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Weekly News Digest
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March 26, 2026 — 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.
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Clarivate Publishes New Academic AI Impact Study
Clarivate released a new Academic AI Impact Study, which “examines how artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping core workflows in academic libraries and delivering tangible operational benefits.” The study draws on interviews with library professionals from diverse institutions, documenting “the integration and impact of AI solutions in two central workflows—course reading list preparation with Leganto Syllabus Assistant, and metadata creation and enrichment with Alma AI Metadata Assistant.”Findings include that AI enables a 30%–60% reduction in time spent on repetitive, manual tasks and two-to-four times the workflow capacity without adding staff; 50%–60% of student reading lists were available immediately after AI processing; and 70%–90% of AI-generated metadata was accepted and required only minor edits. For more information, read the press release.
Book Riot Profiles the Latest Librarian to Take a Stand Against Censorship
Kelly Jensen writes the following in “‘I Will Not Comply’: Librarian Luanne James Fights Censorship Demands of Rutherford County Library System’s Board” for Book Riot:This is a story about a librarian doing everything she can to defend the right to read. It’s a story of courage under pressure, and it’s not only ongoing but also looking as though it might end with a librarian losing her job. It’s a story that’s intended to both honor and uphold these efforts, as well as a story intended to remind every library worker—and every library champion—that this is the kind of responsibility required of the field all the time and especially now. For more information, read the article.
Playaway Products Rolls Out the Launchpad Quest Interactive Touchscreen Hub
Playaway Products introduced Launchpad Quest, “a 21.5-inch interactive touchscreen hub, purpose-built for libraries and shared community spaces serving children ages 3–10.” It comes preloaded with up to 150 curated apps, games, and storybooks and doesn’t require downloads, updates, Wi-Fi setup, or license management to use. It also doesn’t collect any personal data.“Developed in collaboration with library systems nationwide, Quest was created in response to growing demand for a non-circulating, large-format digital experience,” the company notes. The touchscreen has large icons, picture-based navigation with narration, and age-based filtering. Users can explore six core subject areas from content partners such as the Smithsonian, Hasbro, and Highlights. For more information, read the press release.
JoVE Unveils an Information Literacy Video Series for Students
JoVE Launches New ‘Information Literacy’ Video Series to Help Develop Research and Critical Thinking Skills~ The new animated video series, designed to support librarians, educators, and institutions teaching students how to find, evaluate, and use scientific information responsibly ~ 25th March 2026, Texas: JoVE, the world’s leading producer of video-based scientific content, today announced the launch of a new Information Literacy series within its Science Education offering. Designed to help students and researchers build essential skills for navigating scientific information and conducting responsible, evidence-based research, the series features short 3D animated videos covering key research practices such as understanding scientific literature, evaluating sources, citation and plagiarism awareness, database searching, and the role of AI in research. The series is designed for seamless integration into courses, workshops, and library platforms, strengthening the work of librarians, educators, and academic support teams. “Developing strong information literacy skills is essential in a world where access to information is constant, but understanding is not,” said Venkatesh Kamath, VP Content Production and Development at JoVE. “With this collection, we aim to provide clear, visual guidance that helps learners evaluate scientific information critically and apply responsible research practices throughout their academic and professional work.” Rosa Romeo, a veteran librarian at the Università del Piemonte Orientale, Italy said, “I consider these videos highly useful for undergraduate information literacy instruction and would absolutely integrate short videos like these into teaching sessions. Their main benefit is how effectively they help students recognize and evaluate high-quality academic sources.” The Information Literacy series expands JoVE’s growing portfolio of visual learning resources designed to support science education and academic skill development. More information about our various offerings is available at jove.com. About JoVE JoVE is the world’s leading video-based platform for scientific research and education. Since 2006, JoVE has published over 25,000 videos across disciplines, including biology, chemistry, medicine, neuroscience, engineering, physics, and environmental sciences. Its key offerings, JoVE Education, JoVE Research, JoVE Lab Manual, JoVE Business, and the Encyclopedia of Experiments support learning, teaching, and reproducibility in science. JoVE serves over 1,800 institutions globally, including leading universities, research centers, and biopharma companies in 60+ countries. Learn more at jove.com. Media Contact: Titas Dutta, PR Specialist, titas.dutta@jove.com
OurStoryBridge Listens Project Collects Oral Histories of Our Political Landscape
