Universities and four-year colleges have an archive fee model option that provides access to all licensed JSTOR archival journals and primary sources content in a single collection.

Aligned to community feedback and our mission

JSTOR’s mission is to expand and enhance access to knowledge and education for people all over the world. As a nonprofit, our policies and decisions aim to maximize impact, not revenue or profit. Our archive fee model option is part of our efforts to deliver on this mission by increasing access to content in a sustainable way for libraries, content providers, and JSTOR.

We consulted our participants to validate whether the fee model is the right approach. Their feedback aligns with our full journals and primary sources model and our mission by:

  • Eliminating the Archive Capital Fee (ACF) on new purchases. Part of JSTOR’s non-profit mission is to support the long-term preservation of the content in our care. We established the ACF to provide resources so that JSTOR could fulfill that promise. We have retained and invested these funds for long-term growth, drawing on them only when needed for specific preservation activities like migrating content formats to keep apace with technology. Because of the significant support from the education community over the past 25+ years, and our careful investment of those resources, we have secured sufficient reserves to continue to preserve this content in the future.
  • Making the model optional: Libraries may choose whether to opt in for immediate comprehensive access or continue with their existing collection-by-collection licenses.
  • Providing a “slow and steady” approach: Institutions choosing the model will have immediate access to all licensed JSTOR archival journals and primary source content, but their annual fees will increase only modestly to cover JSTOR’s costs and to ensure that, over the long run, all institutions are contributing similarly to JSTOR’s long-term sustainability.
  • Delivering greater impact. This model maximizes the amount of access and impact generated by JSTOR at current levels of revenue.

How the model works

  • Current JSTOR participants

    The benefits of the model for current JSTOR participants:

    • Your institution gains immediate access to all archival journals and primary source content on JSTOR that is available for licensed access.
    • Full access begins with your institution’s current total Annual Access Fees (AAF) plus a modest adjustment of 2%-5% that continues to be applied annually until you reach the full fee. (Please note: A minimum starting fee that is 20% of the full fee for the collection applies.)
    • Your current archive investment influences the annual fee adjustment.
    • One time-payment (OTP) contributions for individual collections further reduce the full AAF for the collection.

    How it works:

    1. Universities and four-year colleges opt-in to the fee model. Opting-in provides immediate access to the JSTOR Archival Journals and Primary Sources Collection, a single collection of all licensed journal and primary source content.
    2. The starting fee is based on the current level of total archive participation in Annual Access Fees (AAF) plus a modest adjustment of 2%-5% that continues to be applied annually until you reach the full fee. The annual fee adjustment percentage is based on the number of collections an institution currently licenses to recognize current investment. (Please note: A minimum starting fee that is 20% of the full fee for the collection applies.)
      Annual adjustment based on number of collections added
      Total collections currently licensed Annual fee adjustment
      1-7 5%
      8-18 3%
      19+ 2%
    3. Annual fee adjustments stop when institutions reach the full AAF for the collection.
    4. The full AAF of the Archival Journals and Primary Sources Collection is based on an institution’s classification, which for institutions in the United States and Canada is modeled on the Carnegie Classifications and other library metrics in the global community. One time-payment (OTP) contributions for individual collections also lower the full AAF, with one year of OTP AAF deducted from the full AAF for the collection. Institutions eventually reach the same AAF for their respective classification, but the number of years to get there varies. This ensures institutions are comparably priced over time.
      Classification Archival Journals and Primary Sources Collection Full AAF*
      Very large $135,000
      Large $83,000
      Medium $50,000
      Small $32,000
      Very Small $18,000

      *For the Archival Journals and Primary Sources Collection full AAF outside the US, please contact your Outreach representative or Licensing Agent.

    • New to JSTOR participants

      The benefits of the model for new to JSTOR participants:

      • Your institution gains immediate access to all licensed archival journals and primary source content on JSTOR.
      • Full access begins with a minimum starting fee that is 20% of the full fee for the collection, and gradually increases annually until you reach the full fee.
      • One time-payment (OTP) contributions for individual collections further reduce the full AAF for the collection.

      How it works:

      1. Universities and four-year colleges opt-in to the fee model. Opting-in provides immediate access to the JSTOR Archival Journals and Primary Sources Collection, a single collection of all licensed journal and primary source content.
      2. The minimum starting fee for the Archival Journals and Primary Sources Collection is 20% of the full fee for the collection.
        Classification Minimum Starting AAF for the Archival Journals and Primary Sources Collection*
        Very large $27,000
        Large $16,600
        Medium $10,000
        Small $6,400
        Very Small $3,600

        *For the minimum starting AAF outside the US, please contact your Outreach representative or Licensing Agent.

      3. Institutions gradually increase to the collection’s full fee via a 5% annual fee adjustment. Annual fee adjustments stop when institutions reach the full AAF for the collection.
      4. The full AAF of the Archival Journals and Primary Sources Collection is based on an institution’s classification, which for institutions in the United States and Canada is modeled on the Carnegie Classifications and other library metrics in the global community. One time-payment (OTP) contributions for individual collections also lower the full AAF, with one year of OTP AAF deducted from the full AAF for the collection.
        Classification Archival Journals and Primary Sources Collection Full AAF*
        Very large $135,000
        Large $83,000
        Medium $50,000
        Small $32,000
        Very Small $18,000

        *For the Archival Journals and Primary Sources Collection full AAF outside the US, please contact your Outreach representative or Licensing Agent.