What this means for readers
- Beginning September 1, 2026, the program will provide registered readers with access to 10 articles every 30 days.
- Readers who are already in the middle of a 30-day reading period on September 1 will retain the 100-article limit until that period ends.
- Readers who regularly need more than 10 articles may have access through a school or library, and JPASS provides individual researchers with unlimited online reading, PDF downloads, and access to more journal content.
- Open and free content on JSTOR remains available to everyone without using the free-reading allowance.
For more than 30 years, JSTOR has worked as a nonprofit to expand access to knowledge and education around the world. Our free reading program supports that work by making scholarly journals available to anyone with a personal JSTOR account. Beginning September 1, 2026, the program will provide registered readers with access to 10 articles every 30 days, changing from the original limit of six and a pandemic-related limit of 100. Most people who use the program will see no change in their reading experience, but we recognize that some frequent readers will be affected.
A pandemic response lasting six years
When the COVID-19 pandemic closed libraries and disrupted access to scholarship, JSTOR increased the free reading limit from six articles every 30 days to 100, helping people continue their research. We kept the higher limit in place long after widespread library closures ended. During that time, we learned more about how people use the program. Approximately 98% of active free-reading users access 10 or fewer articles in a 30-day period. Setting the limit at 10 preserves the current experience for the great majority of readers while remaining above the program’s pre-pandemic limit. Readers who are already in the middle of a 30-day reading period on September 1 will retain the 100-article limit until that period ends. The new limit will begin with their next 30-day period.
How our nonprofit model works
JSTOR works to expand access while covering the costs of preserving and making scholarship accessible and useful. Fees paid by participating institutions and individual subscribers support the archive, maintain the platform, and help fund ongoing improvements. They also allow us to offer free or lower-cost access where it is needed most. Approximately 20% of the content on JSTOR is open access. Path to Open and Reveal Digital make more scholarship and primary sources freely available. The JSTOR Access Initiative provides free or reduced-cost access to eligible institutions around the world, and JSTOR Access in Prison serves incarcerated learners. These programs depend on a model that covers our costs and keeps the archive available for the long term.
Supporting readers who need more access
We know the 10-article limit will not fit every research project. Independent researchers and graduate students may need to consult many articles within a short period. Readers who regularly need more than 10 articles may have access through a school or library, and JPASS provides individual researchers with unlimited online reading, PDF downloads, and access to more journal content. Open and free content on JSTOR remains available to everyone without using the free-reading allowance.
Continuing the work of expanding access
We are grateful to the millions of people who use JSTOR for research, teaching, and learning. We will continue listening to our community and looking for practical ways to make scholarship more available in ways that support the resource’s sustainability. Our goal is to ensure that JSTOR remains useful and affordable for the people and organizations that rely on it.
Learn more
JSTOR’s commitment as a nonprofit
Open and free content on JSTOR
JPASS personal access
