Milestones in Our History

A look at the origins and development of ITHAKA since 1995.

  • 1995

    JSTOR founded by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation with a broad mission to help the academic community take advantage of advances in new technologies.

  • 1997

    JSTOR launches a pioneering shared online library of high quality digitized journal back issues to help academic institutions save costs associated with the preservation and storage of library materials and to improve access to scholarship.

  • 2002

    JSTOR launches The Electronic-Archiving Initiative with a grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. The purpose of the Initiative is to build a proof-of-concept model for a sustainable digital archive of scholarly literature originally published in electronic form; this initiative lays the foundation for Portico.

  • 2003

    Ithaka is founded by Kevin Guthrie, original president of JSTOR.  JSTOR focuses on providing a growing shared online library and access expansion while Ithaka carries forward a range of new activities in support of JSTOR’s founding mission. The Electronic Archiving Initiative is moved from JSTOR to Ithaka.

  • 2005

    Portico—born from the Electronic-Archiving Initiative—is launched as a long-term, large-scale, third-party digital preservation solution that balances the needs of publishers and libraries.

  • 2007

    Ithaka releases “University Publishing In a Digital Age,” a landmark report arguing that a renewed commitment to publishing can enable universities to realize the global impact of academic programs, enhance the reputations of their institutions, maintain a strong voice in determining important scholarship, and, in some cases, reduce costs.

  • 2008

    “Sustainability and Revenue Models for Online Academic Resources” marks Ithaka’s first commissioned study by a funder and “Studies of Key Stakeholders in the Digital Transformation in Higher Education” marks the first report based on the Faculty and Library Survey findings.

  • 2009

    Ithaka and JSTOR merge. The combined not-for-profit organization, known as ITHAKA, provides three services (JSTOR, Portico, and Ithaka S+R) that help the academic community effectively use digital and networking technologies.

  • 2010

    JSTOR and University of California Press announce The Current Scholarship Program, making current and archival journals available on a single, integrated platform for librarians and end users.

    Portico offers e-books and digitized historical collections (d-collections) services in response to the library community and publisher participation.

  • 2011

    JSTOR announces Books at JSTOR, a program that developed out of a year-long investigation into the needs of the publishing, library, and scholarly communities. It offers a solution that includes overcoming limitations on use and offering flexible purchase models for libraries, while developing a sustainable model for publishers.

  • 2012

    New ITHAKA site launches.

2012

New ITHAKA site launches.

2011

JSTOR announces Books at JSTOR, a program that developed out of a year-long investigation into the needs of the publishing, library, and scholarly communities. It offers a solution that includes overcoming limitations on use and offering flexible purchase models for libraries, while developing a sustainable model for publishers.

2010

JSTOR and University of California Press announce The Current Scholarship Program, making current and archival journals available on a single, integrated platform for librarians and end users.

Portico offers e-books and digitized historical collections (d-collections) services in response to the library community and publisher participation.

2009

Ithaka and JSTOR merge. The combined not-for-profit organization, known as ITHAKA, provides three services (JSTOR, Portico, and Ithaka S+R) that help the academic community effectively use digital and networking technologies.

2008

“Sustainability and Revenue Models for Online Academic Resources” marks Ithaka’s first commissioned study by a funder and “Studies of Key Stakeholders in the Digital Transformation in Higher Education” marks the first report based on the Faculty and Library Survey findings.

2007

Ithaka releases “University Publishing In a Digital Age,” a landmark report arguing that a renewed commitment to publishing can enable universities to realize the global impact of academic programs, enhance the reputations of their institutions, maintain a strong voice in determining important scholarship, and, in some cases, reduce costs.

2005

Portico—born from the Electronic-Archiving Initiative—is launched as a long-term, large-scale, third-party digital preservation solution that balances the needs of publishers and libraries.

2003

Ithaka is founded by Kevin Guthrie, original president of JSTOR.  JSTOR focuses on providing a growing shared online library and access expansion while Ithaka carries forward a range of new activities in support of JSTOR’s founding mission. The Electronic Archiving Initiative is moved from JSTOR to Ithaka.

2002

JSTOR launches The Electronic-Archiving Initiative with a grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. The purpose of the Initiative is to build a proof-of-concept model for a sustainable digital archive of scholarly literature originally published in electronic form; this initiative lays the foundation for Portico.

1997

JSTOR launches a pioneering shared online library of high quality digitized journal back issues to help academic institutions save costs associated with the preservation and storage of library materials and to improve access to scholarship.

1995

JSTOR founded by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation with a broad mission to help the academic community take advantage of advances in new technologies.