Member News & Announcements, February IO 2026
Scholarly Research Infrastructure
ORCID 2030: Advancing the Future of Research
ORCID, Inc., Voting Member, Blog Post, January 6, 2026
The landscape of global research is always evolving, however the importance of connecting researchers with their scholarly contributions, and linking the organizations that facilitate, fund, or publish their research has not diminished.
Over the past 13 years ORCID has established itself as an essential piece of research infrastructure. Our dedication to enabling transparent and trustworthy connections between researchers and their work has earned us the trust of our community.
Open Access, Open Research
First 100 path to open books now available open access worldwide on JSTOR
ITHAKA/JStor/Portico, Voting Member, Press Release, January 12, 2026
JSTOR, part of the nonprofit ITHAKA, today announced a major milestone for open scholarship: the first 100 books published through Path to Open are now openly available to readers around the world. Originally released in 2023 with early access for Path to Open participating libraries, these titles have officially “flipped” to open access, marking the first cohort to complete the program’s three-year pathway to openness.
Path to Open was launched to address a persistent challenge in scholarly publishing—how to expand global access to peer-reviewed academic books while ensuring long-term sustainability for university presses. Through a cost-sharing model supported by libraries, publishers receive guaranteed funding from JSTOR for new monographs, libraries gain early access to frontlist scholarship, and titles ultimately become free to read for anyone, anywhere increasing the impact of authors’ scholarship. This milestone marks the beginning of the realization of that founding vision.
Taylor & Francis announces expanded scope for flagship PeerJ journal
Taylor & Francis Group, Voting Member, Press Release, January 7, 2026
Taylor & Francis has announced an expansion in the scope of multidisciplinary journal PeerJ, offering authors a more streamlined publishing experience, enhanced visibility of their work and new opportunities for cross-disciplinary collaboration. Highly regarded for its innovative approach to open and transparent publishing, researchers across a broader range of related scientific fields can now submit to PeerJ’s flagship STM title.
In addition to Medicine & Health, Biology & Life Sciences, and Environmental Sciences, PeerJ (previously informally known as ‘PeerJ Life & Environment’) welcomes submissions in allied disciplines, including Chemistry, Materials Science and some fields of Engineering. With this expanded scope, the five PeerJ Chemistry titles and Open Advances series have now closed to new submissions, simplifying the publishing process for authors and uniting related fields under one journal.
New Products and Innovations
CAS IP Finder expands intellectual property search access across organizations
American Chemical Society (ACS), Voting Member, Press Release, January 20, 2026
CAS, a division of the American Chemical Society specializing in scientific knowledge management, announces complete functionality for CAS IP Finder™, powered by STN™. CAS STNext® customers can now access the full intellectual property search solution across all search methods, expanded content collections, and advanced analysis tools.
Patent volume continues to grow, and scientific disciplines are increasingly interconnected, making intellectual property research more complex and increasing the risk of missed prior art. Organizations traditionally chose between empowering specialized searchers with comprehensive tools or providing limited capabilities to broader teams. CAS IP Finder eliminates that compromise by providing flexible access points that connect users of all experience levels to curated content and precise search tools.
EBSCO Information Services Unveils Music Index Archive, Completing Its Trio of Music Research Resources
EBSCO, Voting Member, Press Release, January 13, 2026
Libraries can now provide researchers with access to a distinctive musical archive spanning more than twenty years and encompassing everything from classical traditions to contemporary popular music. Available through EBSCO Information Services (EBSCO), Music Index Archive offers indexing for 480 journals and magazines, originally published by Harmonie Park Press and featuring international content from dozens of countries.
The Music Index Archive includes works from notable university presses and music societies & associations. It covers publications from 1949 to 1971, many of which are not available in other music databases. Digitized by Doxie.AI, this extensive collection of historical publications offers meaningful insight for music researchers and helps student performers and those in music education or pedagogy pursue well-rounded research.
