"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 articles: (1) The Research University and Scholarly Publishing: The View from a Provost's Office (James V. Maher); (2) NSF and ARL Conduct Workshop on Digital Data Stewardship; (3) The Impact of Electronic Publishing on Tracking Research Library Investments in Serials (Martha Kyrillidou); (4) ARL, University of Virginia Library, and University of Washington Libraries Cosponsor Library Assessment Conference (Richard Groves); and (5) Recruiting a Diverse Research Library Workforce (Jerome Offord, Jr.). (Individual articles contain references.) [For "ARL" Number 248, see ED494663.]