publica ions
Re iew
Opening he Hea o Science: A Re iew o he
Changing Roles o Resea ch Lib a ies
Jo ge Re ez ID
Alameda da Uni e sidade, Cen o de Es udos Clássicos, Faculdade de Le as, Uni e sidade de Lisboa,
1600-214 Lisboa, Po ugal; [email p o ec ed]
Recei ed: 30 Janua y 2018; Accep ed: 5 Ma ch 2018; Published: 7 Ma ch 2018
Abs ac :
In a wo ld o in o ma ion o e load and da a deluge, is opening science a esea ch lib a y’s
du y? O is he openness o science deeply changing lib a ies, ul ima ely con e ing hem in o
some hing else? The pu pose o he e iew is o highligh he challenging issues s emming om he
ela ionship be ween esea ch and lib a ies. A b oad li e a u e analysis was pe o med ocused on he
in e sec ion o h ee di e en pe spec i es: (1) he u u e o esea ch lib a ies, (2) he eme ging new
oles, and (3) he ongoing openness o science. Lib a ies a e s ill a he hea o science bu challenged
by se e al s akeholde s wi hin he complexi y o p esen science p oduc ion and communica ion.
Resea ch suppo se ices, esea ch da a managemen , o esea ch in o ma ion managemen a e
eme ging oles, among o he s, sus aining an open pa h whe e lib a ies h i e o be mo e collabo a i e
while looking o wa d o es ablishing new pa ne ships.
Keywo ds: esea ch lib a ies; open science; esea ch suppo se ices
1. In oduc ion
The impac o digi al echnology on lib a ies has b ough signi ican changes. Howe e , hei co e
business emained essen ially he same: managing he in o ma ion ha can sa is y he in o ma ion
needs, adding compe i i e alue. In 1933, i e ypes o se ices p o ided by lib a ies o esea che s
we e iden i ied: he accumula ion o ma e ials, hei a ailabili y, pe sonalized help o esea che s,
publica ion suppo and esea ch assis ance h ough in e na ional coope a ion [1] (p. 128).
Many o he se ices we e hen added, being he main change sys emic, o a he eco-sys emic.
The new se ices a e bu a eac ion o compe i ion in an inc easingly compe i i e in o ma ion
en i onmen , as i is no longe jus he lib a y sys em ha is a s ake, bu he ela ionships ha
di e en sys ems es ablish be ween hem wi hin a gi en en i onmen [2].
The e is an essen ial ela ionship be ween he science ha is p oduced and he sha ing and
communica ion o i s esul s [
3
]. “Science is, in his sense, always open because knowledge is only
e ec i e when i is communica ed: Much o he ema kable g ow h o scien i ic unde s anding in
ecen cen u ies is due o open p ac ices; open communica ion and delibe a ion si a he hea o
scien i ic p ac ice” [4] (p. 13).
Open science, as a new cul u e in science, is inc easingly known in media and socie y. This
mo emen owa ds g ea e openness g ew apace wi h he de elopmen o digi al ne wo ks and,
he e o e, i can be said ha science is now mo e “open”: “Scien is s sha e esul s almos immedia ely
and wi h a e y wide audience. S ic ly speaking, since he i s scien i ic e olu ion, science has
been open. Th ough he In e ne and Web 2.0 science can become ‘mo e Open Science’, meaning ha
esea che s sha e esul s, ideas, and da a much ea lie and much mo e ex ensi ely o he public han
hey do a he momen .” [
5
] (pp. 10, 11). Among he a ious possible de ini ions o open science, le us
conside he ollowing h ee old pe spec i e: “Open science is de ined he e as open da a (a ailable,
Publica ions 2018,6, 9; doi:10.3390/publica ions6010009 www.mdpi.com/jou nal/publica ions
Publica ions 2018,6, 9 2 o 13
in elligible, assessable and useable da a) combined wi h open access o scien i ic publica ions and
e ec i e communica ion o hei con en s” [4] (p. 16).
Recognizing, howe e , ha he lib a y is he hea o he uni e si y, he e iew was o ganized
a ound h ee esea ch ques ions: (1) can we s ill conside he esea ch lib a y as he hea o ins i u ions
dedica ed o he cons uc ion o science? (2) Is “open science” changing he ela ionship be ween
lib a ies and esea che s? And (3), o wha ex en do hese lib a ies con ibu e o scien i ic de elopmen
and o he opening o hese ins i u ions o socie y? I lib a ies a e a he hea o science, hei posi ion
has unde gone p o ound econ igu a ions in a complex p ocess o change ha will now be add essed.
The new oles, hei posi ion in he esea ch li ecycle and hei abili y o change science i sel a e some
o he aspec s ha will be analyzed.
2. Li e a u e Sea ch
In ensi e esea ch s a ed in Sep embe 2016, al hough he ini ial explo a o y in o ma ion e ie al
began a yea ea lie and na u ally con inued a e ha pe iod, due o he co ela ion be ween he
di e en e e ences analyzed. Sea ches we e conduc ed in he Web o Science da abases ( o he
mos ele an li e a u e), Lib a y and In o ma ion Sciences & Technology Abs ac s ( o in o ma ion
science li e a u e), Google Schola ( o pe o m suppo sea ches and o ecei e daily ale s o new
en ies), being a ious sou ces consul ed, a ailable on social ne wo ks, such as Facebook, Twi e ,
Academia.edu, Resea chGa e and p o essional newsle e s, among o he s. The in o ma ion e ie al
he e p esen ed is pa o an ongoing case s udy abou he ela ionship be ween academic/ esea ch
lib a ies and esea che s in Po ugal.
