In Fall 2020, during the journal renewal cycle, the University of South Florida Libraries was asked to do a Budget Revisioning process with a goal of reducing the library budget’s expenditures by 15%. After years of flat budgets and staff attrition, Library Administration decided to take the cuts primarily from the collections side. This article outlines the Libraries’ methodology in reviewing bundled journal packages utilizing usage statistics to compare the yearly subscription cost versus interlibrary loan and copyright fees, taking into account perpetual access and the libraries’ owned print collections. The packages varied from small, subject-based to Big Deal packages with multiple subject areas. This article analyzes the cost for unbundling and canceling journal subscriptions and discusses the rationale for final decisions to retain or unbundle.

As a mid-career cataloging and metadata librarian, the author found a joy in mentoring library school students through remote cataloging internships. This column shares how she crafted remote internship projects to give the library school students the unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience with major cataloging systems and tools, while helping bridge the gap between classroom learning and professional practice.

As generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) technologies, such as large language models, become deeply integrated into academic research, questions surrounding their ethical and responsible use have become central to higher education policy. This study provides a thorough analysis of guidelines and regulations governing GenAI in higher education research, mapping and comparing policy responses across four key domains: governmental authorities, higher education institutions (HEIs), academic publishers, and publication manuals. Using an inductive qualitative approach, we systematically analyzed a purposive sample of 74 policy documents from around the world, encompassing diverse institutional and regulatory perspectives. The analysis began by quantifying the frequency of major policy themes, revealing both convergence and divergence in institutional approaches to GenAI. For governmental policies, 10 recurring themes were identified, focusing on ethical use, AI quality assurance, regulatory compliance, and the need for transparency and accountability. HEI policies highlighted 14 themes, emphasizing disclosure requirements, safeguarding academic integrity, addressing concerns about AI misuse, and promoting AI literacy and training among researchers and students. Publishers’ guidelines featured 10 themes, including clear positions on AI authorship, accountability of human authors, and requirements for disclosure and transparency in scholarly communication. Publication manuals identified 11 key themes, reflecting evolving citation practices, mandatory acknowledgment of AI tool use, and the integration of new standards for referencing AI-generated content. Five core domains emerged as central to effective policy: transparency and disclosure, authorship and accountability, quality assurance and safety measures, data security and privacy, and AI literacy and training. Across all document types, transparency and disclosure were consistently emphasized as foundational to ethical research conduct, while approaches to authorship, quality assurance, and data security exhibited variation in specificity and enforcement. The analysis revealed a widespread consensus that AI cannot be listed as an author, yet the mechanisms for ensuring human accountability and for documenting AI’s contribution varied across domains. Quality assurance protocols and privacy safeguards were present but differed in their rigor and implementation, often reflecting regional or institutional priorities. Notably, the need for robust AI literacy and training was frequently cited as essential for mitigating risks associated with GenAI misuse and for fostering responsible academic practice. The comparative synthesis underscores the importance of multi-stakeholder collaboration in developing comprehensive, adaptable policies that address the dynamic challenges posed by GenAI. While there are significant areas of thematic overlap, such as a shared commitment to transparency and ethical standards, notable gaps persist—particularly in guidance around equity, inclusivity, and the practical enforcement of AI-related policies. The study concludes that harmonizing regulatory frameworks and fostering AI literacy will be essential to safeguard academic integrity and support innovation in research practice. These findings offer actionable insights for policymakers, university leaders, publishers, and academic communities seeking to responsibly integrate GenAI into higher education research.

This study examines the influence of diamond open access (DOA) publishing on research engagement among library professionals in India. Using a quantitative approach, data were collected through a structured online survey administered to 106 library professionals who had published in DOA journals. The findings reveal a strong consensus on the benefits of DOA, particularly its capacity to ensure equitable access to scholarly content by eliminating article processing charges (APCs) and enhancing the visibility and impact of research outputs. Respondents emphasized DOA’s potential to promote inclusivity, especially for researchers in under-resourced settings, and its role in fostering collaboration and diversity in scholarly publishing. However, the study also identifies critical challenges that hinder the widespread adoption of DOA. These include limited journal availability, concerns about journal quality and prestige, and the uncertain sustainability of the fee-free model. Despite these concerns, statistical analyses indicate that library professionals regard DOA as a viable and impactful alternative to gold open access, especially in terms of long-term benefits to scholarly communication. The study highlights the evolving role of library professionals as not just information custodians but also active contributors and advocates in the open access movement. It recommends institutional recognition and support for library professionals as strategic stewards of DOA publishing initiatives. The findings underscore the need for sustained advocacy, infrastructure development, and collaborative funding models to realize the full potential of DOA. Ultimately, this research contributes valuable insights into how DOA can support a more inclusive, accessible, and sustainable academic publishing landscape in the Global South.