100+ Voices, 19 States: Oral History Project Captures the ‘Pulse of a Nation’ in Real-Time ‘OurStoryBridge Listens’ Milestone Documents Personal Costs of Immigration, Economic Shifting, Cultural Erasure, and More. WASHINGTON, DC (March 24, 2026)—In just seven months, a new national oral history initiative has achieved a critical milestone, capturing over 100 stories from 19 states and the District of Columbia. OurStoryBridge Listens: Present in the Moment is a non-partisan effort documenting the raw, unfiltered experiences of Americans navigating a rapidly changing social and political landscape. Unlike traditional history projects that look back decades, this initiative uses a “short-form” methodology—three-to-five-minute digital narratives—to preserve history as it happens. “We are providing a listening post to those who need it most,” said Jery Huntley, founder and president of OurStoryBridge Inc. “As an oral historian, I felt the urgency to document this period immediately. These are brief, powerful accounts that meet the attention span of today while providing a roadmap for future historians.” Stories from OurStoryBridge Listens: Present in the Moment document the current circumstances in the United States that are deeply impacting Americans and others around the world. A Snapshot of the over 100 Stories: The collection, available at ourstorybridgelistens.org, features diverse voices on the front lines of American life, for example: - Immigration: In “Why Do I Have to Live with These Fears,” a young immigrant from Guatemala shares the daily terror of potential family separation. (Available in English and Spanish.)
- The Economy: In “Losing Our Statistical Expertise,” a former U.S. Census Bureau employee warns of the long-term dangers of crumbling federal data infrastructure.
- Civic Discourse: In “Leadership Sets the Tone,” a local public official bemoans the hate and anger she hears, instead of concern and compassion in her community.
- Democracy & The Arts: A special partnership with the Charles F. Kettering Foundation explores challenges to First Amendment rights and the role of the arts in preserving inclusive communities.
“The stories offer an opportunity to listen to personal experiences about how people are responding to challenges to our First Amendment rights,” said Joni Doherty, senior program officer at the Charles F. Kettering Foundation. Call to Action: The project is currently seeking new voices. Individuals can record their stories virtually or in-person, either anonymously or attributed, by emailing listen@ourstorybridge.org. Hear these stories at ourstorybridgelistens.org. About OurStoryBridge Inc. “OurStoryBridge Listens: Present in the Moment” is patterned after other partner projects supported by OurStoryBridge Inc., which began by recording the stories of people in the small town of Keene in the Adirondack Mountains of New York state and has since become a national 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit. The short-form oral histories of 3 to 5 minutes are accompanied by photographs and posted online on dedicated websites. Since its founding in 2019, OurStoryBridge Inc. has helped 44 Partner Projects in 15 states and the District of Columbia develop their own oral history projects using tools the organization provides. More information on OurStoryBridge Inc. is available at ourstorybridge.org. About OurStoryBridge Listens: Present in the Moment “OurStoryBridge Listens: Present in the Moment” is the new, non-partisan Partner Project by OurStoryBridge Inc. that documents the current circumstances in the United States that are deeply impacting Americans and others around the world. Using the OurStoryBridge methodology for collecting and free sharing of digital short-form oral histories of three to five minutes each with scrolling photographs using community crowdsourcing and curation, this project 1) captures digital history in the moment before the stories are lost; 2) helps those impacted by providing a dedicated and shared space for their voices; and 3) creates opportunities to communicate these real-time stories to others who can use them to contextualize and amplify their changemaking and research efforts. PRESS CONTACT: Jery Huntley | (410) 353-6372 | createyourstoryproject@gmail.com
FiscalNote Updates Its API to Enable AI Agents to Track Trump Administration Actions
FiscalNote expanded its PolicyNote API “to include its unique, comprehensive, real-time presidential transcript feed. Built for consumption by agentic AI, including adoption of the Model Context Protocol (MCP), this represents the most complete record of Trump presidential communications available to any AI agent or enterprise system. The feed delivers primary source transcripts of President Trump’s communications—including executive orders, proclamations, press statements, and public remarks—purpose-built for programmatic consumption, making FiscalNote the canonical source for Trump’s second term presidential intelligence in the agentic AI stack.”The company notes that the “velocity of executive action has outpaced the reliability of general-purpose AI platforms. … General purpose AI platforms offer no assurance to enterprises regarding where presidential communications originate, how recently they were updated, or whether they reflect the most current version of an order or directive. The result is AI agents acting on records that are misattributed, stripped of context, or factually incorrect.” The PolicyNote API “enables organizations to access this key information directly or through third party AI platforms and agents.” For more information, read the press release.
