Researchers and scholars provide the focus and the purpose for scholarly communication. Librarians can be forceful advocates for positive change. Outreach to scholarly society leaders is one important activity for libraries can do to promote positive change that advances the scholarly communication system through new research and dissemination models.
Campus Outreach Initiative
ARL created outreach talking points, prepared a set of resources, and held a webcast to assist libraries in developing positive, supportive relationships with leaders, editors, and members of academic scholarly societies affiliated with their institutions. The initiative was intended to increase library staff connections with leaders of scholarly societies residing on their campus in order to:
- Build positive relationships between librarians and faculty members
- Create opportunities for education and dialog with key opinion leaders and decision-makers within disciplinary communities
- Identify opportunities for libraries to partner/collaborate with scholarly societies
- Enhance library leadership decision-making capability by building a better understanding of their faculty members' and researchers' ongoing needs for services from scholarly societies.
Resources
Campus Outreach Initiative Talking Points
How to Talk with Faculty: Developing Strategies
Changing Roles of Societies in Knowledge Exchange
Opportunity Assessment Instrument
Faculty Voices
Promoting positive change in scholarly communication not only is a concern of libraries or campus administrators, but increasingly a concern of faculty governance bodies at many research institutions. Some have passed policies, issued resolutions, or made statements to support change to the existing system. In most cases, new policies are intended to provide open access to content produced by faculty members. Researchers and scholars also are making their voices heard within their own communities and through public statements.
Resources
Coalition of Open Access Policy Institutions (COAPI)
