Product Overview of Project MUSE
Project MUSE is a comprehensive online database that provides access to a vast array of peer-reviewed academic journals and electronic books, primarily focusing on the humanities and social sciences. Founded in 1993 as a joint project between the Johns Hopkins University Press and the Milton S. Eisenhower Library at Johns Hopkins University, Project MUSE was launched online in 1995 with the support of grants from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Content and Coverage
Project MUSE offers 100% complete, full-text content from nearly 400 not-for-profit publishers, including many of the world’s most distinguished university presses, scholarly societies, independent publishers, and academic departments. The platform includes over 550 peer-reviewed academic journals and more than 20,000 electronic books, covering a broad range of subjects such as arts, literature, history, education, political science, philosophy, religion, technology, and ethnic and gender studies.
Key Features
- Unlimited Access and Usage: Subscribers enjoy unlimited access and simultaneous usage, along with unlimited downloading and printing of content.
- DRM-Free Content: All content is free from Digital Rights Management (DRM) restrictions, providing users with greater flexibility in using the materials.
- Responsive Interface: The platform features a responsive mobile interface, ensuring easy access and navigation across various devices.
- Accessibility Compliance: Project MUSE complies with accessibility standards, making the content accessible to a wider audience.
- Advanced Search Capabilities: The platform supports Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT), truncation, and wildcard searches, allowing users to construct precise and targeted searches.
- Integration with Discovery Services: Project MUSE integrates with various discovery services and knowledge bases, enhancing the discoverability of its content.
Support and Management Tools
- Administrative Portal: Libraries have access to an administrative portal with customized tools for managing MUSE holdings, including MARC records and KBART files.
- Usage Statistics: The platform provides COUNTER-compliant usage statistics, offering detailed insights into content usage.
- Alerting Services: Users can receive alerts for new titles and issues via email or RSS feeds.
- User Support: Project MUSE offers responsive and experienced customer support via phone or email, along with a comprehensive FAQ section and technical support for access-related issues.
Archiving and Preservation
- Perpetual Access: Subscribers have perpetual access to the archives of purchased journal issues, ensuring long-term availability of the content.
- Portico Archiving: All digital content is archived and preserved through Portico, a digital preservation service, to ensure its longevity.
Publishing and Partnership Options
For publishers, Project MUSE offers flexible publishing options, including the ability to release complete issues, publish articles one at a time, or use the preprint service. Publishers can also include open access journals and benefit from production services, technical expertise, and promotional activities.
In summary, Project MUSE is a robust and user-friendly platform that provides unparalleled access to high-quality humanities and social science content, coupled with advanced search features, comprehensive support services, and robust archiving and preservation mechanisms.