We’re pleased to introduce The Digital Shelf: Publishing & Library Forum, a new, free webinar series dedicated to fostering open dialogue about the future of digital content. This initiative is a vital collaboration between Lyrasis, ReadersFirst and the Chief Officers of State Library Agencies (COSLA) — three organizations deeply committed to the health of the library ecosystem.
The partners presenting The Digital Shelf believe that access to knowledge is critical for a well-educated society and a functioning democracy. We recognize that in today's rapidly evolving landscape it can be hard for busy professionals to stay abreast of all the latest trends related to digital content. We also believe it is critical that libraries, publishers and other leaders in the book ecosystem engage in positive dialog about key issues, like enabling equitable access through sustainable pricing, how AI is impacting libraries, and the challenges that come from censorship and book bans. These shared challenges require shared solutions.
The goal of The Digital Shelf is to create a platform for honest, practical discussions, spark meaningful dialogue and help our friends and partners across the industry identify actionable, collaborative strategies.
Here is a bit about our first two events:
Ebook Advocacy Action Round Up (December 9, 2025)
Our inaugural webinar is a fast-paced Lightning Round featuring leading organizations on the front lines of digital content advocacy. Hear quick updates and priorities from major groups including Library Futures, Michelle Reed, ReadersFirst, Urban Libraries Council Action Team, Ebook Study Group, Boston Library Consortia, NY State Ebook Working Group, and the Canadian Urban Library Council (CULC) . This is your chance to get the pulse of the movement, get up-to-date on the work of these advocacy groups and understand the next steps in securing better library access.
Ethical AI in Libraries (January 27, 2026)
Artificial Intelligence brings both immense promise and complex ethical challenges. This panel will take a critical look at the potential harms of generative AI — including bias, plagiarism, and environmental cost — and provide library workers with practical strategies for prioritizing human knowledge and ethical considerations in their work. This event will bring together leading technologists, including consultant Marshal Breading, Michael Hanegan, the author of Generative AI and Libraries: Claiming Our Place in the Center of a Shared Future, ISKME’s Peter Musser, who leads ALA’s AI interest group, and outside experts like Beth Rudden, the CEO and Chairwoman of Bast AI.
Looking ahead into 2026 we hope to bring you free webinars about important topics like sustainable pricing for ebooks and the Banned Book Index Project, a powerful new collaborative effort to create an open linked dataset on Wikidata to catalog 21st-century censorship. We will also work to convene lighting rounds with updates from publishers, platform providers and other leaders impacting how libraries provide access to digital books.
Join the Conversation
The Digital Shelf is for anyone invested in the digital content ecosystem — librarians, publishers and advocates alike. We need to work together to ensure that the "digital shelf" serves the public good.
As an added benefit, participating librarians will be eligible to receive a continuing education certificate from Lyrasis Learning.
Let’s start having the necessary conversations to build a better future for digital content access.