Stanford Today
Edition: January/February, 1997
Section: Features: High-Wire Act
WWW: High-Wire Act

ACADEMIC JOURNALS GO DIGITAL

By David F. Salisbury

Biology Professor Robert Simoni has set himself a test: He wants to write a scientific review article without going to the library to look up papers or references.

Two years ago, that would have been unthinkable. But now it's just a matter of time, due in large part to the efforts of HighWire Press, a fledgling division of Stanford Libraries that is a key player in shifting distribution of scientific ideas from printed journals to online publications.

According to advocates, online publication holds the potential to help scientists better manage increasing volumes of scientific literature; speed communications among scientists; reduce the cost of distributing scientific information; and even improve the quality of science news available to the general public.

"This is a transforming technology," declares Michael Keller, Stanford University Librarian and publisher of HighWire Press.

The number of academic journals going online has been growing steadily for five years. HighWire Press caught the wave in January 1995 when it began producing the online version of the Journal of Biological Chemistry. Last month HighWire also began producing a full text electronic version of the journal Science. And HighWire already has signed contracts with more than a dozen other journals, according to director John Sack.

Some observers question whether online products can maintain the same quality as their print predecessors, and whether they can achieve the stability and longevity of print journals. It also is not yet clear how online publishers are going to recoup the costs involved in going electronic.

Nevertheless, journals are forging ahead because online publications reduce the barriers of geography and time, and bypass the vagaries of national and institutional postal services. Electronic journals also get key findings into print faster, and may help researchers cope with the information explosion in scientific literature. And if HighWire is successful, it may help reduce the costs of distributing scientific information. While journal subscription costs spiral, commercial publishers make annual profits up to 30 percent, Keller says. HighWire hopes to provide a non-profit alternative.

Despite all the activity, Simoni cautions against losing "sight of the fact that this remains an experiment."

As for his test: "I just finished a review [for which] I only had to go to the library once or twice. It's quite amazing."

On the Web, you can find HighWire at http://highwire.stanford.edu/ ST