The International Association of Scientific, Technical & Medical Publishers (STM) has joined four leading academic and library organizations—the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL), the Association of Research Libraries (ARL), the Association of University Presses (AUPresses), and the Society for Scholarly Publishing (SSP)—in issuing a joint statement urging protection of the structures that support scholarly research.
Published as an op-ed in The Scholarly Kitchen under the title Trust and Integrity: A Research Imperative, the statement addresses growing uncertainty within the U.S. research landscape, particularly in light of significant reductions to federal research funding and a shrinking federal research workforce. In response, the participating organizations have collectively affirmed the importance of shared values, including trust, scholarly independence, and long-term continuity in research.
While rooted in a U.S. policy context, the statement articulates concerns that extend across the global research ecosystem. The authors emphasize that despite differing missions and institutional perspectives, their organizations are unified in recognizing that the infrastructure sustaining discovery, academic inquiry, and equitable access to knowledge must be protected.
The joint publication marks the beginning of a broader cross-sector collaboration, with the signatories indicating a longer-term commitment to coordinated action in defense of the integrity and viability of scholarly research.
Click here to read the original press release.
