Updated Transfer Code of Practice for journal transfer released

Oxford, UK -- 12 July 2013 -- The UKSG Transfer Working Group today released Version 3.0 of its Code of Practice for public comment (http://www.uksg.org/transfer/Code). Key updates in Version 3.0 deal with new content types, HTTP redirects, subscriber types, nomenclature, and communication.  Public review and comment are invited between now and 6 September 2013.

The Transfer Code of Practice is a set of voluntary guidelines for publishers involved in any journal transfer. It covers thorny issues including ongoing access provision to online content, exchange of subscriber lists, DOI and URL transfer, as well as perpetual access rights to journal content.

Over the last year the Transfer Working Group has revised and improved upon the current version of the Code (Version 2, released in September 2008). The Transfer Working Group is inviting comments on the Code through the Transfer website (http://www.uksg.org/transfer), where the Code of Practice, a summary of changes from Version 2 to Version 3, a glossary of terms, and other information can also be found.

After the public review period, the Transfer Working Group will review the comments and decide if any revisions are needed to the Code in light of comments received. Once this is done, the Transfer Code of Practice v3.0 will be formally released, and publishers will be asked to agree to follow the new version. Publishers agreeing to align their procedures with the Code, and to apply them in practice when working with other, similarly aligned publishers, will be considered ‘Transfer Compliant'.

The Transfer Code of Practice is a response to the expressed needs of the scholarly journal community for consistent guidelines to help publishers ensure that journal content remains easily accessible by librarians and readers when there is a transfer between parties, and to ensure that the transfer process occurs with minimum disruption.

If you would like more information about the Transfer Code of Practice, please contact Alison Mitchell and/or Elizabeth Winter Co-Chairs, Transfer Working Group.

email: a.mitchell<at>nature.com
email: elizabeth.winter<at>library.gatech.edu