The ocus o in o ma ion e ie al and con en analysis is on he in e sec ion o h ee pe spec i es:
he u u e o esea ch lib a ies, he eme ging new oles, and he ongoing openness o science. I was
included all documen s i ing ha in e sec ion, wi h a special a en ion o hose mos ci ed by au ho s
and published a e 2010. I was also men ioned some excep ions due o hei ele ance. A ull- ex
da abase was buil on Google D i e cloud pla o m and all he e e ences we e managed wi h Zo e o
( e sion 5.0.34).
3. Wha Is (Really) Changing?
One key elemen in he heo e ical amewo k o he ela ionship be ween lib a ies and scien i ic
esea ch is he de ini ion o “changing en i onmen ”. The idea ha hese sys ems a e condi ioned
and imme sed in changes caused by he speed o digi al echnologies e olu ion is p esen oday in
he scien i ic discou se on he academic and esea ch lib a ies. Howe e , “ he ans o ma ions we a e
wi nessing oday a e mo e o a s uc u al na u e han essen ially o ien ed by digi al echnology, ha
is, he main change is he b eakdown o communica ion linea i y, eplaced by an in e ac i e ne wo k
model” [
6
] (p. 182, in ou ansla ion). I is also necessa y o unde s and whe he echnologies modi y
he heo e ical dimensions ha make possible and jus i y he di e en o ms o ac ion o he lib a ies
o whe he he changes a e he esul o me ely supe icial a ia ions in he wo king na u e wi hin he
science ins i u ions.
Acco ding o The Royal Socie y’s 2012 epo , his dilemma emains la gely un esol ed:
“A pa icula dilemma o uni e si ies is o de e mine he ole o hei science lib a ies in a digi al age.
(
. . .
) The adi ional ole o he lib a y has been as a eposi o y o da a, in o ma ion and knowledge
and a sou ce o expe ise in helping schola s access hem. Tha ole emains, bu in a digi al age, he
p ocesses and he skills ha a e equi ed o ul il he same unc ion a e undamen ally di e en . They
should be hose o a wo ld in which science li e a u e is online, all he da a is online, whe e he wo
in e ope a e, and whe e schola s and esea che s a e suppo ed o wo k e icien ly in i .” [4] (p. 163)
The change is hus p esen in he di e en pe spec i es om which he esea ch lib a ies can be
obse ed. I is no , howe e , a pe manen s a e o change, as i i we e an in insic and obse able
cha ac e is ic in he phenomenon [
7
] (p. 1). The key issue is ha he en i onmen in which lib a ies
Publica ions 2018,6, 9 3 o 13
a e embedded is deeply a ec ed by he echnology issue [
8
], wi h all i s sociopoli ical implica ions,
and he amoun o change does indeed p omo e wha could appea o be a pe manen s a e o change.
B own desc ibes he impac o digi al echnologies wi h he image o a S-cu e in which he
eigh een h, nine een h, and wen ie h cen u ies co esponded o an e a o ela i e s abili y, whe e skills
acqui ed by p o essionals we e li elong, ca ee s we e linea and ins i u ional a chi ec u es seemed o
las o e e [
9
]. Bu in he las 50 yea s o he wen ie h cen u y he e has been an accele a ion, going
h ough inc easingly sho e s eps, d i en by he exponen ial g ow h o compu ing, which does no
allow any s abiliza ion in he sho e m.
Dempsey d aws a en ion—w i ing on he p oblem o collec ions in highe educa ion and esea ch
lib a ies— o he wo long ansi ions ha ma k his p ocess: he pa h om physical o digi al, and
he e olu ion o he local design o he collec ions (and ul ima ely se ices) o a global, ne wo ked
expe ience ha esul s in nume ous o ganiza ional and beha io al changes [
10
]. The ques ion o
lib a y collec ions is essen ial because i deals wi h he ensions o he so-called “a chi e o science”
de ined as “ he se o publica ions (
. . .
) which is he mos pe ennial es imony o he a i ma ion o
he in ellec ual p io i y o scien i ic disco e y. (
. . .
) I cons i u es he o mal communica ion channel
o science (
. . .
) and should be accessible, and he e o e p ese ed. I is on i ha he cu en p oposals
o he opening o science a e ocused.” [6] (pp. 183, 184, in ou ansla ion)
In his new ecosys em, s uc u ed by he p ac ice o ne wo ks, wo pa hs lie ahead. The i s is a
esponse o he eo ganiza ion o esea che s’ wo k in he digi al en i onmen . Dempsey calls i “ he
inside-ou lib a y”. Lib a ies a e inc easingly suppo i e o c ea ion, cu a ion and disco e abili y o
ins i u ional ou pu s ( esea ch da a, p ep in s, academic p o iles, digi ized special collec ions, e c.)
because he c ea ion o knowledge now akes place in he digi al en i onmen [
10
] (p. 339). The
uni e si y wan s o sha e hese ma e ials wi h he es o he wo ld, and he lib a y pa icipa es in his
endea o . This is a complemen a y posi ion o he “ou side-in” lib a y, whose adi ional oles we e
ocused on he selec ion and acquisi ion o ma e ials p oduced ou side he ins i u ion ha we e la e
acqui ed [11] (p. 5).
