Some electronic journals are created and distributed electronically as print subscriptions are, but with no printed counterpart. Issues or articles may be distributed, but these journals are often managed in a similar manner to print subscriptions and can be counted as such. Other electronic journals are page images of a printed journal and thus are a substitution for the print. In this way, they are similar to microform reproductions. These journals can be counted as duplicate subscriptions are now counted.
Some electronic journals are more than a print counterpart.
They include additional material and usually links to other resources. These journals can also be counted as separate, similar to duplicate, subscriptions. Other serials may be made available in a full-text format with or without graphics. These journals may contain content of print counterparts, but in some situations do not represent the complete print journal. However, if these serials are made available as separate subscriptions, they can be counted as such, regardless of the relationship of the content to the print journal.