Sustainability of Scholarly Information

This is the first book to discuss the sustainable development of digital scholarly information in three key aspects: economic, social and environmental sustainability. Taking as its starting point the premise that digital information systems and services form the backbone of a knowledge society and digital economy, this book explores the challenges of ensuring sustainability of information in an evolving digital world. Author Gobinda Chowdhury attempts to find answers to five key questions in the context of scholarly information systems and services: 1) How sustainable are today's information systems and services? 2) How can we ensure the sustainability of information throughout its lifetime? 3) Can today's information systems and services face the new economic challenges while providing easy and equitable access to information for everyone? 4) Can the level and quality of information services be sustained over a long period of time? 5) Can all these activities be performed in an environment-friendly manner? Chowdhury takes the approach of a research monograph based on literature review and meta-analysis of the issues and challenges associated with the various forms of sustainability of digital information systems and services. He proposes new models for study and research based on the critical analysis of developments in related areas. Illustrated with case studies and informed by the latest research, the chapters cover: economic sustainability of information, environmental sustainability of information, social sustainability of information, sustainability of digital libraries and information services, emerging issues and policies, sustainability of information models, and research issues and challenges. This cutting-edge text is a must-read for those involved in setting policy and direction for information institutions, digital library managers and developers, researchers and students on LIS and digital information courses.