Dear AJN Reader:
As the publisher of AJN for the past five years, I have worked closely with Diana Mason, AJN 's respected editor-in-chief, to ensure that the journal continues its historic mission of providing current, cutting-edge clinical and professional information to the nursing profession.
Since its inception in 1900, AJN has proudly served as the official journal of the ANA. Up until 1996, the journal was owned by the ANA. In that year, the ANA sold the journal to Lippincott Williams & Wilkins (LWW), a company that was founded (as the J.B. Lippincott Co.) in 1792 and today is the leading publisher of journals, books, and online information for the nursing profession. For the past 10 years, the ANA has sponsored the journal for its members.
Some AJN readers may be concerned, after reading a letter to the editor appearing on page 14, that the changes disclosed by that letter may impact our commitment to the historic publishing mission we inherited 10 years ago from the ANA. We want to reaffirm that the mission of AJN will be unwavering in the years ahead, and its continued publication will not be affected by those changes.
AJN, fortunately, has a large and committed subscriber base of staff nurses, nurse managers, educators, researchers, and advanced practice nurses, which has significantly grown over recent years, in addition to the valued members of the ANA. That strength will allow AJN to continue to publish the articles and commentary that have made it the voice of the nursing profession for more than a century-and that will allow it to serve as the voice for new generations of nurses. AJN 's commitment to the highest editorial standards, including editorial independence and superb editing, will continue.
We are hopeful that ANA members will continue to be among our readers. The ANA's own Website provides its members with additional information about these developments as well as LWW's toll-free number, (800) 627-0484, for the use of those who wish to become personal subscribers to AJN.
All readers of AJN, whether members of the ANA or one of the 175,000 nurses who otherwise subscribe, will be pleased to know of a significant new service available to you. Starting this month, all AJN subscribers will not just receive a printed copy of the journal but also will have online access. This online access, which comes with no additional cost or obligation, provides the current issue of the journal along with all issues of AJN dating back to 1996-in all, more than 120 issues of the journal complete with its many classic, clinically valued, and groundbreaking articles. In addition, you can receive tables of contents for upcoming AJN issues by e-mail, tables of contents from dozens of other nursing journals (in case these contain a topic of interest to you), and much more.
Both Diana and I thank the many readers who have corresponded with us and offered their opinions and guidance in helping us to carry out the journal's historic and current mission. Your involvement is welcomed and valued now and in the future.
With warm regards