Two weeks ago I requested the assistance of readers of AWOL in answering the question
Do You Have Access to JSTOR? Now that
Open Access Week is over, the poll is closed and the results are in.
Total votes: 567
Yes I have access to JSTOR 53.3% 302
No I do not have access to JSTOR 46.7% 265
A couple of comments:
I'm pleased at the turnout. Reliable metrics for readership of blogs are hard to come by. Bloggers' own statistics tell me that the page where the question is posed (
Do You Have Access to JSTOR?) has been viewed 499 times. But the form for the poll appeared only in the sidebar of the blog home page, so the mediation of the question page to answer is not required. Feedburner tells me that there are something more than three thousand subscribers to the news feed. My impression is that most of those receiving the feed via a feed reader or email don't click thru to the blog home page, even if they do click through to the resources discussed in an entry, so they don't see the form in the sidebar without taking action. In any case, 567 is a pretty good sample of readership.
Slightly more than half of the respondents have access to JSTOR. Slightly less than half do not. It seems possible to me that those without access are more likely to respond that those with access, but I see no way to test this issue. Nevertheless, it is clear that those without access represent an important component of the readership of AWOL. I imagine this group spans a range of types of person, including unaffiliated academics, academics associated with institutions that do not or can not subscribe to JSTOR, to lay persons interested in the study of antiquity, and other categories. It also seems evident that these persons are serious enough about the study of antiquity to read/subscribe to AWOL.
What can be done to serve you better? One thing seems obvious.
JSTOR is piloting a program under which institutions can offer ongoing access to JSTOR to their alumni. At present this program is available to graduates of the following institutions:
If you are an alum of one of these institutions and do not have access to JSTOR at the moment, contact your alumni association. If you do not see the name of you institution on the list, please contact your alumni association, send them the link to
this page, and ask them to participate.
If you are a Massachusetts State Resident, you can sign up for a
Boston Public Library eCard via the web. Just follow the prompts on the
registration form and your
eCard number will be emailed to you.
Do you know of other states offering this service? Please let me know.
I would appreciate any comments you may have.
