Taking Action in a Critical Moment: From Innovation to Impact

In an era characterized by rapid technological change, academic publishers and the many stakeholders who support them have adapted and morphed, shifting our procedures and priorities to meet the challenges of dissemination and stewardship in an increasingly digital world. This article discusses today’s critical moment in academic publishing and its implications for the future. Using a sociology of culture lens, it considers current and prospective models for transitions in publishing, information management, and communities of practice. The article closes with a discussion of the Collective Impact Model and its potential utility in coordinating an ever-widening circle of stakeholders in order to move from collective action (where we are now, systemwide) to collective impact (the system-level change we aspire to create).