Over Two Decades of Experimentation and Development

Early evaluation of e-journals on optical media (1978-1991)

Elsevier understood in the late 1970s that electronic distribution would change the way the journal literature was distributed and used. While not foreseeing the Internet and the World Wide Web, it followed developments in local optical media storage. In 1979 it started the Adonis project with several other leading STM publishers, aimed at scanning journals onto Philips optical disks for local use by document delivery services. The costs of this proved to be prohibitive for publishers and potential customers alike. The perspective changed when PCs proliferated and CD-ROMs developed as cheap storage and distribution media. The Adonis project went live with several hundred biomedical journals scanned onto CD-ROM in 1991.

The University LIcensing Program (TULIP) (1991-1995)

During the late 1980s Elsevier was in discussion with several libraries about possible experiments in electronic journal distribution. In 1991 it started the TULIP project with nine U.S. university libraries (one of which was the nine-member University of California system). This was the largest experimental project at that time to test the networked desktop delivery of e-journals. Pre-Mosaic, the project was based on delivery of the journals to each institution, which would mount them on their campus network and make them available using individually-developed software. Initially the project delivered more than 40 journals in materials science, doubling to 80 by project end. Over 4000 pages of scanned text was delivered every two weeks. TULIP taught enormous technical lessons in local systems, delivery and access tools and in the use of e-journals at the desktop.

Experiment with Tilburg University (1992-1995)

In parallel with TULIP, an experiment in e-journals was done with the Katholieke Universiteit Brabant, the University in Tilburg, The Netherlands. This experiment specialized in business and financial literature and provided a different user perspective and a European viewpoint.

Elsevier Electronic Subscriptions (1995-….)As the TULIP program was ending, Elsevier made the commitment to create a commercial service on the TULIP scanned-image, locally-hosted model. All 1000+ Elsevier journals were scanned and made available on a subscription basis. This program continues today under the name ScienceDirect OnSite (SDOS) and, now delivering both PDF and SGML files, allows for local ownership and customization of e-journal services.

ScienceDirect (1995-….)

In parallel with the introduction of the Elsevier Electronic Subscriptions locally-delivered service, Elsevier began the development of a Web-based service that came to be called ScienceDirect. This started in 1995 after Reed Elsevier purchased LexisNexis, providing Elsevier with a partner experienced in large-scale network delivery. ScienceDirect was launched in beta in 1997 and its first commercial licensing started in 1998. It now offers over 2.5 million articles from nearly 1,500 journals, growing rapidly with the addition of digitally-converted journal backfiles. More than 75% of the Elsevier paper journal customers have licenses to access ScienceDirect, offering immediate availability to millions of researchers and students, with a growing number of institutions deciding to cancel print in favor of electronic delivery only.

PEAK (1997-1999)

One of the areas not well explored in the TULIP project was the economics of e-delivery and the pricing of e-journals. The University of Michigan, a TULIP leader, wanted to continue this research and the PEAK project was established to test three different pricing models. Under the direction of UM faculty, PEAK involved twelve institutions, small and large, academic and corporate. While in the end it was felt that the experiment was not definitive in its findings, it did establish certain principles that have influenced subsequent pricing models.

Digital Archiving Commitment (1995-….)

Elsevier started discussions with the Koninlijke Bibliotheek (KB) in 1995 with the introduction of Elsevier Electronic Subscriptions and signed an agreement with the KB in 1996 to deposit e-copies of all Elsevier Science journals with a Dutch imprint. This was initially 270 journals and currently is 351. When ScienceDirect began its commercial program, Elsevier felt that it had a responsibility to take on archival responsibility for its e-journals. This became a formal commitment and part of the ScienceDirect license in 1999, saying that Elsevier would preserve the material in perpetuity and, should there come a time when Elsevier could no longer maintain this commitment, it would transfer the archive to library-approved hands.

By autumn 2000 Elsevier also determined that it would be desirable to go a step further and deposit the e-journals on a current basis with a trusted repository. While there have been (and continue to be) discussions with libraries in many parts of the world, the KB was the natural partner, as it is the home national library for Elsevier and a clear leader in digital preservation development and discussions started in October, 2000.

At the same time Elsevier also started working on an archival project with Yale University Library, partnering with them in 2001 with funding from the Mellon Foundation. This research project, which involved close co-operation with the KB, reconfirmed certain key archival principles, including the need to focus on content preservation (rather than look and feel) and to adopt the OAIS standards for preservation systems. That project was concluded in March, 2002.

Discussion continued with the KB, leading to the current agreement to archive all 1500+ Elsevier journals.

For further information please contact:

Elsevier
Karen Hunter
Senior Vice President Strategy
Tel: +1 212 633 3787
Fax: +1 212 633 3764
E-mail: k.hunter@elsevier.com