NFAIS 2016 Annual Conference

Three hundred and fifty years ago, the information community knew the value of the scholarly journal for advancing scientific discoveries. Fifteen years ago, we knew that digital and open-access journals would dramatically change the dissemination of scholarship. Today, we know that scholarly output is changing, reflecting increased emphasis on collaborative work, global networks and inter-operability, and the synthesis of vast amounts of data beyond the published text. Imagine what we’ll know tomorrow!

In the digital age, data is forming the foundation of new knowledge. It’s the global force accelerating opportunities and opening new frontiers. Research communities across all disciplines capture, preserve and assess data to advance investigations and enable important discoveries. As a result, funders now demand that data be managed and curated as a key aspect of the research process, and future investigations and discoveries will rely on the data being collected today.

Underpinning the continuum for the advancement of new knowledge, academic institutions, societies, and corporations of all shapes and sizes are creating thoughtful new data policies, practices, and technologies—from the day-to-day concerns surrounding data management, to reproducibility and re-use, to philosophical approaches, and social constructs that are needed to equally support innovation for the common good and singular contributions.

Future developments by information services providers will reflect a deeper understanding of a researcher’s needs and behaviors. New tools for evaluation and measurement, implementation of artificial intelligence, and new business models will allow service providers to prioritize data sustainability.

The complexities of such a data-rich, networked environment will challenge current modes of thought. Join us at the 2016 NFAIS Annual Conference to learn more about what to expect and how to prepare solid foundations for tomorrow’s data-driven, global knowledge standard.

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