JSTOR (identifier)

Quick Facts: Who was JSTOR (identifier)?

Subject:

JSTOR (identifier)

Known for:

A leading digital library providing full-text search of academic journals, books, and primary sources.

Verified Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

JSTOR ( JAY-stor; short for Journal Storage) is a digital library of academic journals, books, and primary sources founded in 1994. Originally containing digitized back issues of academic journals, it expanded to encompass books and other primary sources as well as current issues of journals in the humanities and social sciences. It provides full-text searches of almost 2,000 journals. Most access is by subscription but some of the site is public domain, and open access content is available free of charge. JSTOR is part of the nonprofit US academic digital library and learning platform provider, Ithaka Harbors, Inc. William G. Bowen, president of Princeton University from 1972 to 1988, founded JSTOR in 1994.

Career & Major Achievements

JSTOR was originally conceived as a solution to one of the problems faced by libraries, especially research and university libraries, due to the increasing number of academic journals in existence. Most libraries found it prohibitively expensive in terms of cost and space to maintain a comprehensive collection of journals. By digitizing many journal titles, JSTOR allowed libraries to outsource the storage of journals with the confidence that they would remain available long-term. Online access and full-text searchability improved access dramatically. Bowen initially considered using CD-ROMs for distribution.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

However, Ira Fuchs, Princeton University's vice president for Computing and Information Technology, convinced Bowen that CD-ROM was becoming an increasingly outdated technology and that network distribution could eliminate redundancy and increase accessibility (for example, all Princeton's administrative and academic buildings were networked by 1989; the student dormitory network was completed in 1994; and campus networks like the one at Princeton were, in turn, linked to larger networks such as BITNET and the Internet). JSTOR was initiated in 1995 at seven different library sites, and originally encompassed ten economics and history journals. JSTOR access improved based on feedback from its initial sites, and it became a fully searchable index accessible from any ordinary web browser. Special software was put in place to make pictures and graphs clear and readable. With the success of this limited project, Bowen, Fuchs, and Kevin Guthrie, the then-president of JSTOR, wanted to expand the number of participating journals.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1972: 1972 Milestone — Bowen, president of Princeton University from 1972 to 1988, founded JSTOR in 1994.
2. 1989: 1989 Milestone — However, Ira Fuchs, Princeton University's vice president for Computing and Information Technology, convinced Bowen that CD-ROM was becoming an increasingly outdated technology and that network distribution could eliminate redundancy and increase accessibility (for example, all Princeton's administrative and academic buildings were networked by 1989; the student dormitory network was completed in 1994; and campus networks like the one at Princeton were, in turn, linked to larger networks such as BITNET and the Internet).
3. 1994: 1994 Milestone — JSTOR ( JAY-stor; short for Journal Storage) is a digital library of academic journals, books, and primary sources founded in 1994.
4. 1995: 1995 Milestone — JSTOR was initiated in 1995 at seven different library sites, and originally encompassed ten economics and history journals.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: JSTOR (identifier)

True or False: “JSTOR was initially conceived as a solution to the problem of physical space constraints in university libraries.”

Answer (TRUE ⭕): The increasing volume and cost of maintaining comprehensive physical collections of academic journals prompted its creation.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Abdullah al-Sallal — Historical peer (Died in 1994) (1994): Yemeni military officer and revolutionary who led the North Yemeni Revolution of 1962.
• Ahmed Ali (writer) — Historical peer (Died in 1994) (1994): Pioneering Urdu writer, poet, and diplomat from British India to Pakistan.
• A-Mei — Historical peer (Born in 1972) (1972): Iconic Taiwanese singer, producer, and cultural voice of Mandopop.
• Abraham Joshua Heschel — Historical peer (Died in 1972) (1972): Leading 20th-century American rabbi, theologian, and philosopher.
• Abdul Basit 'Abd us-Samad — Historical peer (Died in 1988) (1988): Renowned Egyptian Quran reciter, celebrated for his melodious and emotionally engaging style.
• Abdul Ghaffar Khan — Historical peer (Died in 1988) (1988): Pioneering nonviolent activist and founder of the Khudai Khidmatgar movement.
• A. J. Ayer — Historical peer (Died in 1989) (1989): Influential English philosopher known for logical positivism and emotivism.
• Abbie Hoffman — Historical peer (Died in 1989) (1989): Iconic American activist, co-founder of the Yippies, and counterculture figure.
• Adolf Butenandt — Historical peer (Died in 1995) (1995): Pioneering German biochemist known for sex hormones and pheromone discovery.
• Adolfo Pedernera — Historical peer (Died in 1995) (1995): Argentine football legend, nicknamed 'El Maestro,' pivotal in the 1940s.

Frequently Asked Questions about JSTOR (identifier)