Science and Technology Information in the Digital Age: Some Thoughts from a Global Perspective

147-157The goals of science and technology information (STI) have not changed since the early days of ideas and practices embraced by the term ‘documentation’, yet the way they are pursued has changed. This is because the world is being transformed by technological changes dominated by digital age. This means that the digital technology is changing the relationship between science and society. It brings with it huge opportunities for the UK, but also significant risks. This paper identifies and discusses some preconditions for harnessing STI in the digital age and a digital agenda for the UK. The paper considers hard infrastructure, soft infrastructure, cyber risk management and ethical issues from global perspective. The paper argues that open science could make science more effective and speed the translation of research findings into innovation and socio-economic benefits, but this shift requires adjustments to policy. The paper also reviews the outcome from recent digital age summit in the UK and paints a picture of communicating science in the digital age. A final section presents some observations from the European Commission about access, dissemination and preservation on scientific information in the digital age