Information technology is creating massive changes in the academy affecting how scholars work and communicate, what they produce as scholarship, and how they teach. The traditional communication practices in the humanities, social sciences, and sciences are both shaping and being transformed by the use of information technology in support of research and publishing. Scientists and many social scientists have been developing databases and conducting research online for years and are pushing ahead dramatically, demanding increased functionality, massive storage capabilities, and publishing options that include datasets, images, and simulations. Humanities scholars have begun to develop their own research databases and are experimenting with reinventing the book and the article online, often using the digital data that they and others have amassed.
Will all scholarly output eventually become electronic? In what ways are the disciplines and the academy itself constrained by the limitations of current technology? How should the library go beyond its role as a gateway to online resources? How can faculty, administrators, librarians, and information technology staff collaborate to actively shape and support the creation and dissemination of research and scholarship?
The Association of Research Libraries convened a group of scholars, librarians, information technologists, and administrators to explore how the disciplines and sub-disciplines are approaching the use of technology. Each discipline has deeply rooted research and communication traditions that are shaping how they use technology and defining the capabilities they need from technology to support and enhance their work. Within a historical communications context, we intend to develop a picture that will particularly help senior administrators understand more completely the evolution of online research and publication. Only by understanding how scholarly research and publication are changing will we be able to provide the necessary leadership to transform the academy to meet the scholarly communication needs of the future.
This conference enabled answers to such questions as:
Helping library directors and other campus administrators become more aware of scholarly practices across disciplines so they can prepare for the future through better planning and more focused decisions on campus and library investments in technology and services.
Understanding how new models of scholarly research and publication will eventually change promotion and tenure criteria.
Enriching and refining national discussions on trends in scholarly communication.