Events and Exhibitions
Library of Congress Celebrates America’s 250 Years
Library of Congress, Voting Member, Press Release, January 12, 2026
Throughout 2026, the Library of Congress invites all Americans to further appreciate the nation’s history by exploring the Library’s collections and expertise through exhibitions and dynamic programming. The Library will commemorate America’s 250th anniversary under the theme It’s Your Story, offering an opportunity for everyone to discover part of America’s story within the world’s largest research collections.
The 225-year-old Library of Congress serves Congress and the American people with more than 181 million physical items and an expansive digital archive.
Partnerships & Collaborations
PALCI and Authors Alliance Announce Consortium-Wide Partnership to Strengthen Scholarly Communication and Information Policy
Partnership for Academic Library Collaboration and Innovation (PALCI), Voting Member, Press Release, January 14, 2026
The Partnership for Academic Library Collaboration and Innovation (PALCI) and Authors Alliance today announced a new consortium-wide partnership launching in 2026. This collaboration is Authors Alliance’s first partnership at consortium scale, creating a shared framework for supporting academic libraries and their authors as they navigate rapid change in scholarly communication, copyright, and information policy.
The partnership was made possible through financial commitments from PALCI and 26 of its member libraries, including four Leadership Circle contributors who chose to make a deeper investment in both the partnership and the broader PALCI community. Their combined support advances a new consortium-based model for engaging national policy expertise, ensuring shared benefits for all PALCI members, while enabling institutions with expanded involvement to help shape and lead this work.
Honors & Awards
Setting the standard: OpenAthens Compass awarded platinum for eighth consecutive year in 2026 Modern Library Awards
OpenAthens, Voting Member, Press Release, January 15, 2026
OpenAthens scored an impressive 9.12 out of 10 in LibraryWorks' 2026 Modern Library Awards. Our flagship product, OpenAthens Compass, has received this distinction every year since 2019 – with 2020 standing out as the year we took home Product of the Year award after also securing the top platinum distinction.
The Modern Library Awards recognize products that help libraries deliver better experiences. Judged only by library customers with hands-on experience with the products, submissions are rated on quality, functionality, value and customer satisfaction – making this recognition especially meaningful for OpenAthens, which scored 9.12 out of 10 overall. We received our highest scores in customer satisfaction and competitive positioning at 9.3 each, followed by product quality at 9.1 and functionality at 9.0.
Three Clarivate solutions earn Platinum recognition in 2026 Modern Library Awards
Clarivate Analytics, Voting Member, Blog Post, January 15, 2026
Clarivate is pleased to announce that three library solutions have been recognized with Platinum distinction in LibraryWorks’ 2026 Modern Library Awards (MLAs). The MLAs recognize top products and services in the library industry based on criteria such as functionality, value, and customer service, and are scored by librarians familiar with the submissions.
Clarivate is committed to developing solutions that support library staff and patrons through tools that strengthen discovery, streamline workflows, and expand access to materials. This recognition reflects our ongoing focus on delivering solutions that help libraries meet evolving service expectations with confidence.
Artificial Intelligence
Springer Nature and the University of Tokyo will jointly organise SDGs Symposium to explore the critical role of AI and sustainability
Springer Nature, Voting Member, Press Release, January 16, 2026
Springer Nature and the University of Tokyo will host the SDGs Symposium 2026, titled “AI and Sustainability: Opportunities and Challenges for a Sustainable Future” that will take place on February 17, 2026. This hybrid event will bring together leading voices from a diversity of sectors to examine how artificial intelligence (AI) can drive progress toward sustainability and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), while addressing its complex ethical, social, and environmental implications.
AI reshapes industries and societies at an unprecedented pace, offering transformative potential for optimising energy use, managing resources, and accelerating sustainability efforts. Yet these benefits come with challenges: high energy and water consumption, governance risks, and possibly widening social inequalities. The symposium will tackle these critical questions, fostering dialogue across research, policy, and practice to identify actionable solutions.