Ensuring quality as the basis of evidence synthesis: leveraging information specialists' knowledge, skills, and expertise

The foundations of both Cochrane and the wider evidence synthesis community rest on the involvement of methodologists in the production of high-quality systematic reviews. Epidemiologists, statisticians, and information specialists have had an enormous impact on the evolution of Cochrane and the advancement of systematic review methodology. Compared with other methodologists, information specialists tend to fly somewhat under the radar despite the fact that they act in a wide variety of roles. Information specialists organize, disseminate, and interpret information; they also preserve knowledge and ensure that it is discoverable in the future. The 'science' behind the profession -library and information science -is interdisciplinary and encompasses mathematics, logic, linguistics, psychology, computer science, operations research, communications, and management. Information specialists frequently work in libraries but are increasingly embedded in other organizations as information processes have become essential to most enterprises. In the emerging landscape of information overload and automation, information specialist expertise should be leveraged further to ensure quality and improve the e iciency of evidence synthesis.