The Futures of Scholarly Communications: Techniques and Tools for Futures Thinking

The changing system of scholarly communications and scholarly publishing is exciting for some and unsettling for others. As libraries use their resources and actions to shape the system, they seek to create a system that better reflects their priorities and values. But, at the same time, other stakeholders are also acting in the system. How these various forces will interact over time is unknown, but futures thinking offers an approach to identifying and considering a range of possibilities. This preconference was structured as an experiential workshop, in which participants explored approaches to considering the possible futures of scholarly communications and publishing, and then their implications for access, collections, and preservation. Though no specific conclusions could be reached about “the future” of scholarly communications as the emphasis was on exploring tools and techniques, the workshop enabled participants to think critically and creatively about their organizations, the impact of change and trends, and strategic positioning going forward.