FLICKR, DIGITIZEDCHAOS

Thanks to a new beta-test program to extend its services to users without an institutional subscription, readers can access JSTOR archives for free as long as they register on the website, albeit with a number of restrictions.

Readers will not be able to download articles of interest, and will only be able to access three at once. In addition, there will be a “minimum viewing time” of 14 days, according to The Chronicle of Higher Education, which puts a damper on anyone who might need a large number of papers in a short period of time (think thesis preparation).

JSTOR says it may expand the restrictions depending on how the beta test goes. The online archive is trying to offer more free access, while balancing “the need to sustain, preserve, and invest in services to support the use of this content going forward,” Heidi McGregor, a spokeswoman...

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