An overview of the NFAIS 2018 Annual Conference: Information Transformation: Open, Global, Collaborative

Abstract

This paper offers an overview of the highlights of the 2018 NFAIS Annual Conference, Information Transformation: Open, Global, Collaborative, that was held in Alexandria, VA from February 28 - March 2, 2018. The goal of the conference was to take a close look at the initiatives that have emerged as a result of the increasing global acceptance of Open Science and Open Access ideologies and policies. These include the rise of private funding foundations that are mandating more open and collaborative research; innovative new technologies and tools that have opened dialogue in the research community; and increased interoperability and seamless access to not only the scholarly article, but also to all associated digital research objects. It became clear that the ultimate and common goal of all stakeholders in the scholarly and scientific communities is the rapid dissemination of scholarly communication with the parallel advancement of scientific research. It is also became clear that there are divergent views on when and how this goal will be reached. The NFAIS 2018 Annual Conference provided a very interesting overview of how the scholarly community is attempting to work together towards a more open, global, and collaborative future.