How can free, OA e-journals gain traffic in libraries?

[Morna Conway <mconway@infionline.net>]

Posted by Morna Conway for the American Association of Pharmaceutical
Scientists

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As publisher of two completely free, open access journals, the=20
American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS) is now=20
in the 6th year of publishing The AAPS Journal (formerly=20
AAPSPharmSci) and AAPS PharmSciTech. Both journals are fully=20
peer-reviewed and have eminent editorial boards. The AAPS Journal=20
has an Impact Factor of 1.938 (2004) and both journals are=20
indexed in Index Medicus, PubMed and ChemAbstracts. In 2006, the=20
journals will publish approximately 2,000 pages of original=20
research and themed issues, including some invited reviews. The=20
journals are available at the following URLs:

The AAPS Journal: http://www.aapsj.org/
AAPS PharmSciTech: http://www.aapspharmscitech.org/

The two AAPS journals are not only freely available to anyone =AD=20
authors pay no fees to have their work published in them.  The=20
journals have no income, including grants or sponsorship, and are=20
fully supported by the AAPS and its 13,000 members, at=20
considerable cost associated with the quality control process=20
both at the peer review and production stages.

One dilemma we face is that the journals are not widely used in=20
academic and research libraries. AAPS has done everything =B3right=B2=20
(we=B9re =B3greener than green=B2!), and yet traffic to the journals=20
comes largely from outside the library community. We=B9d like to=20
understand how to leverage our considerable investment (over=20
$3,000,000 in 6 years) to make sure that this excellent research=20
is seen and used throughout the world=B9s libraries.

Can users of this listserv please provide us with ideas on how to=20
get recognition in libraries?  The AAPS journals are free without=20
restrictions =AD so it would help us greatly to have some responses=20
from users of this listserv, to encourage and enlighten us as to=20
how to maximize open access usage of these two journals.

My direct contact information is:

Jake Harris
Director of Publications
American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists
harrisj@aaps.org
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