# 2026 Evidence Synthesis Roundtable for Librarians Explore Resources on PICO Portal, the AI-powered platform for faster literature reviews, evidence synthesis, and smarter research workflows. Source: https://picoportal.org/events/2026-librarian-roundtable/

2026 Evidence Synthesis Roundtable for Librarians

A small-group discussion on AI, methodological rigor, and budget pressures shaping SLR services

Academic and medical libraries are entering 2026 with shifting expectations around evidence synthesis support. AI is raising new questions around copyright and transparency, researchers are asking for more rigorous methods across disciplines, and many institutions are planning for tighter budgets.

To support an open and practical conversation among colleagues, we’re hosting a small roundtable discussion for librarians. Each session is limited to 12 participants to keep the discussion focused and useful.

Why This Roundtable Now

 

Across institutions, librarians are navigating three major pressures at once:

  • AI adoption:
    Faculty and students are beginning to use AI in research workflows, raising questions about intellectual property, methodological transparency, and acceptable use.
  • Demand for rigor:
    Expectations around systematic review methods are expanding beyond health sciences, increasing the need for defensible, well-documented research workflows.
  • Budget constraints:
    Many libraries are preparing for 2026 with closer attention to staffing, service capacity, and tool renewals.

What We’ll Discuss


We’ll focus on the themes librarians say are most pressing:

  • Concerns around the use of AI in research studies
  • The complex copyright and legal landscape surrounding AI
  • How demand for systematic review and method support is shifting
  • Supporting patrons during budgetary cuts
  • What librarians wish existed to better support evidence synthesis teams

No preparation is required. The goal is to compare experiences, ask questions, and learn from each other.

Roundtable Format


Each roundtable will take place as a 60-minute discussion (no slides or presentation) with a maximum of 12 participants max to allow for meaningful conversation. The meetings will be held via Zoom and be facilitated by Eitan Agai, Founder of PICO Portal.

Session Dates and Registration

All three roundtable sessions have taken place. Thank you to everyone who joined.

Session 1: Thursday, December 18

This session has passed.

Session 2: Thursday, January 8

This session has passed.

Session 3: Wednesday, January 14

This session has passed.

We have organized three separate sessions to accommodate a high level of interest from the community. Each session will focus on the same topics. 

Your Host

Eitan Agai, Founder & CEO of PICO Portal

PICO Portal's mission is to address the growing needs for efficient and high-quality research. A global leader in evidence synthesis solutions, it offers an AI-powered literature review platform and tailored managed services for evidence-based decision-making.

PICO Portal: SLR Solutions Trusted by Top Researchers

“Using AI prediction we identified 95% to 99% of all of eligible citations by screening fewer than 10% of our initial citations. We’re all used to the standard of two people having to independently screen every citation. Do we need to rethink that?”

“We had 15 committee members at 15 different institutions that all needed to help with this review. We identified 5,172 references and the AI showed likely includes before likely excludes. That helped us get the literature out to the community sooner.”

“The value for us was the tagging function. It was just a matter of adding a couple of clicks of the mouse and we were able to watch the distribution of literature across this wide range and approach it as evidence ecology. We looked at the full range of research designs from RCTs to qualitative research.”

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