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Weekly News Digest
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April 14, 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.
CLICK HERE to view more Weekly News Digest items.
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SirsiDynix Will Continue to Partner With LibrariesSA
SirsiDynix signed a multiyear agreement with the Libraries Board of South Australia (LibrariesSA) to extend their partnership. More than 130 public libraries across South Australia are part of LibrariesSA. During its 13-plus-year partnership with SirsiDynix, it “launched OneCard, a centralized shared system that provides customers with seamless access to more than three million items,” and it was a key partner in developing SirsiDynix’s BLUEcloud Acquisitions module. Now, “this new chapter includes welcoming the State Library of South Australia to the statewide One Card Consortium, significantly strengthening the scale, depth, and research capability of the statewide system. The inclusion of the State Library will bring almost 1.2 million new items into OneCard,” the press release shares. In addition, “LibrariesSA will implement CloudSource+, a comprehensive content and discovery services platform that unites one billion closed-access records with a dynamic and growing collection of open access (OA) and open educational resources (OER).” And the agreement covers “the addition of Single Sign-On (SSO) to simplify access, and the BLUEcloud eResource Management (eRM) platform to streamline workflows.” For more information, read the press release.
The Debut of the LibraryOne Digital Services Company
LibraryOne Launches to Ensure Continuity and Innovation of Essential Digital Library PlatformsFounded by experienced library technology professionals, LibraryOne acquires and stewards Boundless, TitleSource360, ePopUp Library, and more to keep critical tools running for libraries nationwide Charlotte, N.C.—April 9, 2026—LibraryOne today announced its official launch as an independent digital library services company, following the acquisition of key digital platform assets formerly operated by Baker & Taylor. The company’s portfolio—including Boundless, TitleSource360, Content Café, ePopUp Library, and CollectConnect—supports libraries nationwide across digital lending, collection development, metadata enrichment, community engagement, and analytics. LibraryOne was founded by Hari Katukota and Manjunath Ratakonda, technology entrepreneurs with deep experience in digital transformation, who recognized the critical gap these platforms would leave if they disappeared. They brought in Bharat Mirgan—who had directly led the development and operations of these platforms—to ensure seamless continuity of service for libraries from day one. “We came together because these platforms were too important to libraries and the communities they serve to simply disappear,” said Hari Katukota, co-founder and Board Chair. “Our focus has been on keeping systems running, restoring publisher relationships, and making sure libraries had the support they needed. We’re proud to now share that work publicly.” Since acquiring the assets in December 2025, LibraryOne has kept every platform live without a single day of downtime. “The team we assembled knew these platforms inside and out,” said Manjunath Ratakonda, co-founder and Head of Technology. “That depth of experience is what made uninterrupted service possible—and what will drive the innovation libraries deserve going forward.” LibraryOne is privately funded and built on a stable financial foundation, led by a team with no involvement from Baker & Taylor’s former corporate leadership. The leadership brings decades of combined experience across library technology, digital publishing, content distribution, and metadata services: - Hari Katukota, Co-Founder & Board Chair—Entrepreneur and technology leader in large-scale digital transformation, previously at Pearson.
- Manjunath Ratakonda, Co-Founder & Head of Technology—Nearly two decades of experience in enterprise data strategy, cloud architecture, and advanced analytics.
- Bharat Mirgan, Co-Founder & CEO—Brings deep operational continuity, having directly led the development and launch of Boundless and ePopUp Library in their prior iterations.
All major publishing houses have agreed to work with LibraryOne, with the majority already actively delivering content and data. Audiobook ordering through Boundless has resumed, with eBook ordering resuming in the coming weeks as publisher onboarding continues across the full content catalog. “Our goal is to be a long-term partner, not just a platform provider,” Katukota added. “That means earning trust through reliability, transparency, and a genuine commitment to what libraries are trying to accomplish for their communities.” Visit libraryone.com to learn more about available platforms and services. About LibraryOne LibraryOne is an independent digital services company dedicated exclusively to libraries. Formed to ensure the continuity and long-term stewardship of Boundless and a growing portfolio of purpose-built platforms, LibraryOne helps libraries expand digital access, strengthen patron engagement, and demonstrate their value as essential community institutions. LibraryOne’s platform suite includes Boundless, ePopUp Library, TitleSource360, Content Café, and CollectConnect—tools that support libraries across the full spectrum of their digital needs, from content lending and collection development to community outreach and analytics. The company is led by a team with decades of combined experience in library technology, digital publishing, and content distribution. Every decision the company makes is guided by a single focus: helping libraries serve their patrons and communities more effectively, for the long term. For more information, visit libraryone.com.
Wiley Agrees to Operate Part of ASME's Publishing Business
Wiley signed an agreement with the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) “under which Wiley will operate a significant portion of ASME’s publishing business, including sales and marketing, for ASME journals and conference proceedings, and the digital collection comprising these publications. ASME will continue to manage its book publishing business, a collection of nearly 400 print and more than 200 digital books covering established and emerging areas of interest to mechanical engineers. All ASME publications remain ASME products, with ASME retaining copyright, while its mission, editorial governance, and peer review authority remain unchanged across all publication types,” the press release states. “Under the agreement, Wiley assumes ASME’s contractual relationships with libraries, universities, and other customers worldwide to ensure continuity of service.”For more information, read the press release.
UNC–Chapel Hill Develops Platform for Experimenting With AI and Clinical Data
The University of North Carolina (UNC)–Chapel Hill shared the following:UNC-Chapel Hill and UNC Health announced April 8 the launch of the Secure Health Informatics Research Environment [SHIRE], a secure, cloud-based platform designed to accelerate the responsible development of artificial intelligence using real-world clinical data. … SHIRE provides researchers across UNC-Chapel Hill, the UNC School of Medicine and UNC Health with a powerful tool to develop and test advanced AI models using electronic health record data from UNC Health. Built with scalable cloud computing infrastructure and rigorous privacy safeguards, the platform enables intensive modeling on large-scale clinical datasets while maintaining the highest standards of patient data security. For more information, read the post.
ALA Applauds the Nationwide Protection of IMLS
ALA announced that it and the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) “reached a settlement agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice that protects the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and ensures the agency will continue carrying out its congressionally mandated work.”The press release continues, “The agreement resolves litigation challenging the Trump-Vance administration’s attempt to dismantle IMLS through executive action. Under the settlement, the agency will continue awarding grants, conducting research, and operating programs that support libraries and museums across the country. The agreement also confirms that previously terminated grants have been reinstated, agency staff reductions have been reversed, and the administration will not take further steps to implement the executive order targeting IMLS.” For more information, read the press release.
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Brandi Scardilli
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