Abstract: In this study, estimations of the effects of electronic information services on academic research as made in 2004, are confronted with the actual situation. For this purpose database statistics on session length per user session, the role of “Referrers” and number of Full Text Articles requested per user session are analysed. The effect of a larger content offering is studied by analysing the relationship between subscribed titles and Full Text Articles requested. Finally a possible relationship between R&D spend, subscription spend and article publication is sought. This study found that time spent on Browse/scan and Search is increasing, possibly caused by a broader penetration amongst less trained users. This study further clearly showed that a larger content offering coincides with a dramatic increase in Full Text Article requests, and an increase in Full Text Article requests, after about 2 years, coincides with increased article publication.
From the body of the paper:
This study further clearly showed...that the contribution of Back File material to the total number of Full Text Article requests is modest.
Comment. I see two implications for OA:
When users have more online content accessible to them (whether OA or pre-paid by their institution), they click through for full-text "dramatically" more often, showing a rough correlation between breadth of access and research productivity and depth.
Demand for older articles is "modest" compared to demand for new ones, showing that publishers do not need lengthy embargo periods before releasing their backfiles to OA. Eger's data don't show how short an embargo period period could be for a given journal. But in estimating the shortest viable length for an embargo, remember that we're not looking for the moment when the demand reduces to zero, but for the moment when the benefits to the journal from offering OA to the backfile (visibility, usage, and citation impact) outweigh the loss of income from access fees.
Posted by
Peter Suber at 7/04/2008 12:55:00 PM.
The open access movement:
Putting peer-reviewed scientific and scholarly literature
on the internet. Making it available free of charge and
free of most copyright and licensing restrictions.
Removing the barriers to serious research.
I recommend the OA tracking project (OATP) as the best way to stay on top of new OA developments. You can read the OATP feed on a blog-like web page or subscribe to it by RSS, email, or Twitter. You can also help build the feed by tagging new developments you encounter.
