Blog topic: Emerging tech

An artwork by James Bridle that shows a car surrounde by a solid white line an a broken white line.

Is learning about AI in libraries preparation for a future without librarians?

April 1, 2020
by Catherine Nicole Coleman
Artificial intelligence
Digital library
Emerging tech

The image associated with this post is from "Autonomous Trap" by James Bridle.

If you attended or watched the talks at Fantastic Futures December 2019, you know that the answer to that question is emphatically, "No." Both of the keynote speakers addressed the essential role of libraries in providing curated data to improve AI and in preserving the data, models, and records for oversight of how the technology is implemented. Lightning talks (recordings available) demonstrated applications of AI by practitioners operating within libraries, archives, and museums. And Teemu Roos presented Elements of AI, a free online course for everyone designed to demystify AI.

Technology should reflect the ethos of the library

March 4, 2020
by Catherine Nicole Coleman
Artificial intelligence
Digital library
Digital library architecture
Emerging tech
Engineering

At the VALA2020 conference on Libraries and Technology last month I stated, as I have in numerous other presentations, reports, and recommendations, that implementations of technology (and I am usually speaking about AI) in libraries should reflect the ethos of the library. I say this not because the ethos of the library is correct, just, or even well-defined; but it is something to which we who work in libraries can be held accountable.

Logo for the Lighting the Way project

Lighting the Way Forum presentations to be livestreamed on February 10, 2020

January 31, 2020
by Mark A. Matienzo
Born digital
Digital library
Emerging tech
Events
News

Lighting the Way: A National Forum on Archival Discovery and Delivery kicks off with a series of livestreamed presentations on archival discovery and delivery on February 10, 2020 from 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM Pacific Standard Time (GMT-8).

We encourage you to register for the livestream in advance so you can join in for what we hope will be an engaging set of presentations on four key themes:

  • The Evolving Systems Ecosystem: What software and other systems do we use to make archival discovery and delivery possible, and how is that changing within institutional contexts?
  • Networks and the Big Picture: What issues are impacting archives and libraries at the level of the sector, consortia, or beyond, related to discovery and delivery?
  • Ethical, Legal, and Cultural Concerns: How have factors like privacy, cultural protocols, copyright, and others impacted our ability to address archival discovery and delivery, on a technical, operational, or strategic level? 
  • Impacts on Public Services and Outreach: How does archival discovery and delivery fit within the front-line work of library and archives workers focused on reference, outreach, public service, and community needs?

For more information on the event, see agenda and detailed list of presentations. Follow the event on Twitter using the hashtag #LTWForum.

Logo for the Lighting the Way project

Lighting the Way project update, January 2020

January 22, 2020
by Mark A. Matienzo
Born digital
Digital library
Emerging tech
Events
News

The last few months have been busy for the Lighting the Way project, but we realize that not all of that activity has been visible. As you may know, we will also be hosting Lighting the Way: A National Forum on Archival Discovery and Delivery in just three weeks at Stanford University, from February 10-12, 2020. Accordingly, we realized that now is an appropriate time as any to provide you with some updates with what our project team and participant advisors have been working on since September 2019.

Stanford University Libraries receives Andrew W. Mellon Foundation funding for ePADD phase three development

January 17, 2020
by Sally DeBauche
Born digital
Emerging tech
Open source

We are excited to announce that the ePADD project has been awarded a grant by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to support the planning and future development of the ePADD software!

ePADD is free and open-source computational analysis software developed by Stanford University Libraries Special Collections & University Archives and partners that facilitates screening, browsing, and access for historically and culturally significant email collections.

Logo for the Lighting the Way project

Lighting the Way Forum call for participation now open

November 13, 2019
by Mark A. Matienzo
Born digital
Digital library
Emerging tech
Events
News

Stanford University Libraries invites archives, library, and technology workers and those in related fields to self-nominate as participants for Lighting the Way: A National Forum on Archival Discovery and Delivery, funded by IMLS grant LG-35-19-0012-19. The forum event will take place over two and a half  at Stanford University in Stanford, California from February 10-12, 2020, with approximately 50 participants. Grant funds will allow us to fund partial to full travel costs, meals during the event, and lodging for most participants. 

To apply, please complete the application form. A PDF iconPDF version of the application form is available for your reference.

The initial call for participation will be open from November 13 to December 15, 2019. The application form requests information about you, your responsibilities, and your work related to focus of the project. Our project team will be reviewing the nominations on a rolling basis, and will respond no later than January 10, 2020. Information gathered in the application form will be used to select participants for the Forum, to inform Forum planning, and to identify opportunities for the project team to follow up with you. Your responses will not be shared beyond the project team and its participant advisors.

Pages

RSS
accessibilityaccessprivsarrow-circle-rightaskus-chataskus-librarianbarsblogsclosecoffeecomputercomputersulcontactsconversationcopierelectricaloutleteventsexternal-linkfacebook-circlegroupstudyhoursindividualinterlibrarynewsnextoffcampusopenlateoutdoorpeoplepolicypreviousprinterprojectsquietreservesscannersearchstudysupportingtabletourstwitter-circleworking