Purpose This study aimed to identify the challenges and limitations associated with the collection management of ejournals in academic libraries. Design/methodology/approach To achieve the set goals, researchers systematically reviewed the literature in three leading databases (one specialized library & information science, LISTA, and two comprehensive databases, i.e., Scopus, and Science Direct, along with Google Scholar). The Preferred I and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 guidelines were used for systematic review (SR). Findings The selected 34 research studies initially identified 29 challenges, divided into four categories, that is, Technological, Acquisition, Managerial, and Economic. The serials review (SR) reveals that most of these laborious challenges were associated with technology and the acquisition of ejournals. The overall result shows that to meet these challenges, there is a need to improve the standardization of collection management procedures and policies. Originality/Value/Significance This SR provides an accurate picture of challenges associated with ejournals in academic libraries, which may be beneficial for collection management policymakers and practitioners working in academic libraries to understand the scenario.

This study constructs a bibliographic data ontology of library’s electronic resources, reusing the BIBFRAME ontology. Firstly, the mapping of classes and attributes between bibliographic data and BIBFRAME fields is investigated. And conceptual models are drawn from the work layer, instance layer, item layer and connection fields. Then the constructed bibliographic data ontology of electronic resources has been visualized by using Protégé, and Neo4j has been used to respectively implement the storage and querying of publications, thesis and other electronic resources, such as patents.

This quarter’s column includes conference session recaps from the Electronic Resources & Libraries (ER&L) held in Austin, Texas, from March 23–26, 2025, and the NASIG Conferences held virtually from May 19 to 21, 2025. Both ER&L and NASIG were celebrating significant milestones in 2025–ER&L its 20th Anniversary and NASIG its 40th Anniversary. This quarter’s column contains sixteen conference session recaps. Topics covered include: open access, transformative agreements, assessment, autoholdings management, and others relating to serials and electronic resources management.

Purpose This study aims to evaluate library users’ behavior in response to smart library services at academic institutions in Pakistan. Using the Expectation Confirmation Model (ECM), we assess how expectations and experiences impact the continued use of technologies like RFID, AI-based systems, and digital resources in university libraries. Design/methodology/approach This research intends to apply the expectation-confirmation model to assess the students’ behavior regarding using smart library services in university libraries. A conceptual model with four proposed hypotheses based on the expectation confirmation model was constructed. The Structural Equation Modeling technique was used to test the conceptual model through questionnaire survey data. The data collection instrument was distributed online among students from different universities across Pakistan by applying a random sampling technique. Findings The study provides valuable insights into users’ preferences for these services and identifies factors influencing their satisfaction and behavioral intentions to use smart library technologies. The findings highlight the significance of aligning user expectations with technology outcomes and suggest that smart library services must prioritize user needs for continued engagement. Originality/value This research provides actionable insights that can guide library management in adopting and enhancing smart library services, with implications for other institutions seeking to integrate new technologies.

This study addresses the issue of editorial misconduct within academic journal management teams. To mitigate this problem, we propose a blockchain-based system designed to deter dishonest practices by journal managers. Our solution integrates a consortium blockchain network to ensure data integrity, along with an open crowdsourcing platform that allows external researchers to contribute intelligent detection algorithms triggered by smart contracts. To assess the effectiveness of our approach, we conducted a case study using real data from an academic journal. An intelligent algorithm incorporating the Ljung-Box test was applied to detect potential misconduct. The results indicate that our proposed method is both practical and effective in promoting fair journal management without requiring significant structural reforms. Moreover, our approach introduces a novel framework for the peer review process.

The aim of this study is to provide an overview of the literature regarding the adoption of Koha integrated library software in university libraries. This systematic literature review is based on preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) method and comprises publications in the English language published in the five leading databases including Web of Science, Scopus, Emerald, Science Direct, and Google Scholar. Based on specified inclusion and exclusion criteria, 40 papers were chosen from a total of 952 submissions. The findings of this study disclosed that university libraries implemented Koha software because of the free availability of Koha, provision of library standards, dissatisfaction with current library systems, active development of Koha, user-friendly, adequate range of modules, and provision of Web-OPAC. However, previous studies highlighted various problems and challenges encountered by librarians during the implementation and use of Koha including lack of funding, poor ICT infrastructure, approval from organizations to implement the software, lack of technical skills, erratic power supply, data migration, reluctant behavior of librarians, slow internet speed, and Koha customization. This study discovered that mostly librarians were satisfied with the cataloging and OPAC module of Koha. It was also found that the adoption of Koha increased job productivity, improved library services, and cataloging, and library professional staff felt easy to organize information. This study provides a brief picture of the adoption of Koha software in university libraries across the globe. The experiences of various researchers on the implementation and use of Koha are beneficial for the potential users of Koha. Furthermore, the findings of this review would help librarians in the selection, implementation, and usage of Koha software in libraries.