Is a Scholarly Commons What We Really Want?

Description

The term “Scholarly Commons” has been used much of late, but it often feels like we are not all talking about the same thing. In a short talk or poster the differences between a “Scholarly Commons” and a few other possible organizational methods for future scholarly communications will be discussed through a metaphorical “potato commons.” The differences between potatoes at a grocery store, a co-op, a farmer’s market, and a commons will be used to illuminate similar differences in how we work together and share scholarship. This lighthearted approach will incorporate a smattering of commons theory to open a window to a digestible understanding of what a scholarly commons might be and beg the question, “Is that what we really want?”

Format

Poster or 5–10 minute flash talk.