ABSTRACT
While scholarly journals possess many public good characteristics, it is argued that the scholarly community may be better served in the long run if they are not treated as a public good. The relationships among scholars, academic institutions, and publishers that developed over decades in the era of print journals continue to have value in the era of online delivery and help to ensure quality in a variety of ways. Treating journals as public goods could upset the balance of those relationships in ways that would keep the online dissemination from reaching its fullest potential for the scholarly community. [Article copies available for a fee from The Haworth Document Delivery Service: 1-800-HAWORTH. E-mail address: <docdelivery@haworthpress.com> Website: <https://www.HaworthPress.com>]
