We are accepting proposals for the next edition of the CNI Pre-Recorded Project Briefing Series until June 10. More information about this year-round program is available on the CNI website .

Proposals may be submitted via online form: https://www.cni.org/resources/pbvs/submit-a-proposal

Videos should focus on a timely topic or on a project related to digital information. We especially invite briefings on recently published reports, and updates on new or ongoing projects, programs, or organizations that may have reported at CNI in the past. We recommend that these videos run no more than 15-20 minutes, though longer presentations may occasionally make sense; we leave this to the presenters’ discretion.

Anyone may propose a pre-recorded project briefing, including groups/individuals from non-member institutions and organizations.

CNI is once again a cooperating organization for The International Conference on Theory and Practice of Digital Libraries (TPDL), taking place in Tampere, Finland, September 23–26, 2025. Full details and the registration link are available on the conference website: https://tpdl2025.github.io/ParticipantInformation/registration.html

Thank you!

-Paige Pope, CNI Communications Coordinator

The recording of a tribute to long-time CNI Executive Director Clifford Lynch is now available—the event took place May 2, 2025, on what would have been the last convening of the celebrated “Friday Seminar” at the University of California, Berkeley School of Information. The seminar had been team-led by Lynch and Michael Buckland for over 30 years and was in its final semester at the time of Lynch's death on April 10th. Lynch's numerous and varied contributions are shared by many who were close to him, including his spouse Cecilia Preston, Michael Buckland, Joan Lippincott, Erik Mitchell, Lynne Grigsby, Howard Besser and others.

-Diane Goldenberg-Hart, CNI

The next collection of project briefing videos from the CNI Spring 2025 Membership Meeting is now live:

Artificial Intelligence for Transcription and Metadata in Special Collections: Three Projects Hope Dunbar, University at Buffalo Rachel Senese Myers, Georgia State University Douglas Boyd, University of Kentucky Watch at: https://www.cni.org/topics/special-collections/artificial-intelligence-for-transcription-and-metadata-in-special-collections-three-projects

MetaArchive Across Its Life Cycle: Change and Resilience in the Digital Preservation Ecosystem Snowden Becker, Stanford University Jackson Huang, Educopia Alex Kinnaman, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Jessica Meyerson, Educopia Zach Vowell, California Polytechnic State University Watch at: https://www.cni.org/topics/digital-preservation/metaarchive-across-its-life-cycle-change-and-resilience-in-the-digital-preservation-ecosystem

Reconsidering Digital Ecosystems for Curation Lindsey Memory, Brigham Young University Andy Spackman, Brigham Young University Reed Jones, University at Buffalo Adam Strohm, Illinois Institute of Technology Watch at: https://www.cni.org/topics/special-collections/reconsidering-digital-ecosystems-for-curation

I wanted to share the call for proposals for the 20th International Digital Curation Conference - CNI is thrilled to serve, once again, as a collaborating organization for this important event.

IDCC26 will take place February 16-18, 2026, in Zagreb, Croatia. See below for details from the Digital Curation Center, the event’s sponsor.

-Diane Goldenberg-Hart, CNI

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We are now accepting proposals for the next edition of the CNI Pre-Recorded Project Briefing Series. More information about this year-round program is available on the CNI website .

Proposals may be submitted via online form: https://www.cni.org/resources/pbvs/submit-a-proposal

Videos should focus on a timely topic or on a project related to digital information. We especially invite briefings on recently published reports, and updates on new or ongoing projects, programs, or organizations that may have reported at CNI in the past. We recommend that these videos run no more than 15-20 minutes, though longer presentations may occasionally make sense; we leave this to the presenters’ discretion.

Anyone may propose a pre-recorded project briefing, including groups/individuals from non-member institutions and organizations. No more than 12 project briefings will be accepted for each edition; we issue calls for proposals approximately every two to three months.

Edition Guide Coalition for Networked Information Pre-Recorded Project Briefing Series Spring 2025

The spring 2025 pre-recorded project briefing collection includes several examples of potential applications of emerging technologies, professional learning programs, and infrastructure projects to support equitable access to information. From artificial intelligence (AI) to digital preservation, the videos showcase innovation throughout the community.