The second pa h is a esponse o he ne wo k eo ganiza ion o he in o ma ion space, being
called he “ acili a ed collec ion”: inc easingly, he lib a y does no build collec ions o local use, i
acili a es ins ead access o a combina ion o local, ex e nal and collabo a i e se ices, a ailable in he
ne wo k and ga he ed a ound use needs [
10
] (p. 339). Imme sion in he digi al en i onmen and in
he ne wo ks’ ab ic is ans o ming esea ch lib a ies and he way we look a hem [
12
]. Acco ding o
Dempsey, he use ceases o be in he li e o he lib a y; i is he lib a y ha is now in he li e o he
use [
10
]. This shi in ocus ca ies lib a ies in o he esea ch li ecycle, and should his cycle be in an
opening p ocess, he lib a y can o will ha e o pa icipa e as well.
The wo ansi ions—physical/digi al and local/global—a e also ei e a ed in he ecen
pe spec i e o he MIT Lib a ies: “We belie e ha his ans o ma ion— om lib a ies whe e knowledge
is accessed indi idually h ough analog and digi al means in o ones whe e c ea ion and access o
knowledge a e dynamically ne wo ked—will a ec all aspec s o he esea ch lib a y.” [13] (p. 4).
Ho man d aws a pa allel be ween he i e a i e na u e o he esea ch p ocess and he explo a o y
cul u e ha lib a ies should ake up o imp o e use se ices. She makes essen ially e e ence o he
epea ed alignmen o his de elopmen wi h he sa is ac ion o in o ma ion needs. This appa en
ou ine coexis s wi h a c ea i e dimension which is pu in o p ac ice by lib a ians: “In o de o ou
cons i uen s o see esea ch lib a ies as dynamic spaces whe e esea ch happens, we mus cul i a e
ou own in e es s and explo e new hings.” In his en i onmen , isk is some hing posi i e and ailu e
can’ be a de ea bu an oppo uni y: “Tha ’s wha esea ch is, ying some hing wi h an unce ain
ou come—whe he he esul s a e posi i e o nega i e, hey dese e o be discussed and u ilized.
No hing can be lea ned wi hou making some mis akes.” [14] (p. XV)
In summa y, his explo a o y cul u e is essen ial o lib a ies emain ele an in hei ins i u ions.
The p o ound changes b ough by a digi al, global and ne wo ked en i onmen a e deeply challenging
esea ch lib a ies. Fi s , p in collec ions and long- e m digi iza ion p ojec s a e ques ioned, pa icula ly
Publica ions 2018,6, 9 4 o 13
ou side social science and he humani ies; second, local li e a u e selec ion and acquisi ion is
o e idden by comme cial o e s and majo publishe s’ decision; hi d, ne wo ks a e he wo kspace o
science and whe e lib a ies will ha e ine i ably o be.
4. The Fu u e Is Now: RLUK, ARL and LIBER
Looking a he mos ecen s a egic documen s o he h ee main p o essional ins i u ions in
he ield o esea ch lib a ies, i is in e es ing o no e no only he iden i y dimension, ha is, wha
is unde s ood as a esea ch lib a y in each o hem, bu also he dynamics o change ha hese
documen s e eal.
RLUK (Resea ch Lib a ies UK), designa ion adop ed since 2008, was es ablished in 1983 unde he
name CURL (Conso ium o Resea ch Lib a ies). I is a ne wo k o 37 esea ch lib a ies om he UK
and I eland. I s s a egic documen o he yea s 2014–2017 is i led “Powe ing Schola ship”. I makes
e e ence o he place o ole ha esea ch lib a ies a e expec ed o play wi hin academia: he ocus on
lib a y de elopmen is in ended o d i e esea ch and inno a ion ac oss disciplines by ac ing in he
duali y o changes in he landscape o in o ma ion and by pe manen alua ion o he i age (collec ions
o books, manusc ip s and a e a chi es), a combina ion o mode ni y and adi ion [
15
]. The iden i y
p esen ed by RLUK an icipa es ha lib a ies can con ibu e o he knowledge economy on a la ge scale
h ough inno a i e p ojec s and se ices ha add alue and impac o he p ocess o esea ch and
aining o esea che s.
The i e pilla s o RLUK’s s a egy o 2014–2017 sugges such ongoing econ igu a ion as well.
Fi s , he e o mula ion o he mode n collec ion o esea ch lib a ies; ollowed by he opening o
he science communica ion cycle, including he edi ing and managemen o esea ch da a. Thi dly,
he exhibi ion and exploi a ion o lib a y collec ions, e ealing abo e all wha seems o be s ill hidden
om he eyes o esea che s and he public. Fou h, ano he s a egic objec i e is mapping he
landscape o changing esea ch, he ole o lib a ies in esea ch and aining o esea che s, especially
assis ing lib a y manage s o iden i y he a eas whe e hey can add alue. Finally, he goal is o se up
a c ea i e communi y by de eloping leade ship and inno a ion, bo h by hinking abou good p ac ices
and encou aging lib a ies o measu e and demons a e hei alue o schola ly communi ies [
15
] (p. 5).
