Annual Review of Information Science and Technology: Volume 41

If one reflects upon the work of those active in studying the origins of information science (including Burke, who provides a chapter in this volume entitled, “History of information science”), we see that the Annual Review of Information Science and Technology (ARIST) could almost be considered as old as information science itself, emerging as it did during the so‐called “golden age” of the discipline (1950s‐1970s). Now spanning 41 volumes, ARIST continues to be one of the most significant publications within the information science domain.

Like those before it, ARIST 41 reviews the information science landscape and provides a series of chapters, often pondering recent trends and developments; however, these chapters could essentially be described as a collection of extended essays from those active in the discipline. ARIST is not about presenting original research (although some authors provide snippets). It is about wrestling with fundamental theoretical or philosophical questions facing the profession, or reviewing an area of research with analytical and authoritative panache. Probably most important, ARIST is about accessibility. Its overviews are mindful of the fact that information science is a growing organism, encompassing areas that some readers will have little prior knowledge.