Trend Alert: Electronic Laboratory Notebooks - A Promise Of Scientific Information Integration

Scientists use laboratory notebooks to record experimental work. Regulatory and scientific standards require that they be maintained for purposes of intellectual property protection, but they also have value as a knowledge base of previously performed work. In recent years, many organizations in research-intensive fields have begun look closely at Electronic Laboratory Notebooks (ELNs) as a new way to record, store, and manipulate experimental data. This Briefing examines the state of the art for ELNs. Key drivers include regulatory body initiatives, changing work habits, technological advances, and the operational efficiencies that ELNs can bring about. For Content Deployment Professionals in research-intensive industries, the Briefing provides an analysis of how far ELNs have advanced, and a comparative look at four players in the market. For vendors of ELN systems, the Briefing provides a 'big-picture' overview of how ELNs fit in with parts of the information environment.