Integrated digital libraries: changing the essence of research, analysis and knowledge management

It is well understood that knowledge management is extremely important in order to achieve the goals and aspirations of research communities. Traditional knowledge management methods linking different knowledge resources are now being augmented by newer models and methods that have excellent potential benefits. The new innovations typically involve creative combinations of technology, human expertise and communication models. Innovations such as digital libraries have attracted significant attention, especially in the publishing industry. Some of these projects have made the transition from prototypes to production systems, enabling relatively quick and reliable access to research publications. Other innovations such as "push technology" or information filtering promise a level of maturity that could offer researchers a constellation of automatic electronic agents that assist with highly specialized aspects of the research process. This paper examines developments in some of these innovations and their potential for researchers.