Assuming $a$ to be real and positive, a CAS gives
$$\color{blue}{I(a)=\frac{\pi ^2}{4}-2 \sinh ^{-1}(a) \,\coth ^{-1}\left(a+\sqrt{a^2+1}\right)+\text{Li}_2\left(a-\sqrt{a^2+1}\right)-\text{Li}_2\left(\frac{1}{a+\sqrt{a^2+1}}
\right)}$$
$$I\left(\frac{1}{2}\right)=\frac{\pi ^2}{12}-\frac{1}{2} \sinh ^{-1}(2) \,\text{csch}^{-1}(2)$$
Using @clathratus's approach
$$I(a)=\sum_{n\geq0}\frac{(-1)^n a^{2n+1}}{2n+1}\int_0^1\frac{x^{2n+1}}{\sqrt{1-x^2}}dx$$ we have
$$\int_0^1\frac{x^{2n+1}}{\sqrt{1-x^2}}dx=\frac{\sqrt{\pi }\, \Gamma (n+1)}{2\, \Gamma \left(n+\frac{3}{2}\right)}$$ making
$$I(a)=a \, _3F_2\left(\frac{1}{2},1,1;\frac{3}{2},\frac{3}{2};-a^2\right)$$ the simplication of which giving the first result.