In her editorial for World Libraries (WL), volume 14, number 1 issued in 2005, Mary M. Wagner, then guest editor of WL, welcomed readers to the first electronic issue of this publication (see http://www.worlib.org/vol14no1/wagner_v14n1.shtml). Since then, World Libraries has been issued in two formats: paper and electronic. Two individuals on the Dominican GSLIS faculty, Ed Valauskas and Prudence W. Dalrymple, were instrumental in moving World Libraries into the electronic age and we continue to owe them our gratitude for their foresight.
Others who have been instrumental in this effort are the students in Mr. Valauskas’ Internet Publishing class. Under Ed Valauskas’ direction, they have assumed responsibility for converting authors’ manuscripts into HTML and for formatting them appropriately. Not only have the student interns worked with the issue currently underway, but they have digitized World Libraries’ back issues as well. Before long, all issues of World Libraries will be available digitally. Additionally, through the wonders of technology, we have been able to extract the “Pioneers” section across the journal issues and have consolidated them into a single look–up.
Since the first electronic issue of World Libraries was released, we have monitored the journal’s subscription patterns. We anticipated a decline of the print format and indeed, that is exactly what has occurred. To date, the number of paper subscriptions is in the single digits. Furthermore, we have kept close track of the number of “hits” the electronic journal receives. For the last twelve months, WL has averaged more than 22,300 “hits” a month. The message is loud and clear. It is no longer financially sound to continue the print version of World Libraries especially with the increasing number of electronic look–ups. With the move to an only online version, we also will be able to publish the journal in a more timely fashion as we will be able to cut out the lengthy production timeline for a print publication.
Therefore, as of this issue (volume 15, number 2), World Libraries will no longer be issued in print but only in an electronic format. We will, however, provide an offline CD–ROM product of World Libraries. This CD–ROM will be issued after each volume of World Libraries, and will include all issues of the journal from volume 1 forward.
The World Libraries Editorial Board (Marjorie E. Bloss, Linda Vertrees, Ed Valauskas, William Vernon Jackson, and I) have been excited at the pace the electronic version of World Libraries has taken. We hope you continue to access World Libraries electronically, to submit manuscripts for publication, and to enjoy the selection of articles and features.
About the AuthorSusan Roman is a Dean of the Graduate School of Library and Information Science at Dominican University, River Forest, Illinois, USA.
E–mail: sroman [at] dom [dot] edu