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 1.0 of the Transfer Code of Practice is now available for a public comment period through 31 May 2008 and is available at http://www.uksg.org/transfer/papers.  The Working Group will review all comments and finalise the Code in June 2008 at which point publishers will be asked to sign up to follow the Code.  To be accepted and scaleable, an initiative like Transfer needs to proceed within a consultative framework and at a phased approach and, to this end, the Working Group looks forward to devising and implementing a trusted and well-supported model that improves and standardises current practice in this area.