Subscription of Print version of Open Access Journals: Need or Wastage of Library Fund

[Shivraj Pandey]

Most of the college libraries subscribed the print version of one or more Open Access Journals as mentioned below. As the electronic version of the journals are available free of cost on the internet, is it really require subscribing the print version?

List of few Open Access Journals whose print versions are generally subscribed by most of the college libraries:

NISCAIR Journal (Available at http://nopr.niscair.res.in/handle/123456789/2 )
Indian Journal of Biochemistry and Biophysics (IJBB)
Indian Journal of Biotechnology (IJBT)
Indian Journal of Chemical Technology (IJCT)
Indian Journal of Chemistry -Section A (IJC-A)
Indian Journal of Chemistry -Section B (IJC-B)
Indian Journal of Experimental Biology (IJEB)
Indian Journal of Fibre & Textile Research (IJFTR)
Indian Journal of Pure & Applied Physics (IJPAP)
Indian Journal of Radio & Space Physics (IJRSP)

INDIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCE (Available at http://www.ias.ac.in/pubs/journals/ )

Journal of Chemical Sciences
Proceedings - Mathematical Sciences
Journal of Earth System Science
Sadhana (Academy proceedings in engineering sciences)
Pramana - Journal of Physics
Journal of Biosciences
Bulletin of Materials Science
Journal of Astrophysics and Astronomy
Journal of Genetics
Resonance - Journal of Science Education
Current Science

[Siddhartha Shankar Ray]

Dear Sri Shivarj Pandey,

Thanks for your post and raising a very relevant issue.

As I understand, the NISCAIR has 17 journals altogether and all are open access now as per the Government's decision.

A few of the journals, for instance, Current Science (of Indian Academy of Sciences) and Journal of Scientific and Industrial Research are multifaceted journals. Especially, the Current Science is the one which regularly publishes articles and news on popular science as well including reports and articles on Scientometric studies.

Now coming to your question, well, yes, any College ( as you mentioned) can certainly stop print subscription to these journals as mentioned by you, provided, the Colleges have the requisite infrastructure to get access to the online versions. As I understand, in West Bengal, especially in suburban towns, high speed internet connectivity is still not available. As far as my knowledge is concerned, situations in other states are no different!!

Besides, the print journals have their own distinct appeal, impact and importance.  For instance, when any team visits the Library, they often get impressed by the collection of journals displayed in the cabinet that impact is yet to be created by e-journals. (you have to open the machines/ sites, search the issues etc. etc. and by the time you are about to demonstrate the activities, the team members might have left the spot!) 

Never-the-less, printed materials seems to create better reading habits among the college students who are neo-adults. However, from economic point of view, one certainly advocate for stop paying for print copies of journals if they are available free in the public domain but for the sake of promoting scholarly activities among students, as I personally feel, print materials have no substitute.

Print materials help readers to concentrate their mind to go through a descriptive matter; a quality which is fast eroding nowadays! You will see that students and examinees today by and large, feel comfortable with objective type questions and mostly hate descriptive type questions as they did not develop the habit to concentrate & mediate deeply on an issue (nor have the patience to go through a 4-5 page article or portion of a chapter!)  so that they can describe/discuss & analyze the issue. But as I have experienced throughout the years, developing this sort of practice is a must for higher level of education.

Sincerely,

Siddhartha S. Ray, Calcutta

N.B  have mentioned names of two journals as a deliberate exercise because as I presume these particular types of articles help developing sort of  nodding knowledge among the college students (the future generation of intellectuals) on issues related to Science & the Society

   

[Siddu]

Dear Shivraj

At the outset, I doubt the veracity of your statement - "Most of the college libraries subscribed the print version of one or more Open Access Journals." Is it an assumption or reality? What is the basis of your statement? During this age of dwindling budget and shrinking library space, your statement (or fact) does not appear credible.

Assuming your statement to be true, the underlying reason for the colleges to go for print version is, I feel, the AICTE/ UGC's stipulation for libraries to subscribe a minimum of National/International Journals/Magazines depending upon the course and intake and non availability of equally good journals to choose other than these already available in print and open access combo. This may be an additional reason to all the reasons which Siddharth Sir has already stated.

[Nilanjan Sen]

We also subscribe foreign journals  which has already access through various platforms such as UGC-Infonet Consortium, Web of Science, Scopus, INDEST-AICTE Consortium etc.

  

[Siddhartha Shankar Ray]

I am thrilled to go through Sri Nilanjan Sen's post. This is an excellent news that a College Library has access to so many international databases.  I have no idea though whether the said college is teaching P.G. Courses as well and /or about the utilization factor.  But any way, it is fantastic to learn that our College & P.G students use even Web of Science!! However, the use of SCOPUS seems to be, sort of, confusing and the access to both UGC-INFONET & INDEST -AICTE databases simultaneously for a College makes the thing rather complicated.

Sincerely,

Siddhartha S. Ray, Calcutta

[Ram Singh Bairwa]

Dear sir it is good news because so many journals available in other sites as well as open access. So it is the duty of librsrian to suggest authorities no to subscribed those journals which are available in open access . Asa medical lib professional i see so many indian and foreign journals available in different sites.

[SHIVAKUMARA BC]

Dear sir/madam, I have doubt. can we post this links in our college website?