Future of Journals

Collections at UConn Library: Responsive. Relevant. Sustainable.

The UConn Library is committed to supporting the academic and scholarly success of our community. As stewards of the world of information, our goal is to strike a balance between providing relevant resources to meet the increasingly diverse research and teaching needs at UConn while staying within our budget.

The ability of the UConn Library to meet our community’s rapidly evolving information needs is challenged when we must pay for expensive “Big Deal” journal subscription bundles with annually flat or reduced library budgets. This combination of mounting costs and shrinking budgets has led many research libraries to shift from traditional collection development practices to a more sustainable approach for providing access to scholarly information. As a national leader among public research universities, we join other academic libraries in rethinking how we manage the challenges of the for profit journal publishing system in order to make scholarship more open, affordable, transparent, and sustainable.

We are committed to supporting sustainable scholarship through what we are calling the Future of Journals, by implementing alternative means of accessing scholarly information that provides access at the point of need instead of just in case. The Future of Journals enables us to manage our budget so that we build collections that reflect the needs of our faculty and students.

 

What does this mean for how you get what you need? 

When you find the article you want in the Library catalog and full text is not immediately available,  select 'Check for Request Options' and 'Get this PDF.' If you are searching from an Index or Database, such as SCOPUS, Google Scholar, or a publisher website, you can select the UConn Full-Text button and you will be directed to 'Get this PDF.' There is no limit on the number of requests for articles for UConn faculty and graduate students. 

The most efficient way to get to the full-text is to directly search the Library catalog or Library-provided subject databases for expedited access. If you need help, check out our guide.  

 

    How long does it take? 

    For faculty and graduate students, depending on where the article comes from most items will be delivered within five minutes (or less) to an hour. 

    The link to download your article will be sent to your UConn email so check your email for a message from "Reprints Desk". The link will be available for 30 days and you will only be able to download the article from this link five times. We recommend saving the article to your computer or mobile device as soon as you get access. If you don't receive your article in a timely manner, check your SPAM filter and add "reprintsdesk.com" to your list of permitted senders. 

    What is the Future of Journals Project? 

    Beginning in January 2022 and running over a five year period, journal packages will not be renewed, and instead we will provide articles on an individual basis at the same speed and convenience currently available. The change occurs primarily behind the scenes in how the Library pays for and delivers journal materials. Any decisions about journal subscriptions will in no way impact other resources/services you have come to rely on, including access to databases and other search tools to help you find the articles and other materials needed for your work.

     

    How can I give you my feedback or ask questions?

    You can contact us at journalsfeedback@uconn.edu.

     

    What is Article Galaxy Scholar? 

    Article Galaxy Scholar works behind the scenes to provide UConn faculty (including emeriti and adjunct) and graduate students the ability to request rapid delivery of articles from a small number of selected journals. This service is available 24/7. The UConn Library launched the Article Galaxy Scholar service in December 2021 and is now a permanent part of operations. The Library has created a guide to answer questions you may have. Please send your questions and/or comments regarding Article Galaxy Scholar by email to ermsupport@uconn.edu.

     

    Will I be able to get access to the full text of articles? 

    Yes! How the library provides access to select articles is changing but your ability to access them will not. We will supply them to you on demand via the Article Galaxy Scholar service from Reprints Desk. See our guide.

    For faculty and graduate students, depending on where the article comes from most items will be delivered within five minutes (or less) to an hour. Undergraduate students and staff should continue to request articles via interlibrary loan.

     

    Can I link to an article in my syllabus if the Library does not have access?

    The Library will negotiate copyright clearance for articles that faculty distribute to their class, either by posting in Husky CT or by another means. Please contact Access & Visitor Services staff John Cropp and Vanessa Garcia with the citation for the article, the faculty member’s name, the course name and number, and the number of students in the course.

     

    Will I still be able to access databases such as EBSCO, ProQuest, and Scopus?

    Yes! You will continue to have the same access to all the databases the library subscribes to. 

     

    Is there a list of journal subscriptions and when they will not be renewed?

    There is not a list of journal subscription titles. If access is burdensome compared to accessing articles via the traditional journal subscription model, please send an email to journalsfeedback@uconn.edu.

     

    How long does it take to receive my order? 

    Most articles will be delivered within five minutes (or less) to an hour. Articles originally published in HTML will take longer. If you do not receive your article in a timely manner, check your spam filter and add “reprintsdesk.com” to your list of permitted senders. 

     If delays persist, here are some helpful hints to provide you with a possible resolution:

     

    Will books be affected by these changes? 

    No! The availability of scholarly monographs will not be impacted.

     

    Will it change how I search for an article?

    No! The discovery tools remain the same.

     

    How will this transition impact the UConn Health and Law communities? 

    We continue to work closely with our campus partners to provide convenient, cost-effective access to articles. The Health Sciences and Law libraries maintain their own collections and budgets. We ask the Health and Law communities continue to rely on the robust interlibrary loan services at their own libraries.

     

    How do I suggest that a journal subscription be renewed or added?

    Send suggestions to journalsfeedback@uconn.edu email. The Library will review annually and add subscriptions that meet narrow and specific parameters. Our long term approach is to provide articles, not subscribe to journals.

     

    Does the Library subscribe to journals if a UConn Faculty is an editor?

    No, the Library does not subscribe to journals based on UConn faculty editorship. If you would like to suggest a journal subscription, send an email to journalsfeedback@uconn.edu

     

    Who was on the Future of Journals Committee?

    Robert Astur, Professor, Department of Psychology
    Brian Boecherer, Executive Director, Early College Programs
    Thomas Briggs, PhD student, Department of Political Science
    Jessica de Perio Wittman, Director/Associate Professor, UConn Law Library
    Pamela Diggle, Department Head/Professor, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
    Stuart Duncan, Director of Fellowship, Outreach, and Programming, The Graduate School
    Kevin Fitzgerald, MPA student, Department of Public Policy
    Anne Langley, Dean, UConn Library
    Carl Lejuez, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs
    Senjie Lin, Professor, Marine Sciences
    Ruth Lucas, Assistant Professor, School of Nursing
    Kevin McEvoy, Assistant Professor in Residence, Marketing
    Grace Morris, Research Development Specialist, InCHIP
    Roxanne Peck, AUL for Collections & Discovery, UConn Library
    Sylvia Schafer, Professor, Department of History
    Leslie Shor, Associate Dean, School of Engineering
    Fiona Somerset, Professor, English/Literatures Cultures and Languages
    Katherine Spinnato, Director of Academic Affairs, USG Academic Affairs
    Olga Vinogradova, Professor, School of Pharmacy
    Sandra Weller, Board of Trustee Professor, Molecular Biology and Biophysics
    Lisa Williamson, DMA student, Music Department
    Sarah Woulfin, Associate Professor, Educational Leadership
    Steven Zinn, Department Head/Professor, Department of Animal Science