Advising a publisher on product development and pricing

Abstract

PurposeLibrarians have an opportunity to contribute to the evolution of scholarly communication. By serving on advisory boards, especially those of publishers that are revamping their products for an online environment, librarians can both accelerate the development of good digital information resources and foster greater diversity in the marketplace. The New England Journal of Medicine's newly established library advisory board is a case in point. Aims to give an overview of the situation.Design/methodology/approachA total of nine librarians agreed to serve as members of the library advisory board – designed to build relationships with the academic and hospital library community.FindingsAs a profession, librarians value learning and the lifelong augmentation of knowledge and skills. Stretching oneself by serving on the advisory board of a publisher is entirely consistent with that value, affording a rewarding opportunity to understand better the complicated world of scholarly communication and the role of publishers in that cycle.Originality/valueBy stretching their current skill set, librarians serving on this board have gained a better understanding of the exigencies of the publishing world and have been able to influence the development of critical policies, pricing, and processes in ways that benefit both the publisher and the library community.