Several sessions explore AI implementation across library services and infrastructure. They illustrate both the potential promise and challenges of AI, emphasizing critical evaluation, iterative refinement, and human oversight: Using the example of a retrieval augmented generation (RAG) pipeline developed at the University of Victoria Libraries, Unlocking Web Archives Using RAG investigates the potential and challenges of integrating large language models with RAG to transform access to web archives, with a focus on infrastructure, data quality, and ethical AI integration. In Bringing AI into Focus with Viewfinder , presenters from Montana State University introduce a toolkit from the Responsible AI in Libraries and Archives project that guides ethical AI adoption in libraries and helps practitioners assess AI implementations through a values-driven framework. The Accuracy-Bias Trade-Offs in AI Text Detection Tools discusses a study to evaluate the use of AI detection technologies for scholarly publishing. The results highlight the limitations and possible pitfalls of using these tools.

Other presentations highlight efforts to expand capacity and better support learners through innovative instructional strategies and professional development initiatives: The University of California San Diego Library launched a self-directed learning model to foster research skills and evolve health science library instruction. Developing Scalable Library Research Training explains the model’s development and how it is a foundation for broader AI-assisted research support. LEADING / DATALIS Project Update: Future Directions in Professional Education and the Innovation Funnel Methodology shares outcomes of the DATALIS program, part of the Institute of Museum and Library Services-funded LEADING (LIS Education and Data Science Integrated Network Group) project. The initiative reimagined professional education pathways in data science and librarianship, and recently employed the Innovation Funnel methodology to envision potential future pathways for professional education. Full disclosure: CNI staff served on the LEADING advisory board, and the program was featured at several CNI membership meetings.

I’m pleased to share the post below announcing that registration is now open for the in-person Digital Library Federation’s (DLF) Forum, to be held Nov. 16-19, 2025, in Denver, Colorado. Learn@DLF workshops have been announced, and a full program will be released in the summer.

The DLF Forum welcomes digital library, archives, and museum practitioners from member institutions and beyond. More information about the event is at https://forum2025.diglib.org/.

Full disclosure - I am a member of the program committee.

-Diane Goldenberg-Hart, CNI

We’ve just released the next collection of project briefing videos from the CNI Spring 2025 Membership Meeting :

The Collaborative Metadata Enrichment Taskforce (COMET): Uniting Stakeholders for Collaborative Metadata Enrichment John Chodacki, California Digital Library Watch at: https://www.cni.org/topics/digital-curation/the-collaborative-metadata-enrichment-taskforce-comet-uniting-stakeholders-for-collaborative-metadata-enrichment

Continuing the Conversation: Leveraging Generative Artificial Intelligence Tools and Semantic Search for Digital Collections James Lee, Northwestern University David Schober, Northwestern University Watch at: https://www.cni.org/topics/digital-libraries/continuing-the-conversation-leveraging-generative-artificial-intelligence-tools-and-semantic-search-for-digital-collections Completing the Picture of Institutional Research Output and Impact: Automating Discovery and Assessment of Research Data and Software Bryan Gee, University of Texas at Austin Michael Shensky, University of Texas at Austin Watch at: https://www.cni.org/topics/information-access-retrieval/completing-the-picture-of-institutional-research-output-and-impact-automating-discovery-and-assessment-of-research-data-and-software

Studio X: From Vision to Impact — Advancing Extended Reality Research and Education Meaghan Moody, University of Rochester Watch at: https://www.cni.org/topics/spaces/studio-x-from-vision-to-impact-advancing-extended-reality-research-and-education

The Library of Congress (LC) convened its invitational Designing Storage Architectures for Digital Collections meeting again this year in Washington, DC, on March 24-25, 2025. The event brings together technical and industry experts, LC IT and subject matter experts, government specialists with an interest in preservation, decision-makers from a wide range of organizations, and recognized authorities and practitioners of digital preservation.

