SU Library acquires materials science journal backfiles

SU Library acquires materials science journal backfilesFebruary 20, 2009Pamela McLaughlinpwmclaug@syr.edu

The Syracuse University Library has purchased Elsevier’s materials science backfile, consisting of online content for 108 Elsevier journal titles for years prior to 1995 (years of coverage varies by journal).

The library has offered many of these journals from 1995 onward via Science Direct and has others in print. With earlier years of these important journals now accessible through the same easily searchable platform, Science Direct, faculty and students have much more convenient access to the articles they need. For example, the journal Polymer is now available online beginning with 1960 issues.

A complete list of titles and years covered is available at http://info.sciencedirect.com/techsupport/journals/bfmatsci.htm.

Materials science is especially important to the SU Library because it is an excellent example of the innovative and interdisciplinary research taking place on campus. Chemistry, biomedical and chemical engineering, the Biomaterials Institute, physics, electrical and computer engineering, the GeoFoam Research Center, and mechanical and aerospace engineering are among the departments and research organizations that benefit from these titles.

In addition, the SU Library also recently licensed additional journals from Sage Publishers. A number of their materials science titles were part of that arrangement, with access back to 1999.

Both the Elsevier and Sage materials science titles are available via the E-journal locator.

Large backfile purchases, such as the materials science package, represent an excellent investment for the SU Library since they are a one-time purchase, rather than an ongoing commitment. In effect, the library now owns this content rather than leasing it.

By pursuing innovative strategies like this to acquire online content at substantial savings, the SU Library not only stretches its dollars, but reaffirms its commitment to simultaneously providing the maximum amount of scholarly material and the highest quality journals to SU students, faculty and researchers.

For more information or assistance with the materials science backfile titles, contact Scott Warren at 443-8339 or sawarr01@syr.edu.