Introduction:

The movement of scholarly journals between publishers has been an established feature of the scholarly publishing landscape for many years and there is every indication that this practice, a fundamental strand of many publishers' business strategy, will only increase in the future.

Whilst it is not a phenomenon caused by the move to online publishing, the implications of titles moving between publishers in an online environment are far more pronounced than they are in a print world. Indeed, it is currently one of the principal sources of frustration, dissatisfaction and debate between publishers and librarians and between publishers themselves.

Transfer, established in 2006, under the auspices of the UK Serials Group has been created to address the challenges caused by the growing number of titles moving between publishers.

About Transfer:

Drawing upon previously successful initiatives from the recent past, (the work of PALS, PA-JISC and Project COUNTER), Transfer is currently a cross-sectoral Working Group comprising representatives from the scholarly publishing, intermediary and library communities. For a list of the Working Group members, see the people page.

Based upon an enthusiastic response from the library and publishing communities to the announcement of the initiative, an Advisory Board has been created whose role will be to review the activities of the Working Group and to act as "critical friend" when new ideas and proposals are put forward. A list of the Advisory Board members can be seen on the people page.

Transfer - Current Status:

Version 2.0 of the [Transfer Code of Practice] has now been released after addressing comments received during the public comment period earlier in 2008 and is available at http://www.uksg.org/transfer/papers. Publishers are now being asked to sign up and follow the Code and can do so by emailing marketing@uksg.org.  Publishers endorsing the Code are listed on the Publisher Endorsement page.

Click here for the Transfer/Code

Click here for information on Press relations - post the new notice

Click here for the Transfer Papers

If you have any questions please email the Chair of the Working Group, Ed Pentz at epentz@crossref.org