Presentation materials from the meeting are now available and can be accessed at https://digitalpreservation.gov/meetings/storage25.html

-Diane Goldenberg-Hart, CNI

We are pleased to release the next collection of project briefing videos from the CNI Spring 2025 Membership Meeting :

Artificial Intelligence Literacy: Building Competency, Confidence, and Collaboration Oren Beit-Arie, Clarivate Leo Lo, University of New Mexico Niamh McGuigan, Brown University Watch at: https://www.cni.org/pbs/artificial-intelligence-literacy-building-competency-confidence-and-collaboration

Beyond “This Image May Contain:” Using Vision Language Models to Improve Accessibility for Digital Image Collections Peter Broadwell, Stanford University Lindsay King, Stanford University Watch at: https://www.cni.org/topics/digital-libraries/beyond-this-image-may-contain-using-vision-language-models-to-improve-accessibility-for-digital-image-collections

Cultivating Collaborative Library Scholars: A Multi-Institutional Professional Development Initiative Yinlin Chen, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Jamie Wittenberg, University of Colorado Boulder Watch at: https://www.cni.org/topics/scholarly-communication/cultivating-collaborative-library-scholars-a-multi-institutional-professional-development-initiative

Ithaka S+R recently released the report “Researcher Challenges and Experiences with Data Services”, by Chelsea McCracken and Ruby MacDougall, documenting a two-year project to better understand the data management needs and challenges of researchers as well as their current level of engagement with campus data services. The initiative was intended to develop strategies for improving the coordination of research data services across different campus units.

The report is available here: https://sr.ithaka.org/publications/researcher-challenges-and-experiences-with-data-services

-Diane Goldenberg-Hart, CNI

The plenary session videos from the CNI Spring 2025 Membership Meeting are now available:

Opening Plenary Update on the CNI Leadership Transition Andrew K. Pace, Association of Research Libraries

Paul Evan Peters Award & Memorial Lecture: Lessons From LOCKSS Victoria Reich and David Rosenthal, LOCKSS Program co-founders

YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/0Mt1T8Pr5_I Vimeo Link: https://vimeo.com/1075437314

We are planning a stimulating Designing Libraries for the 21st Century Conference at the University of Rochester and I hope that you’ll be able to attend. Due to the uncertainties of budgets, we will share an update by the end of April. In the meantime, please save the dates! —Joan Lippincott CNI, Emerita  Save the date! Join us in Rochester, NY, September 28-30, 2025 for Designing Libraries XII, where librarians, architects, planners, designers, information technologists, and others come together to explore the achievements and challenges of designing libraries and learning spaces for the 21st century. Over the last decade, the University of Rochester’s River Campus Libraries has used a strategic space plan to guide the development of active, experiential and technology-rich learning and research spaces for student and faculty success in Rush Rhees and the Carlson Science and Engineering Libraries. We appreciate the community’s patience in our announcement of this year’s conference. We recognize the current and continuing impact of rapid Federal funding changes, budget cuts, and uncertainty around future professional development travel across the higher ed landscape. We are monitoring the evolving landscape with the Designing Libraries’ Sponsors. We will relay more information at the end of April. Thank you for your patience.

 Clifford Lynch, 2023, Courtesy Cecilia Preston

It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Clifford Lynch, a visionary leader in the field of networked information and libraries, and the esteemed executive director of the Coalition for Networked Information (CNI), an organization dedicated to advancing scholarship and education through the strategic use of information technology. Lynch, who led CNI since 1997, has left an indelible mark on the information technology, higher education, and library communities. He was due to retire in June 2025.

Lynch was a renowned figure, lauded for his broad impact across many areas, including scholarly communication, information policy, the research enterprise, intellectual property, digital preservation, data stewardship, and countless others. His annual survey of the field, presented at CNI’s Fall Membership Meetings, was highly anticipated and considered a beacon for insights into future trends. He was a prolific writer and a sought-after speaker, recognized for his ability to distill complex concepts into accessible insights, and he was frequently invited to provide closing summations at conferences and meetings.

Known for his kindness, warmth, and humble disposition, Lynch was highly skilled at fostering connections across organizations, sectors, and professions. In their foreword for a forthcoming Festschrift in Lynch’s honor, Association of Research Libraries (ARL) Executive Director Andrew K. Pace and EDUCAUSE President and Chief Executive Officer John O’Brien wrote, “It’s rare in higher education and technology circles to establish a legacy that is felt by your organization, by your profession, by numerous associations and societies, and by hundreds if not thousands of colleagues across the globe. It’s even rarer to build such a legacy without a single trace of the hubris or caustic personality that so often accompanies genius. Clifford’s humility, gentle but persistent persuasion, and remarkable good nature are the key elements of his indelible mark.”

