ARL, CNI, EDUCAUSE Form Strategic Partnership to Advance Research Libraries’ Impact in a World Shaped by New Technologies

From a Joint Announcement (via ARL):

The Association of Research Libraries (ARL), the Coalition for Networked Information (CNI), and EDUCAUSE are working together to better understand how research libraries, as collaborative partners in the research and learning enterprise, can best advance research and learning during these times of significant changes in the production, dissemination, and reuse of digital content.

The three partner organizations are focused on understanding how such technologies and emerging disciplines as data science, artificial intelligence, mobility and ubiquitous networking, cloud and ambient computing, augmented/virtual reality, and the internet of things are—and are not—fundamentally transforming the way research and learning occur. More specifically, the partners will focus on understanding the role research libraries are playing and need to play in this dynamic context.

This project is organized in three phases over 18 months. It will engage experts, leaders and community members from research libraries, information technology, higher education, the research enterprise, and the three organizations. The project will develop a set of recommendations and possible actions for key stakeholders, the broader community, and the partner organizations to consider in response to findings related to the following questions:

• Based on technologies considered most critical in research and learning, what knowledge and competencies do research library leaders and staff need?
• What can research libraries do now to advance their knowledge and practice in these technologies given their current and potential impact on research and learning?  What support is needed to do so?
• How should research libraries remain strategically aligned with and capable of adopting digital innovations as collaborative partners in advancing research and learning?

As a result of the recommendations, we will seek to create pathways that position research libraries to positively impact the research enterprise under dynamic digital conditions that continue to dramatically change our world.

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