The IFLA News Media Section, in collaboration with the Artificial Intelligence Special Interest Group and the Digital Humanities Digital Scholarship Special Interest Group, has announced a call for papers for the IFLA World Library and Information Congress 2026 in Busan, South Korea (10–13 August 2026).

The session is built around the timely theme: “Mind the Gap: The Role of Librarians in Supporting Responsible News Media Research Behaviors in the Age of AI.”

As access to digitized historical newspapers and born-digital news media continues to expand, the role of librarians remains critical. In an era shaped by AI tools, misinformation, and growing concerns about trustworthiness, librarians are increasingly needed not only as custodians of information, but also as guides who help researchers use news media sources responsibly, ethically, and critically.

This session invites reflection on important questions such as how librarians can ensure the trustworthiness and interpretability of news collections, what new competencies are needed in an AI-mediated research environment, and how libraries can build stronger trust relationships with researchers and users who depend on AI tools. The session also connects with the wider conference theme, “Libraries Powering Transformation.”

Presentations will be in an Ignite/lightning talk format, with each speaker having 7 minutes to engage the audience. Up to five speakers will be selected for the 60-minute open session.

The deadline for proposal submission is 26 April 2026, and successful applicants will be informed by 11 May 2026.

To read more and access the full call, visit the official IFLA session page.