Dozens of scientific journals have vanished from the internet, and no one preserved them

The study Open is not forever co-authored by Mikael Laakso, reveals that 176 online-only, open-access (OA) journals have disappeared from the internet over the past 2 decades, as publishers stopped maintaining them. This study was based notably on the ISSN Portal and the Keepers’ Registry, as well as on bibliographic indexes such as Scopus, Ulrichsweb, and the DOAJ. A new mandate by research funders set to take effect in January 2021 requires preservation schemes, and the new preservation rule is contained in Plan S—but most online-only journals currently lack such plans. The study highlights the urgency to take collaborative action to ensure continued access and prevent the loss of more scholarly knowledge.