Hazel M. Woodward - Digital Information. Order or Anarchy [2010][A]

Book Description
If the vision for the future of digital information is order, ease of access, discoverable resources and sustainable business models, how might this be achieved? What might go wrong to bring about a state of anarchy? In an information environment shaped by an ever growing and persistent demand for more and more digital content from every direction, it has become increasingly important that publishers, libraries and information professionals understand the challenges and opportunities of the Google environment. This book addresses these issues and carves out a strategy for the future of digital information. Put together by an international, cross-sectoral team of contributors, each authored chapter provides a snapshot of where we are now and considers how the barriers might be overcome and what the digital information environment might look like if they are - or indeed are not - addressed. The key sections include: resource discovery; e-books; scholarly communications; digitizing the past; who owns the content in the digital environment; e-learning; a publisher's view; and, the vision for the future. This book is essential reading for all library and information professionals as well as for researchers and library students. It will also be of interest to publishers wishing to reconcile their own digital strategies with those of both information consumers and providers.

Reviews
A thought-provoking book...a valuable contribution to the literature on digital information and acquiring a better understanding of digital information. It is a 'must-read.' --OIR, Vol. 32, No. 2

"Digital Information presents an interdisciplinary analysis with global perspective on scholarly communication. Contributors address the profound impact of digital technology, open-access publishing, Google initiative, and escalating copyright concerns on higher education...Recommended." --CHOICE, August 2010

"…this is a very thought-provoking group of essays. It is both timely and essential for librarians to have at least a basic understanding, if not a working knowledge, of the challenges and assumptions of the digital environment. This book provides that background." --Journal of Web Librarianship, October-December 2010

About the Author
Hazel Woodward is University Librarian and Director of Cranfield University Press; and Lorraine Estelle is Chief Executive Officer of JISC.