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This article aims to examine whether such isolation might be partially overcome by membership of an online community of writers (CoW), hosted by higher education (HE) library services.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Design\/methodology\/approach<\/jats:title><jats:p>A review of the literature was followed by an innovative piece of action research based around the authors' own long distance collaborative writing task in order to explore the issues at first\u2010hand. Case studies of existing online writing communities known to the authors but not currently hosted by libraries were also undertaken.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Findings<\/jats:title><jats:p>Themes emerging include the importance of finding a medium for a CoW that is familiar and comfortable. Motivators to join a CoW include demands that academics be research active. Demotivators may include lack of trust and reluctance to share.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Research limitations\/implications<\/jats:title><jats:p>There are still questions to be answered and decisions to be taken about the initiation of a CoW. Further research is needed into topics such as mentoring roles and trust\u2010building but this work should provide a springboard.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Practical implications<\/jats:title><jats:p>HE libraries might consider a CoW as a research support mechanism.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Originality\/value<\/jats:title><jats:p>The concept of a CoW is a novel one, as is the idea that such a collaboration might be hosted by HE libraries that might consider a CoW as an innovative addition to their existing portfolio of research support services.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1108\/07378831111174422","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2011,9,10]],"date-time":"2011-09-10T07:27:52Z","timestamp":1315639672000},"page":"455-469","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":7,"title":["The loneliness of the long distance researcher"],"prefix":"10.1108","volume":"29","author":[{"given":"Pat","family":"Gannon\u2010Leary","sequence":"first","affiliation":[]},{"given":"Elsa","family":"Fontainha","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[]},{"given":"Moira","family":"Bent","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[]}],"member":"140","reference":[{"key":"key2022021619471236300_b1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Adams, R. 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