A Comparison of Print and Electronic Journal Holdings in Academic and Public Libraries

Abstract

The past few years have seen an enormous growth in the number of journals that libraries can access electronically. This is a well-researched and well-documented phenomenon, but no studies have compared the actual number of electronic journals a library can access, particularly in comparison with the total number of journals they receive through all sources, including print. The growth of serials management companies suggests the possibility of this research. Through analysis of resources tracked by Serials Solutions, Inc., one can get a firm grasp on how many electronic journals a library is tracking, in comparison with the number of print or microfilm titles they have. This article presents the first comprehensive analysis of how many journals public and various types of academic libraries can access electronically, rather than in print. While highlighting the incredible increase in access to information electronically, it also identifies the limitations of the current research, particularly regarding libraries' print holdings. As data collection improves, future research will be more accurate, and will provide a basis for studying both the growth of electronic access to journals and the expected reduction in print access to journals.