Science in the Twilight Zone; or, Are Science Libraries Related to Science?
Theme: The Serials Crisis in Science and Technology Libraries
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29173/istl1453Abstract
An ideal vision of science requires goals and strategies to deal directly with the growth of new information. "Information Age" science policy fails to do this. By ignoring the study of science communications, it fosters a policy vacuum on information. By forgetting the economic value of libraries it fails to maximize the effective return on investments in research. Libraries are unable to meet the needs of their patrons. Publishers are discouraged from investing in markets dependent on academic libraries. The practice of neglecting information also scoffs at the law. Ending the neglect of science libraries means reforming the "indirect cost" policies by which government agencies support university libraries used for research.
In late 1997, House Speaker Newt Gingrich acknowledged that science and technology, "is now so inundated with its own technical knowledge, that it's almost impossible for it to become coherent." [Online] [October 23, 1997] He requested a "vision statement." I responded with an articulation that is embellished and expanded in the first part of this article. Two letters to Congress follow, expanding on goals and strategies, including an annotated list of references and a graphic analysis of the relationship of science and research libraries.
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