Scholarly communication is in ferment. The Future of Scholarly Communication aims to provide an overview of this huge and complex topic, and to identify and evaluate current and future trends.

The process of generating, publishing and disseminating academic research is (maybe needlessly?) complex, so in selecting our contributors we have sought to include players from as broad a spectrum as possible. Of course the different players reflect different interests: some seek to protect the status quo; others are determined to disrupt it. In any case, the stakes are high.

This debate plays out on a global stage, and no country can manage its scholarly communication in isolation. So, while the contributors to this volume are mostly from the UK, we charged them with taking the broad view. We are grateful to them all for their wide-ranging and thoughtful contributions.

Only the foolish would dare to predict exactly what the future holds for scholarly communication. But one thing is certain: it is far too important to leave to chance.