JSTOR

JSTOR
Name	JSTOR
Owner	Ithaka Harbors, Inc.
Launch date	1995
Current status	Active

JSTOR is a digital library founded by William G. Bowen and Kevin M. Guthrie with the aim of providing access to academic journals, books, and primary sources to universities, colleges, and research institutions like Harvard University, Stanford University, and the University of Oxford. The platform has collaborated with renowned publishers such as Oxford University Press, Cambridge University Press, and University of Chicago Press to digitize and make available the back issues of journals like The American Historical Review, The Journal of Economic History, and The Journal of Modern History. This initiative has been supported by foundations like the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Ford Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Introduction

JSTOR has become an essential resource for researchers and scholars from institutions like Massachusetts Institute of Technology, California Institute of Technology, and University of California, Berkeley, providing access to a vast array of academic content from publishers such as Elsevier, Springer Science+Business Media, and Wiley-Blackwell. The platform has partnered with libraries like the Library of Congress, the British Library, and the National Library of Australia to expand its collection and improve accessibility for users from countries like the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia. JSTOR's content includes journals like The Journal of Philosophy, The Journal of Politics, and The American Journal of Sociology, as well as books from university presses like Harvard University Press, Princeton University Press, and Yale University Press.

History

The concept of JSTOR was first proposed by William G. Bowen, the president of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, in the early 1990s, with the goal of preserving the back issues of academic journals and making them available to researchers and scholars from institutions like Columbia University, University of Michigan, and University of California, Los Angeles. The project was initially funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Ford Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Humanities, and was launched in 1995 with a pilot project involving journals like The American Economic Review, The Journal of Economic Perspectives, and The Quarterly Journal of Economics. Since its inception, JSTOR has expanded its collection to include books, primary sources, and other academic content from publishers like Routledge, Taylor & Francis, and SAGE Publications.

Content

JSTOR's collection includes over 2,000 academic journals, 50,000 ebooks, and numerous primary sources from archives like the Archives of the New York Times, the Archives of The Economist, and the Archives of the London Times. The platform provides access to journals like The Journal of Finance, The Journal of Marketing, and The Journal of Accounting Research, as well as books from university presses like University of Pennsylvania Press, Johns Hopkins University Press, and Duke University Press. JSTOR has also partnered with organizations like the American Historical Association, the American Sociological Association, and the American Economic Association to provide access to conference proceedings, working papers, and other academic content.

Access_and_usage

JSTOR is available to universities, colleges, and research institutions like University of Cambridge, University of Edinburgh, and University of Melbourne through subscription-based models, as well as to individuals through public libraries like the New York Public Library, the Los Angeles Public Library, and the Chicago Public Library. The platform has also launched initiatives like JSTOR Early Journal Content and JSTOR Open Access Books to provide free access to academic content for users from developing countries like India, China, and Brazil. JSTOR has collaborated with organizations like the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions and the Association of Research Libraries to promote accessibility and usability of academic content.

Impact_and_criticisms

JSTOR has had a significant impact on academic research and scholarship, providing access to a vast array of academic content and facilitating collaboration among researchers and scholars from institutions like University of Tokyo, University of Sydney, and University of Toronto. However, the platform has also faced criticisms regarding accessibility and affordability, particularly for users from developing countries like South Africa, Nigeria, and Indonesia. JSTOR has responded to these concerns by launching initiatives like JSTOR Africa Access Initiative and JSTOR Security Studies Initiative, which provide free or reduced-fee access to academic content for users from eligible countries.

Technical_aspects

JSTOR's technical infrastructure is managed by Ithaka Harbors, Inc., a non-profit organization founded by William G. Bowen and Kevin M. Guthrie. The platform uses a digital repository system to store and manage its collection of academic content, and provides search and discovery tools to facilitate accessibility and usability. JSTOR has also developed application programming interfaces (APIs) to enable integration with other digital platforms and tools, such as Zotero, Mendeley, and EndNote. The platform has partnered with organizations like the Digital Public Library of America and the Internet Archive to promote digital preservation and accessibility of academic content.

Category:Digital libraries