August 2020
Calvert, Scout. Future Themes and Forecasts for Research Libraries and Emerging Technologies. Edited by Mary Lee Kennedy, Clifford Lynch, and John O’Brien. Association of Research Libraries, Coalition for Networked Information, and EDUCAUSE, August 2020 (https://doi.org/10.29242/report.emergingtech2020.forecasts). - A result of two workshops held with leaders and experts in learning and research, this paper identifies likely futures for libraries in emerging technologies in learning and research over the next one to three years. Four primary themes are the result of the workshop discussions; collaborative, collective approaches to emerging technology challenges, research libraries are poised to engage in shaping the future of their institutions from a position of strength, collaborative and cloud tools to support the focus on online teaching and research continuity, and data generated and used in research, learning, and as a by-product of digital life will continue to ground a variety of projects in every part of the higher education project. This project was undertaken during the early phase of responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, so the effects of the pandemic on the use of technology by research libraries and institutions provides a useful context for these findings. - WC