Frequently Asked Questions
General
Member Subscriptions
Individual Subscriptions
Institutional Subscriptions
More Information
When will the journal be available online?
The journal will be available online beginning in mid-September 2008.
What are my options and how should I decide which option is best for me?
SWCS is offering print only, online only, and print + online options because we want our members and subscribers to choose what works best for them. The online journal offers many unique advantages over the print journal, including the ability to search and access content by key words, author, and date. With the online journal option, you will be able to access about 30 years worth of articles. You will also be able to sign up for tables of contents to be emailed to you soon as the new issue is available. In addition, some people do not have the shelf space to store the printed copy of the journal, would like to save paper, or would like to access the journal while traveling.
What will I have access to with an online subscription?
The content of the online journal will be the same as the print journal. The online journal option will include the added benefit of complimentary access to all journal articles back to 1981. That’s about 160 issues and thousands of articles!
Shouldn't I automatically have access to back issues if I am a long-time member or subscriber?
The print journal and online journal are different in that the print journal is sent to you for you to keep and read as long as you wish while the online journal option is based on providing access to the journal for a period of time. As long as you have an active membership or subscription with the online or print + online option, you will have access to online journal articles from the most recent back to 1981.
How will I access the online journal?
If you select the online option, members and individuals will sign into the online journal using an individual username and password provided to you when you request online access and pay any applicable fee (find out more details by contacting Robin Hockaday at memberservices@swcs.org, 800-THE-SOIL). Institutional subscriptions with the online option will be authenticated by IP addresses. More guidance will be available at www.swcs.org.
What do I need to do to get access to the online journal?
If your renewal date is approaching, you will have the option to select online options when you renew online. If you would like online access before your renewal date, contact Robin Hockaday at memberservices@swcs.org or 800-THE-SOIL and let her know you would like to switch to online only (no charge) or print + online ($40).
How much will the online journal cost?
Receiving the journal (either printed or online) will remain one of the many benefits of SWCS membership. If you would like access to the online journal only (without the print journal), you can switch to online access at no cost. If you would like both the printed journal and the online journal, there will be an additional cost of $40 per year. Contact Robin Hockaday at memberservices@swcs.org or 800-THE-SOIL and let her know your preference.
Can I continue to receive my print journal and also have access to the online journal?
Yes, with an additional $40 to your regular cost of membership. Send payment with identifying information to Soil and Water Conservation Society,
What if I just want my regular printed journal?
You do not need to do anything to continue to receive the printed journal as usual.
What is an individual subscriber?
Individual subscriptions are for one individual (or a noneducational organization desiring only a print subscription). The individual online subscription allows one individual to access the online journal using an individual username and password.
What do I need to do to get access to the online journal?
If your renewal date is approaching, you will have the option to select online options when you renew online. If you would like online access before your renewal date, contact Robin Hockaday at memberservices@swcs.org or 800-THE-SOIL and let her know you would like to switch to online only (no charge) or print + online ($40).
How much will the online journal cost?
If you would like access to the online journal only (without the print journal), you can switch to online access at no cost. If you would like both the printed journal and the online journal, there will be an additional cost of $40 per year. Please note that the online individual subscription is intended for one individual and the username/password may not be shared. Contact Robin Hockaday at memberservices@swcs.org or 800-THE-SOIL and let her know your preference.
Can I continue to receive my print journal and also have access to the online journal?
Yes, with an additional $40 you may upgrade to print + online, but please note that the online individual subscription is intended for one individual and the username/password may not be shared. Contact Robin Hockaday at memberservices@swcs.org or 800-THE-SOIL and let her know your preference.
What if I just want my regular printed journal?
You do not need to do anything to continue to receive the printed journal as usual.
What if I am not a college or university but I need online access for several individuals?
You may also want to consider separate individual subscriptions or memberships (one per person).
What is an institutional subscriber?
Institutional subscriptions are for educational institutions (colleges and universities) serving a single campus community. Authorized users include current active students, faculty, and staff. Institutional online subscriptions require a librarian or other contact person to enter and manage a list of associated IP addresses that will be used for authentication.
What do I need to do to get online access to the journal?
If your renewal date is approaching, you will have the option to select between online options when you renew online. If you would like online access before your renewal date, contact Robin Hockaday at memberservices@swcs.org or phone 800-THE-SOIL and let her know you would like to switch to online only or print + online. She will inform you of the required fee.
Why have the rates increased?
Subscription options and rates for the Journal of Soil and Water Conservation are changing to coincide with the addition of online availability. Please know that this change was made with careful consideration. With the new content and services offered with our online journal, your continuing subscription is of greater value than ever to your organization and your patrons.
Unlike most other journals, the Journal of Soil and Water Conservation has not previously had an institutional rate. Institutions were being charged the low rate of an individual subscription. This was becoming increasingly unfair to our individual subscribers. As we prepare for institutional online access in which even more individuals will be using each institutional subscription, we have decided to institute an institutional subscription rate as other journals commonly do. The institutional rate offers institutions a great savings in comparison to what the collective costs would be for each person at an institution using the journal to pay for an individual subscription. The institution saves money if more than 6 people use the subscription. For many institutions, that will happen within just a few days.
Another reason for the change in rates is to better adjust to the increasing costs of producing the journal. The amount of material published in the journal has also been significantly increasing. The Journal of Soil and Water Conservation is currently experiencing significant growth in the number of papers cited, number of papers published, and number of people interested as the interdisciplinary natural resource conservation topic area continues to explode in popularity.
What do institutions get now that they didn’t before? Search capability. Your community will now be able to conduct full searches of thousands of articles of quality content from any computer in your network. Online access. As you know, students, faculty, and staff greatly prefer online access versus going to the physical shelf at the library. Easy management. Your librarian can manage the online subscription using the familiar account management interface from HighWire Press. Flexibility. If your library is short of shelf space or wishes to avoid international shipping costs, you have the option of switching to online only.
The Soil and Water Conservation Society is a nonprofit scientific and professional association. Our new rates are still very low compared with other journals. Please see the subscription options are rates for more information.
What if we are not a college or university but we need online access for more than one individual?
You may also want to consider separate individual subscriptions or memberships (one per person).
For more information, please contact
Robin Hockaday
Member Services, Soil and Water Conservation Society
memberservices@swcs.org
phone 800-THE-SOIL (800-843-7645)
fax 515-289-1227
