The completed backfile will span two centuries of scientific research and comprise over 7.5 million pages - one of the largest archives of its kind
Publisher John Wiley and Sons has announced the launch of an ambitious new programme to digitise back issues of all its journal holdings, dating back to the 1800s, on Wiley InterScience, its dynamic online publishing platform.
Wiley's digitisation of legacy content is an ongoing project designed to improve the research pathway and ensure content discovery is as seamless and time efficient as possible.
The project will continue through 2005 and 2006, and is scheduled for completion in 2007, in conjunction with Wiley's 200th anniversary.
The completed backfile will span two centuries of scientific research and comprise over 7.5 million pages - one of the largest archives of its kind issued by a single publisher.
"Wiley's programme to digitise archival journal content began in March 2003 with Polymer Science, and has continued to grow each year," said Susan King, vice president, STM and Wiley InterScience Marketing.
"The response from librarians and researchers has been extraordinary, reinforcing our commitment to continue to make archival journal content available online.
"We're thrilled that the culmination of this programme coincides with Wiley's 200th anniversary, and can think of no better time to celebrate its completion".
Building upon the successes of Backfile Collections including Angewandte Chemie International Edition, Biotechnology, Biochemistry and Biophysics, Chemistry, Materials Science, Neuroscience, and Polymer Science, Wiley's programme expands over the next two years as additional journal backfiles are launched in a wide range of tightly defined disciplines.
More than 20 collections will be available in 2007 when this large-scale digitisation project is completed.
All subject collections will be distinct, with no overlap.
All journals are unique to each collection.
Freeing researchers from the limitations of partial perspectives, all Backfile Collections are integrated with current web-based content and offer the same flexible retrieval and printing capabilities.
The collections represent a comprehensive archival solution - and resolve issues of limited shelf space, collection gaps, materials degradation, and access.
With the launch of each new collection, journal content that has been unavailable for decades is rescued, preserved, and reintroduced to researchers and scientists worldwide.
In early 2005, Wiley InterScience launched the Cell and Developmental Biology and Analytical Sciences Backfile Collections.
In June, the Journal of Pathology Backfile and the Genetics and Evolution Backfile Collection will be added to the growing list of digitised archival journal articles.
The Numerical Engineering Backfile Collection will follow in August.
The Journal of Pathology Backfile spans 103 years of digitised content and provides subscribers with almost 8700 research articles and 75,000 pages.
The Genetics and Evolution Backfile Collection spans 92 years of digitised back-issue content across 12 leading journal titles.
The collection provides a backfile resource for core research across the disciplines of genetics, paleontology, archaeology, forensics, evolution, and molecular studies.
With this launch, subscribers have access to almost 25,000 research articles and almost 300,000 pages.
The Numerical Engineering Backfile Collection spans 28 years of new content across eight journal titles.
The collection will provide subscribers with almost 9000 research articles and over 150,000 pages.
Other collections scheduled for release in 2005 include the Chemistry Societies Backfile Collection (September), Physics and Astronomy (November), and Medicine (December).
Backfile collections consist of journal content extending to Volume 1, Issue 1 and some include journals dating back to 1799.
All journal articles are presented in a fully searchable PDF format, with abstracts, bibliographic content, and literature citations all available in HTML, allowing for both internal linking to cited content located on Wiley InterScience, - including journals, books, databases, and reference works - and external linking via CrossRef/DOI, PubMed, ISI Web of Science, CAS, and other major A and I services to the content of hundreds of publishers worldwide.
