Abstract

If the vision for the future of digital information is order, ease of access, discoverable resources and sustainable business models, how might this be achieved? In an information environment shaped by an ever-growing and persistent demand for more and more digital content from every direction, it has become increasingly important that publishers, libraries and information professionals understand the challenges and opportunities of the Google environment. This book addresses these issues and carves out a strategy for the future of digital information. Put together by an international, cross-sectoral team of contributors, each authored chapter provides a snapshot of where we are now and considers how the barriers to success might be overcome and what the digital information environment might look like if these issues are - or indeed are not - addressed. They include: digital information - an overview of the landscape; scholarly communications - the view from the library; scholarly communications - the publisher's view; e-books and scholarly communication futures; digitizing the past - next steps for public sector digitization; resource discovery; and, who owns the content in the digital environment. This book is essential reading for all library and information professionals as well as for researchers and library students. The book will also be of interest to publishers wishing to reconcile their own digital strategies with those of both information consumers and providers.
Hazel Woodward MBE PhD BA MCLIP has been University Librarian and Director of the University Press at Cranfield University for over ten years. She is currently Chair of the JISC Journals Working Group and a member of the JISC Collections Board of Management, as well as contributing to various SCONUL, UKSG and ICOLC Committees. Lorraine Estelle BSc(Hons) has led JISC Collections – which manages national negotiations for access to a broad array of intellectual property on behalf of the UK academic community – for the past seven years. Prior to this she worked in the publishing industry. She is an active contributor to the ICOLC Committee.
"A very good book indeed, examining and keeping up-to-date with the developments in the philosophical, moral, economic and technical debates in the print vs digital world." - MmIT Journal
"...a timely volume...an easy to read and interesting publication." - Australian Academic and Research Libraries