journals seem superior to print to me. What are their downsides?
E-journals do offer rapid access and enriched content with powerful searching capabilities and links to other resources. They also save space on our overcrowded library shelves and can be used remotely at any time of day. Nonetheless, in most cases, the Library is maintaining a print subscription to each title because we are concerned about long term access to the information. If the archival issues are resolved in the future that policy will be reconsidered. The publishers’ pricing policies are currently in flux with new subscription models under development. One practice we see frequently involves providing free access for the first year to build a user base but with subscription fees imposed after the free trial period. If we are to budget responsibly we must review each of these electronic subscriptions carefully; we may find ourselves canceling lesser-used print subscriptions to add an electronic version of a more heavily-used title. For many of our e-journals a print subscription
