to another publisher seems to have gone just fine.
It is very disconcerting to have such a gap in access because the receiving publisher has not been able to mount the content before the prior publisher cuts off access. I cannot recall this ever happening before, and hope it is just a glitch in the universe
(as opposed to a polar vortex).
Thanks for listening.
Susan
Susan Davis
Acquisitions Librarian for Continuing Resources
University at Buffalo (SUNY)
134 Lockwood Library
Buffalo, NY 14260-2210
716-645-2784
716-645-5955 fax
http://libweb.lib.buffalo.edu/staff/index.asp?ID=124