SirsiDynix and Springshare Integrate Products to Broaden Their Reach
SirsiDynix and Springshare entered into a strategic partnership that will expand access to each company’s suite of products. Bolstered marketing efforts will introduce the products to a wider audience.“SirsiDynix ILS customers can purchase several of Springshare’s market-leading patron engagement tools through their SirsiDynix contract,” the press release states, including LibCal, LibMaps, and LibConnect Pro. There will be content integration between SirsiDynix’s CloudSource discovery service and Springshare’s LibGuides content management system. “CloudSource’s rich open access content and open educational resources can be easily embedded into subject and course guides in the LibGuides platform,” the press release notes. Additional integrations are planned. For more information, read the blog post/press release.
EFF and GPO People News
Nicole Ozer will become the executive director of the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) on June 1, 2026. “Ozer is a legal expert on privacy and surveillance, artificial intelligence, and digital speech. She currently serves as the inaugural executive director of the Center for Constitutional Democracy at the University of California College of the Law in San Francisco,” EFF shares.The U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO) promoted Ravinder Birdi to managing director of government integrated print services (GIPS). Birdi joined the GPO in 2019 as manager of press and bindery and then served as deputy managing director of GIPS. “As Managing Director of GIPS, Birdi is responsible for leading the team that produces and publishes essential Government documents such as the Congressional Record, Federal Register, Code of Federal Regulations, President’s Budget and legislative documents such as bills, hearings and reports,” GPO states.
Digital Science Invests in Knowledge Graph Technology With New Acquisition
Digital Science acquired Ontopic, a virtual knowledge graph technology company. “Ontopic’s core technology and its flagship product, Ontopic Studio, will be integrated with metaphactory, Digital Science’s industry-leading knowledge democratization platform. This integration will enable users to build and access Knowledge Graphs directly from their existing data sources, without the need for expensive and time-consuming data transformation,” Digital Science explains. “By combining Ontopic’s virtualization capabilities with metaphactory’s low-code environment for semantic modeling and discovery, Digital Science is creating a seamless, end-to-end pipeline for the ‘Knowledge-First’ enterprise.”For more information, read the press release.
The Scholarly Kitchen Channels Gossip Girl
Stephanie Lovegrove Hansen, VP of marketing at Silverchair, writes the following in “The Role of Gossip in Scholarly Publishing” for The Scholarly Kitchen:Let’s say the quiet part out loud: gossip plays an important role in scholarly publishing. But is that a bad thing? … Whether one calls something gossip, rumor, or strategic information sharing often depends on whether they are the subject of said conversation and how it reflects on their interests. But rather than being a shameful secret, gossip has long served as a tool that levels the playing field for those not in power. It reinforces societal norms around what we as a collective consider unacceptable behavior. For women, minorities, and other disenfranchised groups, gossip has served as critical information-sharing to keep us safe. … For more information, read the blog post.
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Brandi Scardilli
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