Because one might not trust publishers to maintain the online files
properly.
The most noteworthy example I know of is that when the editor of Human
Immunology withdrew an article from their Sept 2001 issue, the editor of
the journal asked the publisher to physically remove it from their
online file, and the publisher did.
Those who bought it in paper still have the article, though they have
presumably marked it "retracted," as is the customary practice.

If this ever happens again with any journal from that publisher, I will
probably change my view on the appropriateness of electronic-only
access, at least with respect to this particular publisher.

Dan Lester wrote:
>
> If you have a stable online version, and the print "comes with" as
> part of one price, why even bother to get it?  I'd hope that a
> publisher would offer a reduction in price for electronic only, as
> compared to getting both.  But, if they don't, why not just toss them
> as soon as they come in, just like you do with lots of other
> unsolicited junk mail?  I'd also let the publisher know what I was
> doing and that they're just wasting their money, and yours, by not
> offering a pure electronic option.
>
> cheers
>
> dan
>
> Thursday, July 18, 2002, 3:50:24 PM, you wrote:
>
> YWZ> Hi:
>
> YWZ> Are there any libraries considering not processing (i.i.e... checkin,
> YWZ> cataloging, claiming, shelving and binding, etc.) paid print periodicals
> YWZ> when online versions are available, cataloged and stable? This scenario
> YWZ> seems to save time, labor and cost, but are there concerns related to such
> YWZ> a practice? I would appreciate any thoughts or inputs you can give.
>
> YWZ> Please response directly to me, not the list. Thanks very much!
>
> YWZ> Yvonne Zhang
> YWZ> Head, Bibliographic Access Services
> YWZ> Univ. Library
> YWZ> Cal Poly Pomona
>
> --
> Dan Lester, Data Wrangler  dan@RiverOfData.com 208-283-7711
> 3577 East Pecan, Boise, Idaho  83716-7115 USA
> www.riverofdata.com  www.gailndan.com  Stop Global Whining!

--
David Goodman
Research Librarian and
Biological Science Bibliographer
Princeton University Library
Princeton, NJ 08544-0001
phone: 609-258-7785
fax: 609-258-2627
e-mail: dgoodman@princeton.edu