Libraries and the importance of infrastructure

Research begins and ends with the library
Emerging options for open journal publishing ""While journal publishing workflows reach the same ends whether inside of a library or a publishing house—namely, supporting research outputs—libraries are ideally positioned to enhance open research infrastructure by providing end-to-end service for researchers. Libraries already support institutional repositories and provide access to millions of titles; meanwhile librarians offer support for collecting, analyzing, and visualizing scholarly data sets. By publishing journals and other materials, libraries participate in another key part of the research lifecycle. Additionally, most library publishers follow the platinum open access publishing model (i.e., free of costs to both authors and readers), which can help amplify underrepresented voices in scholarly publishing.

Despite the benefits libraries can offer to researchers and societies by publishing their scholarship, challenges abound with building out the infrastructure for executing publishing workflows. The Library Publishing Coalition seeks to fill this gap by helping libraries develop, maintain, and improve publishing services, workflows, and infrastructure. At this point, library publishing is a work in progress, but the foundation has been laid, and libraries have the potential to be a formidable force in the open research movement by taking on the publishing of open access journals.

From creation to consumable knowledge: supporting research workflows in an open infrastructure
It goes without saying that the library fulfills a key role delivering those services to users in support of the acquisition and dissemination of knowledge. Certainly today, as humanity seeks to address some of its most pressing scientific challenges, open and reliable access to information takes center stage. Where and how then can the role of the library evolve to support research and speed the time from its creation to consumable, living knowledge?

This discussion will focus on ways in which libraries and vendors alike can support research in an open infrastructure. The presenter will look at researcher needs to conduct and share their work, while considering how the library – on its part – can best collect, preserve, disseminate and manage the research. Specific attention will be paid to open collaboration platforms in support of open science. And, the presenter will discuss how open source solutions as well may best support evolving needs for innovation in library workflows and the delivery of new services to users in support of research, teaching and learning.