The ARL (Associa ion o Resea ch Lib a ies) b ings oge he 125 lib a ies om he Uni ed S a es
o Ame ica and Canada. Ha ing been es ablished in 1932, i is one o he mos impo an and oldes
lib a y associa ions. The s a egic ision p esen ed in 2014, in iew o he yea 2033, was he esul
o a s udy o he p o essionals, as well as he analysis o he s a egic documen s o he a ious
ins i u ions ha make up he associa ion. The cu en change is clea ly exp essed in his o mula:
“In 2033, he esea ch lib a y will ha e shi ed om i s ole as a knowledge se ice p o ide wi hin
he uni e si y o become a collabo a i e pa ne wi hin a ich and di e se lea ning and esea ch
ecosys em. [
16
] (p. 17) This ansi ion om “supplie s” o “collabo a o s” p esen s esea ch lib a ies
wi h mo e complex challenges, inhe en o an e a o cons an imbalance.
One o hese challenges consis s in a change o a i ude on he pa o he in o ma ion p o essionals
hemsel es. In he p ologue o he upda e o ARL’s s a egic documen , B own epo s a dialogue
ha is pa adigma ic. A colleague, who had asked B own abou he long- e m signi icance o Google
Glass, was laughing abou he u u e o esea ch lib a ies, ha ing B own eplied ha lib a ies had
he oppo uni y o become he cen e o lea ning in he ubiqui ous in o ma ion wo ld, because hey
complemen and s uc u e all he new ways in which we lea n om each o he [
17
]. The awa eness
ha lib a ians can ake on his educa ional mission as aine s and acili a o s is a adical s ep owa ds
b eaking he ies wi h he p ejudice ha lib a ies a e dispensable is-à- is he gene alized supply o
in o ma ion p o ided by he WWW.
Pa icipan s in he s a egic econ igu a ion p ocess p omo ed by ARL ha e also ecognized h ee
key changes ha will occu o e he nex wen y yea s: (1) he lib a y has shi ed i s ocus om se ice
p o ide wi hin a single uni e si y o becoming a pa ne and ac i ely collabo a e wi hin a b oade
highe educa ion ecosys em; (2) lib a ies will be e en mo e commi ed o suppo ing he li ecycle
Publica ions 2018,6, 9 5 o 13
and ange o knowledge disco e y, use and p ese a ion ac i i ies, as well as cu a ing and sha ing
in a ious con ex s o he mission o he uni e si y and socie y; (3) he ARL— he o ganiza ion—will
enable lib a ies o a icula e bo h indi idually and collec i ely wi h one ano he o p omo e lea ning,
esea ch and social impac [17] (pp. 19, 20).
LIBER (Ligue des Biblio hèques Eu opéennes de Reche che—Associa ion o Eu opean Resea ch
Lib a ies) was es ablished in 1971 and b ings oge he o e 420 na ional lib a ies, highe educa ion
and esea ch lib a ies. The s a egic documen o 2018–2022 ocuses on he ole o lib a ies in he
sus ainabili y o knowledge in he digi al age, pa icula ly how lib a ies will enhance i . The o eseen
changes a e mul iple: open access is he p edominan o m o publica ion; he esea ch da a a e FAIR
(Findable, Accessible, In e ope able and Reusable); digi al skills suppo a mo e open and anspa en
esea ch li ecycle; esea ch in as uc u es a e adap ed and b ing oge he he a ious disciplines
o knowledge; he cul u al he i age o he u u e is buil in o he digi al in o ma ion o he p esen .
Agains his backg ound, LIBER se s ou h ee s a egic di ec ions. Resea ch lib a ies in 2022 should be:
inno a i e science communica ion pla o ms, se ice and digi al compe encies cen e s, and pa ne s
in he in e ope able, scalable and in e disciplina y esea ch in as uc u e [18].
The h ee s a egic documen s ecognize ha he ongoing changes place he esea ch lib a y
as an ac i e pa icipan in he ansi ion be ween adi ion and mode ni y. Thei ole as c ea i e
agen s and p omo e s o inno a ion is a ho izon ha could allow lib a ies o con inue o deli e
alue-added se ices and p oduc s. Likewise, he collabo a i e dimension is co obo a ed in he h ee
documen s, pa icula ly he ole o he esea ch lib a y as a lea ning cen e . This educa ional mission
and he sus ainabili y dimension o in o ma ion lows will be essen ial bases o science p oduc ion
and dissemina ion. Lib a ies’ in e en ion in he esea ch li ecycle is seen by he h ee associa ions as
he new place ha lib a ies should occupy.
5. The Changing Roles o Resea ch Lib a ies
Based on he wo k o Wendy Lougee i is possible o begin he mapping o ideas abou he
changing oles o esea ch lib a ies. Fo his au ho , in he 1990s, he wo key componen s wi h which
lib a ies we e deba ed we e dis ibu ed echnologies and open pa adigms. To concep ualize his new
s anding, Lougee p oposes he concep o di use lib a ies, in which i is ecognized ha he uni e se
o in o ma ion is mo e dis ibu ed and ha he lib a y is no longe he cen e o his uni e se. A
he same ime, he concep ions su ounding he idea o “openness” (open access, open sou ce, e c.)
also eme ge, emphasizing he collabo a i e and sha ing dimension, dis up i e elemen s owa ds a
cen al posi ion, and ul ima ely isola ed one, occupied by he esea ch lib a y. A new se o unc ions
is hus p oposed:
Wi h he inco po a ion o dis ibu ed echnologies and mo e open models, he lib a y has
he po en ial o become mo e in ol ed a all s ages, and in all con ex s, o knowledge c ea ion,
dissemina ion, and use. Ra he han being de ined by i s collec ions o he se ices ha suppo
hem, he lib a y can become a di use agen wi hin he schola ly communi y (
. . .