At its 2025 Spring Membership Meeting, held April 7-8 in Milwaukee, WI, the Coalition for Networked Information (CNI) announced the forthcoming publication of a Festschrift in honor of retiring CNI Executive Director Clifford Lynch:

Joan K. Lippincott, ed. “Networking Networks: A Festschrift Honoring Clifford Lynch, Executive Director, Coalition for Networked Information, 1997-2025.” Supplement to portal: Libraries and the Academy 25, no. 2 (July 2025).

Guest edited by CNI Associate Executive Director Emerita Joan Lippincott, the collection recounts some of Lynch’s profound impact on digital information over the course of his illustrious career. Contributors include many of his closest colleagues and collaborators from over the years:

Howard Besser Marjory S. Blumenthal Christine L. Borgman Michael K. Buckland Dan Cohen Kevin Guthrie Ken Klingenstein Joan K. Lippincott Michael L. Nelson John O’Brien Andrew K. Pace Victoria Reich David S. H. Rosenthal Judy Ruttenberg Roger Schonfeld Herbert Van de Sompel Donald J. Waters

Here's information on the upcoming ERN annual meeting. I was able to attend this in 2024 and thought it was outstanding

From: Maureen Dougherty info@ern.ci Date: Wed, 2 Apr 2025 12:03:28 -0400 To: ERN Announcements ern-announcements@ernrp.org Subject: [ern-announcements] ERN Virtual Summit 2025 Registration Open

Registration is now open for the Virtual ERN Summit being held April 23, 2025, 12PM - 5PM ET.

REGISTER HERE https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfK9U0vi7IuUETzW3EsRpsC7GfwKdNlkNoa1XuK6Q5NhtbQaA/viewform

Meeting Roadmap A Guide to the Spring 2025 Coalition for Networked Information Membership Meeting

The Spring 2025 CNI Membership Meeting, to be held at the Hyatt Regency Milwaukee on April 7-8, offers a wide range of presentations that advance and report on CNI's programs, showcase projects underway at member institutions, and highlight important national and international developments. Here is the "roadmap" to the meeting, which includes both plenary events and an extensive series of breakout sessions focusing on current issues in digital information and technologies.

This will also be a CNI meeting unlike any other. I won’t be there for my own meeting – what I expect will be my final meeting as CNI Executive Director!

I would never have imagined when announcing my retirement in summer 2024, that I’d find myself in my current situation. As some of you know, I started having serious respiratory problems in late 2024. They put me on supplemental oxygen in February 2025. I had a major physical collapse on Tuesday, March 18, and, much to everybody’s amazement, was still alive in the intensive care unit at a hospital near my home on March 19. The hospital discharged me about a week ago.

As part of a research project on archiving algorithms and the social data related to them, the Bodleian Libraries at the University of Oxford seek feedback on social media archiving initiatives and practices, as well as input on researchers' use of social media and algorithmic data. Please see, below, a request for participation in two brief surveys related to this project; both surveys will remain open until April 10, 2025.

Diane Goldenberg-Hart Assistant Executive Director, CNI

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Dear colleagues,

Today, we release inaugural CNI Senior Scholar Donald J. Waters’s final report: Meeting the Climate Emergency: University Information Infrastructure for Researching Wicked Problems, which is available at: https://doi.org/10.56561/LCOA2799

Written with extensive community input, the report explores how research universities can tackle complex societal challenges, particularly climate change, a "wicked" problem involving multiple stakeholders and no clear solutions. U.S. research universities, with their broad disciplinary reach and research capacity, are well-positioned for this work but must expand their focus beyond STEM to include the social sciences, humanities, and public engagement. The report further highlights the evolving role of campus information specialists—university libraries, computing organizations, and related experts—who now provide critical research support beyond traditional collection-building, and it proposes that these entities should modify their research service strategies even further to focus more on university-supported centers and institutes that conduct interdisciplinary research.

We hope the report, which offers concrete steps by which universities could adapt their research infrastructure to address wicked problems more effectively, will be thought-provoking both for university-level leadership and for campus information specialist organizations as they evolve their strategies and priorities.

For additional background on Don’s work and the CNI Senior Scholar program, see: https://www.cni.org/events/cni-workshops/senior-scholars-program/information-infrastructure-to-address-societal-grand-challenges