ARL is the bimonthly report on research library issues and actions from ARL (Association of Research Libraries), CNI (Coalition of Networked Information), and SPARC (Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition). ARL reports on current issues of interest to academic and research library administrators, staff, and users; higher education administrators and faculty; information technologists and those who depend on networked information; as well as anyone concerned with the future of scholarly communication or information policy developments. Each issue explores a broad range of education topics of particular importance to research institutions and academic librarians. This issue of ARL includes the following article: (1) Information, Knowledge, Authority, and Democracy (Hunter R. Rawlings, III), the keynote address presented at the 151st ARL Membership Meeting in Washington, DC. This issue also includes a section on ARL Activities by Kaylyn Groves.