For the User Who Needed an Article Yesterday, This Platform Delivers

Anyone who has worked in interlibrary loan (ILL) probably has a story about a patron unable to wait for a resource. Mine was a comment in the “Date Needed By” field of a patron-submitted ILL form: “I need the article by yesterday!”

Article Galaxy Scholar (AGS) is a premediated browser-based document delivery platform from Research Solutions (formerly Reprints Desk). Integrated with discovery search, it provides users “just-in-time” access to PDFs of articles from a vast collection of titles at a relatively low per-article cost. The platform’s administrative tools are highly granular, allowing library staff to control every dimension of user purchasing, while its precise usage statistics can help inform future collection decisions.

Article Galaxy Scholar is a powerful tool for the content acquisitions department.

Product Overview/Description

As a document delivery platform for articles, journals, and scientific content, AGS has been designed primarily for academic libraries (Research Solutions, 2025b). On average, the platform takes less than seven seconds to deliver a PDF of the version of record of an article via email, at an average cost of $29 per article (paid by the library, not the user). This high-speed delivery is made possible through an Amazon Web Services (AWS) system that communicates with the holdings of the many publishers behind the platform’s 31,000+ titles. All major publishers, including Taylor & Francis, Elsevier, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins (LWW), Sage, Springer, Thieme, JAMA Network, Karger, Wolters Kluwer, and Wiley, are represented. None of the journal content is embargoed (Landolt & Friesen, 2025; Research Solutions, 2025a).

Both the front- and back-end interfaces of the AGS platform are entirely browser-based. Users typically submit AGS document delivery requests through their library’s discovery interface, into which AGS is fully integrated. For libraries using Ex Libris Primo, this is accomplished using the system’s OpenURL link resolver (Christopher & Edwards, 2024; Hlasten, 2024). Application programming interface (API) integrations are also available for all of the major interlibrary loan (ILL) and resource sharing platforms, including RapidILL, Rapido, ILLiad, Tipasa, and IDS Project (Landolt & Friesen, 2025). AGS links can also be integrated into other discovery services, like EBSCO FOLIO and WorldCat Discovery.

While American libraries form the core of the AGS user base, Research Solutions also has AGS customers in Mexico, Japan, and across Europe (Landolt & Friesen, 2025), giving them relevant experience with copyright laws in multiple jurisdictions and enabling them to negotiate access to a greater number of resources.

A quick word on the product’s relationship with generative artificial intelligence (GAI): While the AGS platform does not rely on GAI or other kinds of AI (T. Landolt, personal communication, July 15, 2025), libraries may choose to integrate AGS with Research Solutions’s sister product, Scite, a GAI tool that assists users with source evaluation. To integrate AGS with Scite, libraries must purchase an additional base annual license for Scite; to enable Scite to consider the library’s holdings, Research Solutions recommends they also integrate AGS with Third Iron’s LibKey Nomad (Landolt & Friesen, 2025).

User Experience

For a “preferred” AGS user—that is, one with permission to place document delivery requests—a link for “Article Delivery Service” or to “Request PDF through Article Galaxy Scholar” will be visible in their library’s discovery search or public access catalogue (Figure 1a). (If the user is not preferred, they are instead directed to their library’s ILL request form (Landolt & Friesen, 2025).) Clicking on this link takes the user to AGS’s main request interface, which includes citation details and a button to request a PDF (Figure 1b). When the user clicks on the button, the link resolver first tries to locate an open access (OA) copy. If it can’t, it initiates a search for the article. If the PDF is found (often within seven seconds), an “Open PDF” button appears, allowing the user to download the PDF directly from their browser (Figure 1c). The user also receives an email with a download link. If the resource turns out to be unretrievable, the user is directed to the ILL request form.

AGS’s administrative interface is highly granular. It includes a purchase threshold system that allows the library to designate preferred users and control what preferred users can do on the platform (Figure 2).

The library can also limit the total number of document delivery requests that can be made by its user base, or permit requests only to specific publishers or high-use journals that they library doesn’t subscribe to (Research Solutions, 2025c). Administrators are notified via email when an individual preferred users reaches their purchasing limit (Landolt & Friesen, 2025). The library can customize all messaging to users, including in the request interface—for example, the language alerting the user that AGS has found an OA copy of the requested article or redirecting them to the ILL request form (Figure 3).

AGS’s usage reports are particularly useful. Every request placed by users can be tracked and analyzed in detail, with insights available by user, title, publisher, turnaround time, cost-per-use, and delivery method (Research Solutions, 2025c). It’s easy determine which groups are the heaviest users of the service, a useful datapoint to support future decisions about access (Figure 4).

AGS’s front- and back-end interfaces, which are built using accessible markup, are both keyboard navigable and screen-reader compatible. At the time of writing, Research Solutions is in the process of refreshing its VPAT. In the interim, documentation on the platform’s compliance with web content accessibility guidelines can be requested from the company (T. Landolt, personal communication, July 15, 2025).

Contracting and Pricing Provisions

Libraries pay about $3,900 to $5,900 annually for AGS’s base license in addition to the cost of purchased articles. The license price is customized based on the library’s means, as well as degree of usage and scope of implementation. Libraries can control their total cost by using the purchase threshold system to limit which patrons can make purchases and how much they can spend. Consortial discounts are available, as are bundling opportunities for libraries that choose to purchase integrations with Scite Ai, LibKey Nomad, or LibKey BrowZine (T. Landolt, personal communication, July 15, 2025).

