Why access electronic journals at all?
You need to discuss and decide what is most important to your library and your users. Pros: • Allow remote access • Can be used simultaneously by more than one user • Provide timely access • Support searching capabilities • Accommodate unique features (links to related items) • Save physical storage space • Contain multimedia information • Do not require physical processing • Can be environmentally valuable • Can be saved digitally Cons: • Incur great expense particularly in the beginning • Need appropriate equipment – high-end computers and web browsers • Lack compatibility among different publishers • Require promotion and training • Cause more concern about copyright • Are more difficult to browse than paper journals • Do not have sufficient journal and time coverage yet • Result in excessive printing • Are hard to be incorporated with paper journals • Raise concern about archiving • Require complex licensing agreements • Need technical support • Are hard to cite because they are co
