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Weekly News Digest
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November 6, 2025 — 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.
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OASPA Releases Position Paper on Its 100% OA Journey
Malavika Legge writes the following in “Embracing the Complexity of ‘100% OA’: From Percentage to Participation” for OASPA:Over the course of 2025, OASPA announced our ‘Next 50%’ project, then released and conducted a survey in conjunction with our project primer and ran three online workshops on the ‘different conversation’ about open access that our project primer outlined. … The culmination of all this work is a new position paper from OASPA. This final output from our 2025 project conveys how success in delivering open access for more than 50% of research articles (the inspiration for naming our ‘Next 50%’ project) reveals the limitations of what is, for many, today’s business-as-usual. For more information, read the news item.
Oxford University Press Acquires Karger
Oxford University Press (OUP) signed a definitive agreement to acquire Karger. The transaction is expected to close in December. The press release shares, “Following closing, this acquisition will see OUP welcome Karger to its wider organization, bringing together a shared commitment to quality and scholarly integrity, and extending the reach and impact of Karger’s leading academic and research publishing in medicine and health sciences.”“We undertook an extensive process to identify the most suitable partner, and we are convinced that Oxford University Press represents the best possible choice. Karger becomes part of a publishing house that has even a longer history, going back to the 15th century, and reflects our values and dedication to high quality publishing,” says Gabriella Karger, chairwoman of Karger. For more information, read the press release.
404 Media Examines the Baker & Taylor Closure
Claire Woodcock writes the following in “Libraries Scramble for Books After Giant Distributor Shuts Down” for 404 Media:Since the internal announcement [that Baker & Taylor is shutting down], [Jennifer] Kennedy[, a customer services account manager with Baker & Taylor,] says customer service staff at B&T have not received guidance on how to respond to inquiries from libraries, leaving them on the frontline and in the dark on issues ranging from whether existing orders would be fulfilled to securing refunds for materials they may have already paid for. … Marshall Breeding, an independent consultant who monitors library vendor mergers[,] has been following all of this rather closely. He says B&T's closure creates a number of bottlenecks for libraries, the primary one being whether suppliers like Ingram or Brodart can absorb thousands of libraries as customers all at once. For more information, read the article (registration required).
HeinOnline Rolls Out AI-Powered Article Summaries for Better Research Engagement
Lauren Mattiuzzo shared the following in “Article Summaries: A New Research Starting Point in HeinOnline” on HeinOnline’s blog:Think back to high school or college when you were assigned summer reading. Maybe, out of desperation, you turned to CliffsNotes or SparkNotes. Those tools could tell you what happened—but they couldn’t tell you why it mattered. Only by reading, analyzing, and writing about the material could you truly engage with the themes, draw comparisons, and develop your own critique. HeinOnline’s new Article Summaries (Powered by AI) work in much the same way. They’re not a shortcut to replace research; they’re a starting point to help you engage more deeply. … Created by HeinOnline’s internal AI team and trained exclusively on our own datasets, these concise 200-300-word overviews help you: - Grasp the central thesis of an article at a glance
- Identify the key issues, methods, and findings
- Quickly determine whether an article is worth a deeper read
For more information, read the blog post.
Libby Integrates With PocketBook for Easier Access to Ebooks and Audiobooks
OverDrive entered into a new integration for Libby with PocketBook, which “will make it easier than ever for readers to enjoy ebooks and audiobooks borrowed from their local libraries directly on PocketBook devices.” OverDrive shares, “PocketBook users will now be able to log in with their library card, borrow titles through the PocketBook x Libby app, and seamlessly read or listen on their e-reader. Titles can also be sampled before borrowing. Ebooks can be downloaded for offline reading within the borrowing period. Other formats, including audiobooks, are streamed or accessed through the browser.”For more information, read the blog post/press release.
SirsiDynix Makes Its Connections Conference Sessions Available
SirsiDynix shared via its email list that content from its Connections 2025 conference is now available for free on demand. “Hit play on the free conference for libraries everywhere,” the email states. “Get instant access to this year’s sessions—and more than 200 recordings from previous years” by registering.
Clarivate Details AI Adoption in Libraries in New Pulse of the Library Report
Clarivate published its second annual Pulse of the Library report, which “examines how libraries globally are adapting to fast-moving opportunities and challenges such as AI adoption, open science and geopolitical pressures.” This year’s findings show that “67% of libraries [are] exploring or implementing AI tools, an increase from 63% in 2024.” In addition:- Pace of AI adoption varies regionally: Asia and Europe have continued to advance AI adoption, with 37–40% in initial implementation or beyond. …
- Perception gaps across roles: Senior librarians are more likely to prioritize library efficiencies as a primary objective of implementing AI technologies. …
- Core library missions mostly unchanged from 2024: The only shift observed was in academic libraries where student engagement has become the primary focus in 2025 (40%).
- Budget constraints remain a key challenge: Many libraries are experiencing geopolitical pressures, affecting budgets and collections. Half of U.S. and North American respondents expect cuts to collections as a result.
For more information, read the press release.