AGS’s major contractual provisions are typical of document delivery platforms. Use is restricted to authorized users; articles purchased through AGS are for personal, scholarly use and subject to publisher restrictions. At the time of writing, they cannot be redistributed in electronic course reserves or course packs, although Research Solutions is working on an agreement to eventually allow copyright-cleared articles to be used in library course reserves (T. Landolt, personal communication, July 15, 2025).

Authentication Models

Research Solutions allows for flexibility in authenticating users. The most common methods are already familiar to most libraries: IP proxy or single sign-on via SAML (Landolt & Friesen, 2025). Thus, users need only sign in to their library’s discovery search to be authenticated.

Competitive or Related Products

My library uses AGS’s competitor, Copyright Clearance Center’s Get It Now service, when a viable ILL lender cannot be found. The cost to purchase an article from Get It Now varies widely, but it is typically cheaper than purchasing directly from the publisher. Fulfillment time is sometimes a few minutes, but can take 2–8 hours. If Get It Now cannot fill the request from its holdings, the request is canceled.

Get It Now makes sense for academic libraries that need to mediate every document delivery purchase due to budgetary restraints and limited staffing, while AGS, which outperforms in both turnaround time and workflow, is the better option for academic libraries with heavy document delivery needs.

Critical Evaluation

AGS has several major strengths. By providing users with prompt access to resources, the platform saves the valuable time and labor of ILL staff. Users will appreciate being able to access its services with the same login they use to access other library resources, as well as its quick document deliveries. The integration of AGS request links into the existing discovery search/catalog ensures discoverability, and the request screen is well-designed and easy to use (though beginners would benefit from library instruction).

Financially, the platform makes sense. Not only is the cost-per-article low, but by checking for an OA copy first, the system avoids injudicious expenditure . This, combined with the purchase threshold system and other usage controls, should reduce if not eliminate worries about overspending on document delivery. The annual cost of the base license, $3,900 to $5,900, is reasonable considering it could easily be the annual subscription cost of a single journal.

The usage statistics are of great value, providing data about the library’s users and the resources they are requesting that could help libraries make future collection management and development decisions (Figure 5). For example, knowing that a journal title is are highly requested could support a decision to subscribe.

The back end is also superbly well designed and organized, featuring a single dashboard that can be navigated intuitively. The menu is labeled clearly, but without overly technical language (Figure 6), conveying an awareness that it will be used by library staff from multiple departments.

The platform also has some limitations. Like any document delivery platform, it does not have access to everything. For example, AGS only has limited access to certain society publications. The breadth of coverage, however, is extensive, at over 31,000 titles. It’s also worth noting that OA articles retrieved by AGS may be preprints. For users seeking the version of record, it important that libraries implement custom messaging directing them to the ILL request form. Libraries may also choose to toggle the retrieval of OA articles off in the administrative interface.

Gagliardi & England (2023) have pointed out a third area of concern: not every library will possess the expertise necessary to integrate AGS into their discovery system. Although the initial setup of AGS is quick, libraries must be committed to an implementation process in which they work closely with technical support at Research Solutions and their integrated library system (ILS) vendor to fully integrate the platform with discovery.

Recommendation

AGS is a powerful tool that not only to provides access to resources the library has not subscribed to, but also offers insight into patterns of usage that can inform future collection development decisions. I recommend it to academic libraries that want to address the advanced information needs of faculty and graduate students

References and Additional Resources

Christopher, J., & Edwards, K. (2024, June 3). Stepping into a new future: Article Galaxy @ UConn [Presentation slides]. 2024 Joint ACRL NEC /NELIG Annual Conference. https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14394/54941

Daugherty, A. L., & Lowry, L. (2022). Three product implementations for improving “just-in-time” delivery of library resources. Technical Services Quarterly, 39(4), 351–368. https://doi.org/10.1080/07317131.2022.2125675

Gagliardi, A., & England, M. (2023). Review of Article Galaxy Scholar. Journal of Electronic Resources Librarianship, 35(3), 241–244. https://doi.org/10.1080/1941126X.2023.2225018

Hlasten, Y. (2024). Serials spoken here—Reports on conferences, institutes, and seminars: Utilizing Primo OpenURL functionality to increase resource discoverability. Serials Review, 50(1–2), 46–47. https://doi.org/10.1080/00987913.2024.2394348

Larry, D., Hazen, T., & Elliott, C. M. (2025). Gotta catch ’em all: Using Article Galaxy Scholar to plug gaps to article access at the University of Arizona Libraries. Collection Management, 50(1–2), 35–46. https://doi.org/10.1080/01462679.2025.2497828

Landolt, T., & Friesen, M. (2025, July 11). Article Galaxy Scholar: Product overview & demonstration [Presentation]. Microsoft Teams.

Pritting, S. (2023). A platform to meet evolving collections and access needs: A review of Article Galaxy Scholar: Evolution of access strategies for articles. Journal of Electronic Resources Librarianship, 35(4), 304–307. https://doi.org/10.1080/1941126X.2023.2271374

Research Solutions. (2025a). Article Galaxy. https://www.researchsolutions.com/article-galaxy

Research Solutions. (2025b). Article Galaxy Scholar [Video]. https://www.researchsolutions.com/hubfs/Article%20Galaxy%20Scholar_2025.mp4

Research Solutions. (2025c). Article Galaxy Scholar: Transforming access & bringing users back to the library. https://www.researchsolutions.com/hubfs/2024/Website/Resource-Listing/Product-Sheets/PS-AG-Scholar.pdf

University of Alabama in Huntsville. (2024). Academic Case Study: Understanding & serving user demand: UAH’s strategic implementation of Article Galaxy Scholar. Research Solutions. https://www.researchsolutions.com/hubfs/2024/Website/Resource-Listing/Case-Studies/UAH_CS.pdf