Individual article supply: some strategic directions

Examines the increase in individual article supply and the resultant effects on journal subscriptions and site licensing, noting that pressure on library budgets has resulted in subscription cancellations but an increase in separates ordering, via document delivery and interlibrary loan (ILL). Increasingly sophisticated search and navigation tools enable users to navigate from a variety of primary, secondary and tertiary resources directly to an article – regardless of where the article is hosted or by which vendor it is sold. The implications for all the participants in the scholarly communications chain are examined and some pertinent questions are asked, including: does individual article supply erode existing publisher business; does the big (consortia) deal provide more value; and is ILL the most economical form of individual article supply? Concludes that both publishers and libraries must re‐examine their business models to counteract end‐users seeking freely available Web‐based or e‐print material, which is undermining the traditional, peer‐reviewed, scholarly communications process.