) we see he
lib a y becoming mo e deeply engaged in he undamen al mission o he academic ins i u ion—i.e.,
he c ea ion and dissemina ion o knowledge—in ways ha ep esen he lib a y’s con ibu ions mo e
b oadly and ha in e wine he lib a y wi h he o he s akeholde s in hese ac i i ies. The lib a y
becomes a collabo a o wi hin he academy, ye e ains i s dis inc iden i y. [19] (p. 4)
The imme sion o lib a ies wi hin he p ocesses o science p oduc ion and
dissemina ion—su passing i s ole as gua dian o he a chi e o science—was hus he esul
o he eme gence o a new cul u e—dis ibu ed, open, di use— ha would la e also be deeply ma ked
by he assump ion o he social web and by he new o ms o sha ing and collabo a ion ha we e
de eloped. Lougee ecognizes hese a ious o ces a e isible in a b oad se o changes in he ocus o
lib a ies: om a chi ing o scien i ic publica ions o pa icipa ion in he whole p ocess, including
he de elopmen o an in as uc u e suppo ing all he asks o science; om collec ions’ holde o
he alue added by he compe ences; om access o in o ma ion p o ide o he c ea ion o meaning

Publica ions 2018,6, 9 6 o 13
in in o ma ional chaos; om media ion be ween in o ma ion needs and collec ions o acili a ion,
disin e media ion and de elopmen o mechanisms ha a o he indi idual wo k o use s; om a
local lib a y pe spec i e o he globaliza ion o science [20] (p. 612).
The pa adigm shi seen in he oles o esea ch lib a ies is, o Lougee, he esul o a se o
anomalies (widesp ead in o ma ion supply, compu e de elopmen , and ne wo k powe ) ha call
in o ques ion a mindse cen e ed in collec ions, no maliza ion and eac i e mode o ac ion. I is no ,
howe e , a me e ansi ion o he digi al con ex , since he e is a deep econ igu a ion o he oles o
lib a ies [
20
] (p. 613). I he collec ion no longe occupies he cen e o he uni e se o in o ma ion,
a cons an adap a ion o changes in science is equi ed, pa icula ly he eme gence o cybe -science
o e-science [
21
], and digi al echnologies. Hence, new oles eme ge such as he abili y o collabo a e,
o ende esou ces p o i able, o simpli y complex si ua ions, o unde s and p ocesses, o empowe
esou ces, as well as he abili y o adap he global science in as uc u e o local needs [20] (p. 621).
F om he li e a u e e iew on his opic, we can see a p o usion o s udies (which inc eases in
2010) in ecen yea s ha seek o e lec on he new oles ha esea ch lib a ies a e assuming (o he
e iews can be ound in [
22
–
24
]). Fo Anglada [
25
], he ocus o he lib a ies in he cons uc ion o
collec ions was shaken by he changes in science communica ion [
26
]. This has led o a eo ganiza ion
o esea ch suppo se ices, om open access, h ough he de elopmen o eposi o ies, o inc easing
he isibili y o esea che s.
Webs e [
27
] shows ha in es men in lib a ies (pe cen age o uni e si y expendi u e) has been
declining since he 1980s, pu ing hei adi ional mission a isk. On he o he hand, he scien i ic
communica ion sys em is unsus ainable, abo e all due o he ampan p ice o esou ces, which leads
lib a ies o p e e acquisi ion models ha don’ gua an ee owne ship and long- e m access. I lib a ies
e en ually e lec he p oblems o uni e si ies, only an a icula ion o collec i e s a egies can o e come
he p essu e o which he sys em o science is subjec .
Case [
28
] a gues ha esea ch lib a ies should play he ole o pa ne s in he c ea ion o
knowledge. I he c ea ion o new knowledge was p e iously dependen on he collec ion, o ganiza ion,
access and p ese a ion ha lib a ies gua an ee, in he digi al en i onmen lib a ies now ha e he
oppo uni y o in eg a e e en mo e ac i ely in o he p ocess o knowledge c ea ion [
22
]. Thei
con ibu ion is no only he eplica ion o he p e ious oles bu also he co e alues (access,
p ese a ion, e hics) ha he p o essional communi y ca ies in hei wo k. Pa hways a e p o ided
ha esea che s can and should adop : “By being in ol ed in hese choices, lib a ians can help acul y
make he decisions ha will inc ease he odds ha aluable schola ship in digi al o m will no be los .