NISO Seeks Working Group Members for ILS/LSP Interoperability Recommended Practice
The National Information Standards Organization (NISO) announced that its voting members “have approved the formation of a Working Group to develop a Recommended Practice to create visibility, clarity, and conformity of the areas that will optimize open interoperability around the Integrated Library System (ILS)/Library Services Platform (LSP) and support the various parties involved. NISO is currently seeking members from across the information community to join the resulting Open ILS Working Group.”The Working Group will aim for “a larger community approach to ILS interoperability that will facilitate greater interaction across systems, giving more control to libraries to optimize their environments in accordance with their goals and needs and fostering greater transparency around tools, applications, and processes.” For more information, read the press release.
The Scholarly Kitchen Explores Academic Librarians' Hopes and Fears About AI
Mark McBride writes the following in “Do Academic Libraries Have a Strategy for AI?” for The Scholarly Kitchen:What libraries and publishers hope for is clear. … Generative AI, at its best, could act as a kind of conversational bridge between user and collection, helping a first-year undergraduate craft a bibliography or assisting a medical researcher in scanning unfamiliar literature across disciplines. … Libraries worry most about truthfulness: hallucinations, fabrications, summaries that mislead more than they inform. They fear the opacity of the machine, and what it might mean for students who may lack the critical skill set to parse good information from bad. … Libraries have long served as sanctuaries of trust, institutions where truth is pursued as a public good rather than a commodity. In a fragmented information environment, this credibility remains one of their most valuable assets. Generative AI now complicates that role, offering efficiency and new forms of access while simultaneously introducing risks of misrepresentation, opacity, and diminished user confidence. The challenge is not AI itself, but how it is integrated and governed. For more information, read the blog post.
'Study Reveals Where Screen Time Is Hitting Eyes the Hardest'
With 90% of people who spend three or more hours on a computer experiencing symptoms of digital eye strain, including dry eyes, blurred vision, and headaches, concerns over the health impact of excessive digital use are growing across the U.S. A new study by an optical company Overnight Glasses ranks the U.S. states most at risk of digital strain, examining a combination of behavioral, technological, and health-related factors that reflect residents’ digital habits and screen exposure.The study includes data on daily screen time, internet usage, subscription service saturation, and monthly searches related to digital health and screen-related strain. These factors were combined to calculate a Digital Exhaustion Index, which was used to determine the final ranking of the most digitally exhausted states in the U.S., highlighting their vulnerability to digital fatigue and eye-related health problems. Hawaii tops the list of the most digitally exhausted states in the U.S., with a Digital Exhaustion Index of 78. The state shows the highest online interest in digital health and screen-related strain, with 916 searches per 100K residents. People living in Hawaii spend an average of 6 hours and 26 minutes per day on screens. New Hampshire takes the second spot among U.S. states most at risk of digital strain, with an index of 76. The state has one of the highest rates of internet usage at 84% and records the third-highest monthly searches related to screen-induced health concerns, with 747 searches per 100K residents. Delaware secures the third position as the state most overexposed to screens, with residents spending an average of 6 hours and 11 minutes per day on digital devices. It also records the second-highest monthly searches related to digital fatigue symptoms, at 769 searches per 100K people, just behind Hawaii. Maryland claims fourth place with a Digital Exhaustion Index of 69. On average, residents spend 7 hours and 14 minutes per day on screens, the second-highest among top-ranking states. Over 725K households across the state are subscribed to digital services. New Jersey secures the fifth spot on the list of the states most in need of a digital break, with 85% of residents using the internet daily. A total of 1.08M households subscribed to digital services, further contributing to New Jersey’s position on the list. Illinois holds the sixth position among U.S. states experiencing digital fatigue, achieving a Digital Exhaustion Index of 62. The state stands out with the highest internet usage rate among residents, at 88%, while 1.55M households are connected to streaming and online subscription services. California ranks seventh on the list of states where residents need to go offline the most. With 4.16M households connected to digital services, California tops the country in subscription reach. It also records 81% internet usage among people, highlighting the potential for widespread digital engagement to contribute to screen-related eye strain in the state. Colorado is ranked eighth among U.S. states with the highest levels of screen exposure, earning a Digital Exhaustion Index of 58. Similar to New Jersey, the state records 85% internet usage among residents. In addition, people in Colorado log an average of 6 hours and 43 minutes on digital devices each day. Georgia ranks ninth among U.S. states with the greatest risk of screen-related fatigue. The state has 1.24M households subscribed to digital services, second only to California. Additionally, residents make 708 monthly searches per 100K people on digital strain and wellness, reflecting concern over screen time and its impact. Arizona rounds out the top ten most digitally exhausted states in the U.S., with a Digital Exhaustion Index of 51. People spend an average of 8 hours and 50 minutes per day on screens, the highest rate in the country. The state is also home to 867K households subscribed to digital services, reflecting widespread digital engagement. A spokesperson from Overnight Glasses commented on the study: Digital exhaustion is becoming a significant concern across the United States, particularly in states where residents spend long hours on screens and engage heavily with online services. High daily screen time, widespread internet use, and extensive subscriptions to digital platforms increase the risk of digital eye strain, fatigue, and other health issues. States with the greatest exposure to screens need to implement awareness campaigns and promote healthier digital habits, such as taking regular breaks, limiting unnecessary screen time, and encouraging offline activities to protect residents’ physical and mental well-being. Source: Overnight Glasses
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Brandi Scardilli
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