For decades, scholarly communication in the sciences has been framed as journal-first. But emerging evidence—from AI-generated research summaries to student discovery behaviors—suggests that STEM book content may be more influential, visible, and valuable than we often assume. While journal articles provide an in-depth exploration of a specific research question, books provide foundational knowledge for students and cross-disciplinary researchers looking for a solid introduction to a new area of study.

This webinar invites academic librarians to reassess the role of STEM books and book chapters within today’s research and learning ecosystem. As AI tools increasingly surface book-based content in summaries and retrieval results, and as students encounter scholarship in format-agnostic digital environments, the traditional distinctions between journal articles, book chapters, and other content formats are blurring.

We’ll explore emerging questions including student reading habits, the prevalence of long-form scholarship in a soundbite world, and whether the curriculum is overlooking classic texts. Anecdotal evidence from collection reviews and title culling decisions suggests that faculty and researchers in the sciences do value books—often passionately—once their absence is felt.

Attendees will come away with:

• New perspectives on the comparative value of STEM books and journals
• Insights into how AI and discovery tools are reshaping content visibility
• Talking points to support collection decisions and curriculum conversations

Whether you support STEM collections, teach information literacy, or navigate data-driven deselection pressures, this webinar offers a timely opportunity to rethink assumptions and elevate the role of books in scientific scholarship.