Datasets, a Shift in the Currency of Scholarly Communication: Implications for Library Collections and Acquisitions

As the market of scholarly communication continues to evolve, a number of indicators suggest that the unit of information currency is shifting from a primary focus on journal articles to a broader emphasis on key elements of scholarly communication, namely data sets. This article examines and summarizes recent developments that have contributed to this shift in emphasis. The authors will also consider how this shift may affect some of the core functions of the collections and acquisitions processes.