Communication in the sciences as seen through physics and chemistry: A look at the complex relationship between author, publisher, and distributor as they relate to the reader

Abstract

Writing has long been the primary means of communicating in the sciences, yet the nature of the written word is rapidly changing as we enter a new era of electronic communications and virtual realities. This article examines some of these changes, particularly as they pertain to the disciplines of chemistry and physics and, most important, within the scope of the complex relationship between authors, publishers, and distributors (distributors in this case being academic libraries). This examination involves looking at changes within this triumvirate, the relationship each of the three has with the other, and ramifications of the changes as we peer into the near future. The three members of the triumvirate are intricately and inextricably bound together, and problems that occur within any one component will inevitably affect the others, imperiling the relationship between writer and reader. Such potential problems are brought to light in this article.