Academic CentreScientific books and their place in Earth sciences – the perspective of scientists and academia in Latvia
Morics Roberts Murnieks
University of Latvia, Faculty of Geography and Earth Sciences
DOI: 10.22364/fg.20.2.12
Keywords: Earth sciences, original publication, scientific books
Abstract
This study explores the dynamics of publishing Earth sciences-related books and other original publications in Latvian over the last 30 years from experts’ point of view. Eight experts related to the Faculty of Geography and Earth Sciences of the University of Latvia were interviewed about their motivation for writing monographs, competition from scientific articles, and how book publishing is influenced by cultural values in an age of information technology. Results suggest that it is becoming increasingly difficult to find practical reasons for creating scientific books in Earth sciences due to their pragmatic and cultural connotations. It is implied that publication in Latvian does not contribute to productive science on a global scale. However, many works are still produced with support from international funds and national institutions, often available in bilingually and in both digital and physical formats.