The Library quenches your thirst
As you might know, the CERN Library switched to an (almost) fully electronic journal collection a couple of years ago ; now all subscribed journals are accessible online except some magazines and reviews.
use of this collection, so that, even for the most expensive journals titles, the average cost per downloaded article can be as little as 0.5 euros!
This archived growth in use can be explained by factors such as the increasing number of CERN users, and also by the usage of electronic resources becoming a deep-rooted habit. However, it is worthwile to note that, according to a recent study (Scientometrics, 2010, 84, 345) in High Energy Physics, 82% of SPIRES users prefer to read the arXiv version of a paper even if the published version exists on the publisher's website. But the CERN Library e-journals collection goes far beyond High Energy Physics, covering disciplines where use of arXiv is much less common; therefore it is not surprising at all to have a high usage of e-journal.
And if users visit less often than in the past the physical Library to consult paper journals, it doesn't mean readers no longer use it: last summer, we had a visitor entering the Library every other minute during office hours. This summer, we expect to welcome even more readers, especially as a water fountain has recently been installed on the 1st floor, next to the photocopier.
Now, the Library is not only there to quench your thirst for knowledge...
by CERN Library