In ac , ou goal should be o help make his schola ship easily ound, eadily used, and pe manen ly
p ese ed.” [28] (p. 145)
In an essen ial wo k [
29
], se e al au ho s aim o unde s and he changes in p og ess. Men ioning
only wo examples ela ed o changing oles o esea ch lib a ies, Smi h [
30
] insis s ha collec ion,
p ese a ion and access a e essen ial unc ions pe cei ed and ecei ed as an inhe i ance e en hough
he cen e o g a i y o in o ma ion has been ans e ed o he in e ne . The managemen o esou ces
will be gua an eed in he u u e by an en i y—which may no be called a lib a y—which mus
be dedica ed o wo conc e e oles: he local unc ion (communi y in o ma ion needs, eposi o y
managemen , e c.) and ne wo k unc ion, pa o a cybe in as uc u e o local and ansna ional
esea ch. The lib a y is he pla o m embedded in he in as uc u e ha esea che s u n o so hey
can be pa o he ne wo k ha suppo s a global and dis ibu ed science.
Luce [
31
] s esses ha he main change in he ole o lib a ies conce ns he way in which
hei adi ional unc ions a e ex ended o espond o a collabo a i e en i onmen cha ac e ized
by con inuous and synch onous communica ion as well as he ques ion o au oma ic desc ip ion
mechanisms and o he s ha adap o he in o ma ion speed. I p oposes h ee key oles: (1) suppo
o he ea ly s ages o knowledge c ea ion, i.e., g ea e ca e wi h he p oduc ion phase, along wi h
he dissemina ion o esul s. This implies no only ac i e collabo a ion in he planning o esea ch
da a managemen [
32
], bu also adhe ence o less o mal means o science communica ion; (2) he link
Publica ions 2018,6, 9 7 o 13
be ween scien i ic communi ies, h ough he de elopmen o collabo a i e s uc u es a he WWW
and he in o ma ion needs sa is ac ion in hese en i onmen s; (3) he esea ch da a cu a ion, he
de elopmen o me ada a s anda diza ion, and he s a egic design o science pa icipa ion in he
seman ic web.
All hese aspec s lead he lib a y o a labo a o y image, mo ing away om he idea o a wa ehouse
o in o ma ion silo (see [
33
]). One o he aspec s ha con ibu ed decisi ely o he b eakdown o his
compa men aliza ion was he open access mo emen . Ha is [
34
] ound ha al hough open access
seems o educe he impo ance o lib a ies in he de elopmen o ins i u ional collec ions, lib a ians’
skills emain essen ial o he eposi o ies managemen , me ada a s uc u es ha allow e ie al o
in o ma ion in open access and p ese a ion mechanisms o esou ces. On a scale ha is now mo e
global han local, he alue o lib a ies is measu ed by he quali y o deli e y, including he digi izing
o unique collec ions. The u u e is abou collabo a ion and sha ing o esou ces and he main change
will be he ans e o impo ance om he lib a y o he lib a ian: « he in o ma ion p o essional is he
lib a y o he u u e» [34] (p. 14).
Abou a decade ago, one o he mos p ominen leade s in he enewal o highe educa ion and
esea ch lib a ies in Po ugal, w o e a a mee ing on esea ch lib a ies in 2020: «In he coming en yea s,
local esea ch lib a ies can and mus be nodes o a global ne wo k o esea ch in o ma ion p o ide s.
This global ne wo k will be composed o di e en ypes o eposi o ies ha will s o e, p ese e, expose
and p o ide access o he esea ch ou pu s o he communi ies o which hey a e a ached» [35].
A he hea o he new ways o science manu ac u e we ind da a, bu esea che s only wan o
use hem and do no spend esou ces on hei collec ion, o ganiza ion o p ese a ion [
36
]. The ole
o lib a ies as eposi o ies o in o ma ion p o ide s is ans o med, eme ging an ac i e unc ion in
he p ocess o scien i ic esea ch [
37
]. This ac i a ion p omo es a pa ne ship ins ance [
38
] in which
he lib a y p o ides specialized skills and ools and he e o e assumes i sel as an in eg al pa o he
p ocess. The expe ience o lib a ies in he ield o in e ope abili y is a gua an ee o he e ec i eness
o his new collabo a ion: “Lib a ies ha e he ins i u ional s uc u e and many o he skills needed
o main ain la ge da a se s, make di e en e sions a ailable o di e en pu poses, c ea e me ada a
linkages, add p o enance in o ma ion, add ess long- e m p ese a ion and a chi ing, and a end o all
o he asks associa ed wi h cu a ion and ensu e accessibili y on demand.” [36] (p. 67).
One o he mos in e es ing documen s ha has been published in ecen yea s p oposes ha MIT
lib a ies (and hese as models o he wo ld) be iewed as open and global pla o ms, co esponding
o a ision ha comp ises ou dimensions: (1) lib a ies should concei e i s communi y as global,
emb acing openness, di e si y, global social jus ice and c i ical hinking; (2) lib a ies should de elop
and acili a e he c ea ion o con en pla o ms and ools ha encou age he open dissemina ion o
esea ch and acili a e new me hods o disco e y and use o in o ma ion; (3) lib a ies should be
leade s in he long- e m managemen o in o ma ion esou ces and in he de elopmen o collabo a i e
models o he long- e m managemen o science a chi e; (4) lib a ies should become a esea ch and
de elopmen cen e , looking o new answe s o he majo challenges a ound esea ch lib a ies and
science communica ion [13] (p. 19).
