Ars Boni Ars Boni 591 KI im wissenschaftlichen Publizieren (Dr. Rafael Ball)
Sep 30, 2025
Dr. Rafael Ball, the Director of the ETH-Bibliothek, shares insights into the future of scientific publishing and libraries. He discusses the evolution of library roles in the digital age and the challenges posed by publisher control over content. Key topics include the Open Access movement sparked by pricing crises, the impact of AI on research and publication quality, and the need for libraries to adapt to new demands. Rafael emphasizes the importance of maintaining high standards while leveraging innovative tools to support authors and enhance accessibility.
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Libraries Led Digitalization, Not AI
- Libraries were early digital adopters, turning catalogs and metadata into core services long before AI arrived.
- Rafael Ball warns AI is different because big tech, not libraries, largely drives its development and impact.
From Card Catalogs To Publisher Servers
- Ball recounts libraries' shift from card catalogs to digital catalogs and CD-ROM networks in the 1980s and 1990s.
- He emphasizes how publishers later hosted electronic content on their servers, changing libraries' technical roles.
Licenses Now Determine Data Access
- Licensing shifted libraries' work: publishers host content but libraries still negotiate access and usage rights.
- Ball stresses access to machine-readable data (text and data mining) matters for libraries' ability to build services.