The Changing Scholarly Record Program

Quick facts

Total projects: 3

Problem statement: Traditional views of scholarly communications define scholarly communications as the system by which information is created (by scholars), distributed (by publishers), and disseminated, preserved, and organized (by libraries). In this traditional system, the risks and pitfalls are associated with continuing increases in costs that institutions face to repurchase this information. But this is not the only increasing risk in scholarly communications and the scholarly record. More and more, the scholarly record is being created in multiple formats and made available through a variety of uncoordinated access mechanisms. Libraries face the challenge of not only understanding the nature of the changing scholarly record, but also in addressing the role they can play (and/or assert) in the new environment. This has implications for library collections (building and management), access provisions, and the long-term preservation of access to important research materials.

Impact: Through associated projects, both RLG Partners and RLG Programs will contribute to a better understanding of the changing scholarly record. Individual institutions, as well as Programs and Research, will be able to understand and act on the expectations on library services that result from this work.

Projects

• Begin discussion about the future of the scholarly record as research and learning materials are created and shared in multiple forms
• Synthesize existing work on changing scholarly practice and the expectations on library services that result
• The New Scholarly Record Forum