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Weekly News Digest

December 10, 2024 — In addition to this week's NewsBreaks article and the monthly NewsLink Spotlight, Information Today, Inc. (ITI) offers Weekly News Digests that feature recent product news and company announcements. Watch for additional coverage to appear in the next print issue of Information Today.

CLICK HERE to view more Weekly News Digest items.

TechCrunch: 'Study of ChatGPT Citations Makes Dismal Reading for Publishers'

Natasha Lomas writes the following for TechCrunch:

As more publishers cut content licensing deals with ChatGPT-maker OpenAI, a study put out this week by the Tow Center for Digital Journalism—looking at how the AI chatbot produces citations (i.e. sources) for publishers’ content—makes for interesting, or, well, concerning, reading.

In a nutshell, the findings suggest publishers remain at the mercy of the generative AI tool’s tendency to invent or otherwise misrepresent information, regardless of whether or not they’re allowing OpenAI to crawl their content.

For more information, read the article.

New Jersey Protects the Freedom to Read With New Law Against Book Banning

EveryLibrary and PEN America reacted to New Jersey governor Phil Murphy signing the state’s Freedom to Read Act into law on Dec. 9.

“This landmark legislation solidifies New Jersey’s commitment to free expression and intellectual freedom, ensuring that every student and library patron has access to diverse perspectives and materials, free from unconstitutional censorship or unwarranted restrictions,” EveryLibrary shares. “The New Jersey Freedom to Read Act provides a comprehensive, fair, orderly, and constitutional framework to ensure the Freedom to Read in schools and libraries. It defends against unconstitutional censorship, reinforces the professionalism of librarians, addresses harassment and threats against the profession, and applies long-standing legal protections under New Jersey’s Law Against Discrimination to protect library institutions and professionals from harassment and defamation. It should be seen as a model for other states that want to address unconstitutional censorship in both school libraries and public libraries while protecting the workforce from harassment.”

“In a moment where we are seeing increased pressure put on librarians and libraries to censor, laws like these implement important safeguards to protect the freedom to read and learn within schools and public libraries. We hope others will join states like New Jersey, Maryland, Minnesota, and Illinois in ensuring the right to read for all,” says Kasey Meehan, program director for Freedom to Read at PEN America.

Access Partnership Looks at Trends in Tech Policy for 2025

Access Partnership released the “Tech Policy Trends 2025” report (registration required), which “explores AI’s transformative power for 2025, offering a deep dive into three critical dimensions”: industry, society, and regional policy. “Our report offers unparalleled insights into our collective future, highlighting the opportunities and risks that this transformative technology presents while underscoring the need for responsible innovation and collaborative policymaking,” the summary states.

For more information, read the report summary.

The Internet Archive Ends Its Court Battle With Publishers

The Internet Archive made a statement about its recent court battle over lending digital copies of library books, which reads in part: “While we are deeply disappointed with the Second Circuit’s opinion in Hachette v. Internet Archive, the Internet Archive has decided not to pursue Supreme Court review. We will continue to honor the Association of American Publishers (AAP) agreement to remove books from lending at their member publishers’ requests.”

For more information, read the blog post.

hoopla Digital Publishes Lists of Its Most-Borrowed Content in 2024

hoopla Digital unveiled lists of “the top digital media titles borrowed by library patrons in 2024. Based on circulation figures from library patrons across more than 10,000 U.S. public libraries, the data shows what digital library content was most popular across a variety of categories—including eBooks, audiobooks, BingePasses, movies, TV shows, music, comics and manga.”

Here’s a sampling of the lists.

Ebooks:

  • Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
  • The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel
  • The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods
  • Never Never by Colleen Hoover
  • Hillbilly Elegy by JD Vance

Ebook Series:

  • Bridgerton by Julia Quinn
  • Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling
  • Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
  • Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan
  • Food Group by Jory John

BingePasses:

  • Hallmark+ BingePass
  • The Great Courses Video BingePass
  • Hoopla Magazines BingePass

Movies:

  • Oppenheimer: The Real Story
  • The Whale
  • Past Lives
  • Leap!
  • The Twisters

TV Shows:

  • Dark Winds
  • Discovery of Witches
  • My Life Is Murder
  • Interview With the Vampire
  • Chelsea Detective

For more information, read the press release.

ALA Gets Massive Donation to Fund Scholarships for Library School Students

James W. Lewis of Washington, D.C., “has made the largest individual bequest to the American Library Association in the association’s history. The approximately $25 million bequest is truly transformational and will fund scholarships for aspiring librarians, ensuring future generations of highly educated and committed librarians prepared to meet the informational needs of their communities. …” Lewis, an executive at Merrill Lynch, is a lifelong library user who served on the Board of Trustees of the District of Columbia Public Library for 10 years.

“Libraries are the most democratic institutions we have,” Lewis says. “With libraries, anyone can walk in and benefit, not only from the books but from the resources and full offerings libraries provide to their communities, including computers, technology training and assistance, career building, homework help, and literacies of all kinds, including health and financial literacy. Libraries are one of our last community spaces where people can go without economic barrier to entry and be welcome.”

“As the first Spectrum Scholar elected as ALA President, I am proof that scholarships help students obtain degrees to elevate their careers, and we are grateful for this gift to support the library profession,” says president Cindy Hohl.

For more information, read the press release.

Innovative Shares Takeaways From a Webinar on Social Media for Libraries

Library Technology Guides posted a press release from Innovative that shares in part: “Innovative, part of Clarivate, hosted a webinar with library marketing expert Cordelia Anderson on the topic of getting the most out of your library’s social media presence. … Anderson shared actionable strategies to elevate your library’s social media presence and engage your audience more effectively. … Anderson emphasizes the importance of building connections over just promoting programs. By listening to your audience and tailoring your messaging to their needs, you can create content that resonates and drives engagement.”

For more information, read the press release.

Exact Editions Gains Digital Archive of Australian Home Design and Crafting Magazines

Exact Editions announced the following:

Universal Media Co has partnered with Exact Editions to offer subscribers seamless digital access to two of their magazine titles: Grand Designs Australia Magazine and HomeSpun Magazine via the Exact Editions cutting-edge streaming platform. 

Grand Designs Australia is the official publication of the popular TV show. For each issue TV show host and magazine editor-at-large Anthony Burke, plus Editor April Ossington, scour the countryside to bring the most stunning designer homes, and tell the roller-coaster story of how design facilitates lifestyle. …

Homespun is a title dedicated for those who want to create and craft for the people and places they love. With pages filled with a vast array of projects by passionate artisans and designers from around Australia and the world, each issue features tried and tested easy-to-follow instructions and patterns sheets to help you make quilts, bags, softies, dolls, cushions, wall hangings, and everything in-between.

For more information, read the blog post.

Canadian Science Publishing Expands Its Partnership With ResearchGate

ResearchGate shared the following:

ResearchGate, the professional network for researchers, and Canadian Science Publishing (CSP), Canada’s largest, not-for-profit publisher of peer-reviewed science journals, have announced a further expansion to their Journal Home partnership to include the Open Access Agreement Upgrade (OAAU). This follows the recent expansion of their Journal Home partnership to cover CSP’s complete journal portfolio.

Journal Home’s OAAU is a powerful new feature that enables CSP to identify and effectively communicate with researchers eligible for publishing through their open access agreements with libraries and consortia.

For more information, read the press release.



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