Collaborative improvements in the discoverability of scholarly content: Accomplishments, aspirations, and opportunities, A SAGE White Paper

The life cycle of academic works is supported by extensive cross-sector collaboration throughout the scholarly communications ecosystem. In recent years, traditional codes of practice have been disturbed. In response, in 2012, SAGE published a white paper that offered conversation starters for reinventing conventions and relationships among libraries, publishers, and service providers. To carry on the investigation of the first white paper, Improving Discoverability of Scholarly Content in the Twentieth Century: Collaboration Opportunities for Librarians, Publishers, and Vendors, this paper explores the latest accomplishments, aspirations, opportunities, and challenges for improved discoverability of scholarly content. As the discovery landscape is rapidly shifting, this paper demonstrates that progress continues to depend on core principles of cross-sector collaboration, taking the form of these actionable recommendations for anyone in scholarly communications: Standards: When relevant, all sectors should participate in ratified standards to ensure that cooperation is part of business-as-usual routines. Transparency: Standards compliance is critical for successful discovery, and the development, implementation, and enforcement of these standards require open relationships across the industry focused on reaching our shared goals. Metadata: Quality metadata, observing ratified standards, enables successful discovery of scholarly content, products, and services. Partnerships: Opportunities exist for new discovery innovations across the industry, such as linked open data and cross-publisher discovery tools