From: Benjamin Maverick Turley <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Mon, 26 Nov 2018 20:34:35 +0000

NFAIS 2019 Annual Conference
February 13 - 15, 2019
Hilton Alexandria Old Town, Alexandria, VA

Where once a changing landscape in scholarly communication meant transitioning from print to digital output, the ecosystem has widened to include not just publishers or content providers but also authors, librarians, researchers, funders and end users who are more connected, more vocal and therefore more impactful in developing a global enterprise that provides what users want, when they want it, where they want it, and in a manner most suitable to their needs. In addition to these established players, the long tail is comprised of an expanding array of entrepreneurial types who are brilliantly globalizing research through immediate and as often, disruptive solutions—integrating AI and machine learning—creating solutions that deliver faster and more dynamic experiences in an increasingly changing marketplace. These new players have leaped at opportunities for space and recognition and are all intent on liberating and unlocking research and data. Research and data that through AI and machine learning has the potential to empower researchers with more data than they ever thought possible, returned to them as potentially actionable insights to further advance their quest for scientific discovery and breakthroughs.

This is evident in the rise in new players and a change in roles that no longer fit the taxonomic mold imposed by the information industry as we know it.  

This conference will seek to address what’s driving the critical changes and solutions that are characterized by researchers who through the use of technology are shrinking the world, changing expectations, democratizing access, demanding value and defining the acceleration of faster, more responsive, adaptive solutions that will challenge and redefine what and how fast we as stakeholders rise to market demands and technology innovations. We will examine the integration of AI and machine learning technologies that are being used to maximize engagement and create user conversion. Speakers will share their experience implementing these new solutions and the lessons learned.

•       The NFAIS Annual Conference continues to be where creative thought leaders gather together, year after year.

•       Both the speakers and attendees represent every corner of our industry— those who come together for three days to discuss, debate and share insightful solutions that help us rise to challenges while keeping our core values intact.

•       Scholarly communications relies on a collective industry for solutions and it is at this conference you’ll find the opportunity to learn from, network with and be among the widest breadth of inspiring colleagues.

Value (day one) – AI, Machine Learning, Tools, User Experience

Whereas many publishers have greatly streamlined the manuscript submission process, conversely, discovery of, access to, and use of more granular research and data that is more immediately available even before an article has been formally published, has never been more in demand. Today’s sessions will look at traditional stakeholders in the industry who are focused on supporting researchers, advancing discovery, and creating solutions that unearth and advance knowledge, while addressing the challenges that all stakeholders face—keeping up with technologies, warding off competition, figuring out how to collaborate without losing relevance, and designing experiences that engage while creating products and services that keep pace with growing demands. These sessions will highlight the increased alignment between libraries, discovery tools—acting as intermediaries, and publishers who are responding to the changes in scholarly publishing and the needs of researchers.

•       Address how they have adapted to and repositioned value based on evolving user expectations

•       Share new approach and response to improved delivery, use, reuse and remix of content of all types

•       Introduce what new technologies, tools and applications are being launched to engage users and what their response has been

•       Share what technologies deployed have amplified value, elevated strength and as a result moved faster and further in meeting the needs of researchers

Access (day two) – Technologies, Open Initiatives, Collaborations, Partnerships

Scholarly publishers and learned societies acknowledge the changes in this landscape demand researchers have available new tools and solutions that support what researchers want but have we created easier ways to discover, access, or make use of and even share research? Have solutions created brought researchers together, or isolated publishers? Have we been willing to collaborate or are we enabling workarounds by disruptors who are finding the only lynchpin between their solutions and the trove of pay-walled content are the publishers who have dug their feet in. Finally, are we letting anxiety and distractions about disruption lead reactions rather than drives strategies?

•       Focus on the synergies and benefits that implementing technologies, and integrating shared resources including repositories, data sources and services has the potential to deliver and may be required for a successful collaborative solution where there appears is no longer, a single publishing solution.

•       Examine how redesigning and recreating platforms, forming  partnerships, and collaborating has the potential to align missions with models, using a more streamlined, seamless approach—that at the same time, meets the evolving advances in scholarship and publishing innovation.

Best Practices & Standards (day three) – Privacy, Ownership, etc.

Technology is no doubt shaping the way standards, best practices, mandates and laws are changing and as a collective group, we need to be cognizant of its impact on researchers and other stakeholders from the time a researcher begins his work to publication. Today’s sessions will focus on:

•       What impact does moving toward a more open environment have on all stakeholders whose roles are an integral part of this complicated infrastructure?

•       How might understanding each other’s perspectives create greater transparency and better collaboration?

•       What must we do in order to cohesively continue to cohabitate, share and yet remain our own unique entity?

For more information, please visit: https://www.nfais.org/index.php?option=com_mc&view=mc&mcid=72&eventId=550617&orgId=nfais&recurringId=0