Challenges to the role of publishers

What future roles will publishers need to build on and develop given changes driven by the online system for the publication of research-based information? By reviewing some of the key issues currently faced by publishers online, this article is an attempt to provide a constructive framework for working through both immediate tactical pressures and priorities, and longer-term plans on product refinement and market needs. The areas of publishing affected by online availability are identified and contrasted with those that are not. Success rests on the ability of publishers to listen to and observe online users, to be open to the new opportunities that arise, and to be willing to adapt publications to provide value to the research community and libraries by making full and sound use of online as it becomes the dominant route for accessing research information. Learned Publishing (2003)16, 7–14 Mary Waltham Challenges to the role of publishers 7 L E A R N E D P U B L I S H I N G V O L . 1 6 N O . 1 J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 3 print, and at a basic level both are trivial to put in place. Unlike print references, hyperlinks, which are critical sources of value, do go dead – and key ones need regular checking for accuracy to avoid utterly frustrated users who will be unwilling to come back to the site. Unlike print, searching for information online is anything but absolute. Users all want comprehensive yet delimited online search but as with print, you never know what you are missing. Current search engines are poor for most research fields although Research IndexTM 2 provides an excellent model for the computer science literature. There are some interesting new entrants to the specialist search engine market and in due course the accuracy and granularity of online searching will doubtless improve. Online publishing systems are increasingly scalable – so that more content and functionality can be built into most systems – enriching the user experience. The cost of this continual growth and innovation is proportionately higher for small systems and while some large publishers have developed in-house solutions – remember publishers used to own printers – many medium and small publishers turn to a technology partner to provide this support. In the future it seems most likely that publishers’ proprietary systems will evolve to deliver more neutral content formats to a wider range of platforms distributed in a broad variety of ways. Users want common interfaces and fewer different front ends through which to access content. Why is the online information market different?