JSTOR, an online archive of scholarly publications, has announced its merger with Ithaka, a provider of research, strategic and administrative services to non-profit projects. The move is seen to unite two pioneering entities focused on helping the scholarly community take advantage of rapidly advancing information technologies. The new combined enterprise will be called Ithaka and will help the academic community use digital technologies to advance scholarship and teaching and to reducing system-wide costs through collective action.
JSTOR was founded in 1995 by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation as a shared digital library to help academic institutions save costs associated with the storage of library materials and to improve access to scholarship. Today, more than 5,200 academic institutions and 600 scholarly publishers and content owners participate in JSTOR.
Ithaka was started in 2003 to aid promising not-for-profit digital initiatives and to provide research and insight on important strategic issues facing the academic community. Its reports include the 2007 University Publishing in A Digital Age and the 2008 Sustainability and Revenue Models for Online Academic Resources. Ithaka is the organisational home to Portico, a digital preservation service, and NITLE, a suite of services supporting the use of technology in liberal arts education.
JSTOR and Ithaka already work closely together, sharing a common history, values and fundamental purpose. During 2008, the Ithaka-incubated resource Aluka was integrated into JSTOR as an initial step, further strengthening ties between the organisations. JSTOR will now join Portico and NITLE as a coordinated set of offerings made available under the Ithaka organisational name.
As one organisation, Ithaka will explore how to use its combined knowledge and experience to help its constituents in new ways. It will also remain committed to enabling institutions to maximise the benefits they provide to scholars and students while containing expenses. In addition to JSTOR, Portico and NITLE, Ithaka's existing research and strategic services groups will remain important parts of the enterprise. The board will be composed of Ithaka and JSTOR Trustees, with Henry Bienen, President of Northwestern University, serving as Chairman and Paul Brest, President of the Hewlett Foundation, as Vice Chairman.
