Harper's Establishes Online Archive Going Back 157 Years;

Harper's Establishes Online Archive Going Back 157 Years; Prints Subs Include Access
Posted by David Kaplan
http://www.paidcontent.org/

Tue 03 Apr 2007 06:29 AM Harper’s magazine, which published its first issue in June 1850, is making articles dating back 157 years available in a new online archive, Fishbowl NY reported. So far, the archive is available only to print subscribers of the monthly magazine. Those who pay subscriptions, which start at $16.97, will be able to view PDFs of articles at no extra charge. The Harper’s online database boasts thousands of interlinked topic pages from over a quarter-million page-scans. In addition to maintaining current, non-archived articles and features free on its website, Harper’s says it is looking for a solution for bloggers wishing to link to older Harper’s content.

In gathering all past issues, Harper’s relied on the Cornell University Library, which allowed the magazine use of scans from the publication’s first 49 years.
By putting its archives online, Harper’s takes a different approach than that of the New Yorker, which released its archives on eight DVDs in late 2005. Whereas Harper’s views its archives as an incentive for subscribers, the New Yorker saw a way to increase revenues directly. It’s worth noting that on the bottom of the New Yorker’s home page, under the heading “Coming Soon,” it says the site will offer most New Yorker articles since 2001 and selected pieces from before, as well as a searchable index, with abstracts, of articles since 1925.