Abstracting and Information Services

Abstract For centuries researchers have relied upon abstracting and indexing (A&I) services to manage information overload and ensure the flow of scholarly communication. Today these services continue to provide ease-of-access to current publications and to content-rich databases encompassing decades, even centuries, of invaluable scholarly research. But will today's A&I services meet the information needs of future generations of scholars within the rapidly growing digital information community? The author discusses the role and evolution of A&I services, the challenges they now face, and the strategies that are being developed to ensure success in the foreseeable future. Serials Review 2003; 29:200–209.