Ano he key s udy was held a Co nell Uni e si y [
39
] on he lib a y o he u u e. The design
o his p oposal is in o med by he da a collec ed and analyzed among he esea che s, based on he
p emise ha he adi ional ocus o lib a ies on in o ma ion acquisi ion and esea ch is insu icien
due o he complexi y o he esea ch p ocess. The lib a y should hus in e ene a di e en poin s in
he esea ch li ecycle: “ esea ch is abou much mo e han inding and e alua ing knowledge sou ces,
he adi ional ocus o in o ma ion-li e acy ini ia i es. Resea ch is abou asking ques ions, abou
syn hesizing ideas, and abou c ea i e p oblem sol ing.” [40] (p. 553).
One o he main aspec s is he ole o echnology in he esea ch p ocess, pa icula ly he
possibili y ha echnology o e s in e ms o cus omiza ion. The eme gence o hese idiosync asies
o ces he lib a y o build an o e o se ices and p oduc s ha espond o he indi idual
p e e ences o esea che s so ha i can become an «academic hub». In he same sense, collabo a ion
Publica ions 2018,6, 9 8 o 13
and in e disciplina i y should p omo e he adop ion o ools and applica ions ha allow ue
in e ope abili y: “The lib a y o he u u e, as we see i , lies a he junc u e o cus omiza ion and
collabo a ion in suppo o he o e lapping sphe es o he esea ch p ocess, academic ne wo king, and
sel -managemen .” [39] (p. 40).
The main hemes ha lead o he ision de ined by Tanche a e al. a e: (1) he esea ch is
idiosync a ic and, as such, lib a y se ices mus , a he han o ganize, gi e meaning o in o ma ion
( esea ch s. sea ch); (2) he in es iga ion does no ha e schedules and is ubiqui ous, so he se ices
should also be; (3) no ebooks a e an essen ial pa o esea ch and a e equally idiosync a ic, so
se ices should in es in his a ea o academic ac i i y; (4) in o ma ion sea ch and knowledge
p oduc ion sys ems will ce ainly ail a a gi en momen , and he specialized esponse o lib a y
se ices, pe sonalized, lexible and po able, will be essen ial hen; (5) esea ch is collabo a i e and,
he e o e, lib a ies should suppo and acili a e collec i e wo k [39] (p. 40).
Acknowledging he cen al place o echnology, lib a ies mus espec he idiosync a ic
na u e o indi idual esea ch p ac ices and simul aneously link esea che s o he in e na ional
academic communi y. The e o e, he lib a y o he u u e should be an academic hub and an app
s o e—in e ening in a pe manen , luid, in e connec ed and idiosync a ic in es iga i e p ocess— ha
allows o highly cus omizable esea ch [
39
] (p. 41) [see also 40]. An excellen example o he
de elopmen o hese ideas has been he ield o digi al humani ies, in which lib a ies ha e ein en ed
hei cus odial ole, enabling he echnological ans o ma ion o esea ch and he c ea ion o new
pe spec i es and in e p e a ions [41–43].
RIM (Resea ch In o ma ion Managemen ) o CRIS (Cu en Resea ch In o ma ion Sys em), in
he Eu opean nomencla u e, a e a ypology o ools ha aim a he agg ega ion, cu a ion and use o
in o ma ion abou esea ch, wi h a close ela ionship wi h he lib a y. RIM «in e sec s wi h many
aspec s o adi ional lib a y se ices in disco e y, acquisi ion, dissemina ion, and analysis o schola ly
ac i i ies, and does so h ough he nexus wi h ins i u ional da a sys ems, acul y wo k lows, and
ins i u ional pa ne s» [
44
] (p. 5). I is da a abou esea ch a he han da a gene a ed by esea ch: and
“ ep esen s ins i u ional cu a ion o he ins i u ional schola ly eco d” [44] (p. 8).
Lib a ies, while seeking o align hei ac i i ies wi h he s a egic plans o he ins i u ions o which
hey belong, ex end hei ange o se ices o suppo ins i u ional objec i es in an essen ially digi al
en i onmen , p ese ing in o ma ion p oduced locally and in e connec ing i wi h he ne wo k, as
Dempsey had also p oposed wi h he concep o he inside-ou lib a y [
10
]. Howe e , in gene al,
ins i u ions don’ ecognize lib a ies as pa ne s in he managemen o in o ma ion o his ype.
B yan e al. p opose ha his suppo can be p o ided in ou dimensions, using he capi al o
expe ience and knowledge accumula ed by lib a ies o e he yea s, co esponding o ou oles o
lib a ies in esea ch in o ma ion managemen (RIM): (1) specialized suppo in he ield o schola ly
publica ions and science communica ion; (2) he abili y o disco e and exploi he di e en le els
o ne wo k accessibili y, including open access; (3) end-use aining and suppo ; (4) ins i u ional
eco ds cu a ion [44] (p. 13).
Gi en ha he e is a p oblem o isibili y, which is no exclusi e o esea ch lib a ies bu a ec s
o he in o ma ion se ices, he concep o he in elligen lib a y: “
. . .
an ‘in elligen lib a y’ is no
simply one ha has he mos up- o-da e echnology. I is a lib a y ha uses echnology o espond in a
imely and e ec i e way o changes ha a e aking place in i s uni e si y.” [
45
] (p. 219) The e a e h ee
cha ac e is ics ha lib a ies mus demons a e: abili y o ans o m he esou ces ha lib a ies make
a ailable; collabo a ion o imp o e he way in o ma ion esou ces a e made a ailable; isibili y o he
lib a y in a con ex o in e nal compe i ion due o he sca ce esou ces a ailable [45] (p. 220).
