Schenectady library's new strategic plan dismissed as 'whitewash'; The Community Journalism Fund, August 26, 2026

Miles J. Reed, The Community Journalism Fund; Schenectady library's new strategic plan dismissed as 'whitewash'

"A newly released five-year strategic plan for the Schenectady County Public Library is being dismissed as a “whitewash” by a watchdog group that formed after the library’s departure from the region’s largest interlibrary-loan agreement.

Members of Citizens Concerned about the Library say the 2026-31 plan, which was formally released last week, is a watered-down version of the original draft plan.

Library officials, however, say the strategic plan was crafted with input from a wide variety of stakeholders and the professional guidance of the Minnesota-based Library Strategies Consulting Group."

From idea to intellectual property; Ohio State News, August 5, 2026

 Darian Berdysz, Ohio State News; From idea to intellectual property

"For many inventors, researchers and entrepreneurs, an idea is just the beginning; what comes next and knowing how to properly protect that idea can often be one of the most challenging journeys. That is where The Ohio State University Libraries’ Patent and Trademark Resource Center (PTRC) comes in. 

At the PTRC, innovators can find guidance, educational resources and expert support to help them navigate patents, trademarks and other forms of intellectual property protection. As part of a nationwide network of centers designated by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), Ohio State’s PTRC helps connect inventors and business owners with the information they need to safeguard their work. 

The network includes academic, public and state libraries across the country. What makes Ohio State’s program unique is the diverse areas of expertise from the team, including a business librarian; an engineering librarian; a chemistry and physical science librarian; and a food, agricultural and environmental science librarian...

Megan Powell, chemistry and physical sciences librarian and a member of the PTRC team, noted that the university’s partnership with the Columbus Metropolitan Library further expands access to intellectual property education and resources, supporting Ohio State’s land-grant mission while helping strengthen innovation and entrepreneurship throughout the state. 

Throughout the year, the PTRC offers educational workshops, information sessions and one-on-one consultations designed to help innovators navigate the intellectual property landscape. In the past two years alone, the center has educated more than 745 individuals on protecting their intellectual property. 

Powell believes one of the most important functions of Ohio State’s PTRC is helping individuals better understand a process that can often feel overwhelming."

Ethics and Professionalism in Artificial Intelligence and Medical Practice: A Position Paper From the American College of Physicians; Annals of Internal Medicine, September 1, 2026

 Matthew DeCamp, MD, PhD, Lois Snyder Sulmasy, JD, Kyle E. Karches, MD, PhD, for the Ethics, Professionalism and Human Rights Committee of the American College of Physicians, Annals of Internal Medicine; Ethics and Professionalism in Artificial Intelligence and Medical Practice: A Position Paper From the American College of Physicians

 "Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) in health care is being rapidly adopted in perhaps one of the most rapid implementations of technology in medicine to date. Better thought of as augmented intelligence, as a tool that provides assistance to physicians and patients, many guidelines for its use have been issued, but consensus has not yet been achieved on issues such as privacy, disclosure, and fairness. Patients and physicians need ethical guidance at the point of care. Three guideposts described in this American College of Physicians position paper and rooted in the patient–physician relationship—principles of medical ethics, clinical integrity, and physician-independent practical reasoning—can inform the ethical use of AI: relationality, self-governance, and competence. This paper examines the implications of AI for patients, physicians, and health care and provides guidance for its ethical use."

Research shows ethics education teaches kids right from wrong. Why can so few students access it?; The Conversation, August 31, 2026

 Michael Noetel, Geetanjali Basarkod, The Conversation; Research shows ethics education teaches kids right from wrong. Why can so few students access it?

"How important is it that kids learn to tell right from wrong?

Businessman and former university chancellor David Gonski recently called for ethics classes to be rolled out in all Australian schools to boost social cohesion. 

At the moment, ethics does not get dedicated time in the school curriculum. 

Some might argue children don’t need school ethics classes if they already learn ethics from their parents and other adults in their lives. 

But our research shows formal ethics education can make a difference. In the largest ever review on the subject, we found teaching ethics can improve students’ ability to reason through ethical issues and prioritise doing the right thing."

Copying? Definitely. Infringement? Maybe.; copyright lately, August 24, 2026

 Aaron Moss , copyrightlately; Copying? Definitely. Infringement? Maybe.

"Last week, Thomas filed a copyright infringement lawsuit in the Southern District of New York against Peyton, Sotheby’s, and David Zwirner Gallery, which represents Peyton and displays the painting on its website. He says Peyton copied virtually every significant element of his photograph: the composition, the brothers’ poses and expressions, the tilt of each head, the hair, the hands, the lighting, even the placement of Liam’s ring near Noel’s collar—and changed only the cropping, the colors, and the medium.

The complaint calls the painting an unauthorized derivative work, and adds claims against Zwirner and Sotheby’s for reproducing, displaying and distributing it."