A he 2017 RLUK con e ence, one o he opics add essed was he ole o lib a ies in scien i ic
esea ch. These sys ems should occupy a cen al place in he ecosys em o science. This equi es
a cul u al shi om he concep o suppo o collabo a ion o he concep o pa ne ship: “We
need o be c ea i e code elope s wo king wi h he esea ch communi y i we a e o be a esea ch
lib a y (
. . .
) We should embed lib a y in esea ch ques ions and p ocesses. [
46
]” This c ea i i y may
Publica ions 2018,6, 9 9 o 13
be
sub e si e [45] (p. 220)
in he sense ha one ies o de elop he posi ion ou o he adi ional
sphe e o ac ion, bu simul aneously se ing he in e es s o he ins i u ion whe e one is inse ed.
This c ea i i y has been applied in open science, in which lib a ies ha e sough o ake on leade ship
oles o posi i ely in luence— o b eaking and o opening— he whole cycle o scien i ic inqui y.
Despi e he loss o he monopoly o in o ma ion and he owne ship o he collec ions, i is now ime o
p oceed wi h a e-app op ia ion o he esponsibili y o he p ese a ion o he digi al objec s ha
a e sca e ed on he se e s o comme cial publishe s. This mo emen should gene a e no only open
access, bu also a sha ed and open collec i e collec ion.
As Lynch s esses: “The e’s a huge p oblem wi h public o OA ma e ials on he web: e e ybody
elies on hem, bu nobody wan s o ake esponsibili y o cu a ing and p ese ing hem.” [
47
] (p. 128)
In summa y, “ his u u e in ol es a shi away om lib a ies pu chasing con en o hei local use s,
owa ds lib a ies cu a ing and sha ing wi h he es o he wo ld he esea ch ou pu s p oduced a
hei ins i u ion.” [48] (p. 2).
A s udy ca ied ou in he Uni ed Kingdom wi h expe s and in o ma ion p o essionals e ealed
ha hese ha e iden i ied i e se s o ends in highe educa ion lib a ies: (1) scien i ic esea ch is
inc easingly being suppo ed by la ge da a se s and digi al a i ac s in ol ing in elligen , open and
ne wo ked sys ems; (2) new pedagogies a e being suppo ed by lexible and echnology-based lea ning;
(3) lib a ies a e changing he emphasis o hei collec ion-cen ic s a egy o se ice de elopmen ;
(4) he bounda ies be ween p o essional g oups and se ices a e blu ing and hei iden i ies changing
wi h g ea e collabo a ion and aining in new skills; (5) he eno mous p essu e ha highe educa ion
and lib a ies a e being subjec in o de o espond o new si ua ions [11] (p. 16).
Al hough he alignmen o he lib a ies wi h he ins i u ions is conside ed essen ial by he
pa icipan s, h ee s yles ha e been de ec ed ha can be ound o a g ea e o lesse deg ee, depending
on he con ex o each o ganiza ion: he s yle o se ice p o ide , in line wi h he eques s o he
ins i u ion; he use s pa ne s yle and o he se ices wi hin p ojec s o embedded wo k; inally,
he leade s yle, in which he lib a y assumes a ole o inno a ion, s a egy, and
ision [11] (p. 36)
.
The au ho s also conside ed se e al pa adigms o hough models ha help an icipa e he u u e o
lib a ies. F om he ones al eady iden i ied in he li e a u e such as he hyb id lib a y o “lib a y
in he li e o he use ”, he se ice-o ien ed lib a y o globalized lib a y we e added, among
o he s [11] (p. 50).
6. An Open Iden i y
One o he g ea challenges is o unde s and whe he he collabo a i e dynamics be ween se ices
and esea che s don’ lead o a p ocess o iden i y e osion o he lib a ies hemsel es [
11
] (p. 56).
The abili y o pe cei e change wi hin he scope o social sciences usually equi es he use o ools
capable o wo king la ge da a se s. A ecen example is he ongoing in e na ional s udy on he
disco e y and access o scien i ic in o ma ion by ea ly-ca ee esea che s, led by Da id Nicholas
(CIBER Resea ch G oup). P elimina y esul s show ha he p oblem o lib a y suppo o esea ch has
o be obse ed in conjunc ion wi h o he elemen s o he science ecosys em (such as publishe s), and
gi en he massi e supply o in o ma ion, which has inc eased wi h imp o emen o he WWW se ices
(mainly he Google pla o ms, bu also he social ne wo ks o esea che s), o wi h he inc easing
a ailabili y o esou ces in open access [49].
Howe e , Nicholas s a es ha he obse a ion o his g oup does no b ing good news o he
lib a ies: “The pic u e is mo e wo ying o lib a ies, as hei schola ly se ices seem o ha e los all
isibili y. Many ea ly-ca ee esea che s ha e no se oo in hei lib a y o yea s, and conside hem
mainly as places o unde g adua es o wo k. As wi h publishe pla o ms, Google has supplan ed hei
disco e y sys ems. To make ma e s wo se, ins i u ional eposi o ies a e no popula ,
ei he .” [50] (p. 8)
.
Lib a ies a e acili a o s o access o in o ma ion, mainly h ough he acquisi ion o
esou ces—when he e is awa eness o who acqui es he in o ma ion—bu hey don’ suppo he