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SIG-Infolearn Events

AI Communication Facilitation between Stakeholders

July 15, 2021

by Martha Anderson Can AI facilitate communication between the organization’s internal and external stakeholders while managing change? Organizational restructuring is not necessarily new to libraries. However, creating a cohesive team and a unified message while managing change can be difficult. If we consider the additional challenges of the pandemic in our workplaces along with restructuring…

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Robots are headed out of Makerspaces and into the stacks

July 15, 2021

by Dorothy Ogdon   Robots are automated machines usually intended to replace or lessen human effort in tasks. Cobots are automated machines designed to work collaboratively alongside humans. Twenty-one years past the start of the 21st century, robots and cobots of all kinds are present in libraries, as a popular feature of STEAM, STEM, and Makerspace activities. In addition to their popularity as part of literacy and…

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OK Google! write this blog post for me

July 15, 2021

by Peter Hyun How should I start this blog post? Maybe I don’t need to start it at all… “Artificial intelligence today is more complex than ever before, and there’s a growing number of companies and research groups working on ways to make it more intelligent. One such company is called the Brain in a…

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Automating born-digital archival description

July 15, 2021

by Shelly Black Many digital humanities and grant-funded projects have involved the application of machine learning techniques to analyze and reveal new insights from the historical record. These efforts often involve many collaborators and large collections. Can special collections and archives use these same tools to improve description, and consequently access, on a smaller scale…

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AI for All Children – For a More Hopeful Future

July 15, 2021

by Julie Marie Frye Nearly five years ago, I observed Jamie McQueen, introducing Whitby School 7th grade learners to Boston Analytics’ Atlas during his Language & Literature course. Learners were captivated with Atlas’s technology and began reimagining a future where artificial intelligence (AI) ran the world. Jamie’s See, Think, Wonder on Atlas impelled learners back to the common reader for the course,…

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Alexa, Please Understand Me

July 14, 2021

by Win Shih For non-native speakers, people with regional lilts, dialects, drawls, or people with speech impairments or mobility issues, it can be frustrating sometimes when voice assistant seems not getting their utterance. “Sorry, I can’t help with that,” “Sorry, I’m having trouble understanding right now,” or “Sorry, I didn’t get that.” It is not uncommon…

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Integrating AI Technology in School Librarian Preparation Program

July 14, 2021

by Gigi Mohamad According to AASL, school librarians are instructional leaders, technology integrationists, Collaborators, and program administrators. Budget cuts in many school libraries deprived librarians of any personnel assistance and restricted them from extending their reach outside of their library spaces. With the advances in AI technology, the possibility of making up for the loss…

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Close to the Machine

July 13, 2021

by Anchalee (Joy) Panigabutra-Roberts I thought about AI (artificial intelligence) and it took me back to a book I read many moons ago by Ellen Ullman, a woman computer programmer, with the title, Close to the Machine: Technophilia and its Discontents (San Francisco: City Lights Books, 1997). It is her memoir as a female computer…

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Skill Deserts: How Pressures and Unfamiliarity Kill AI Projects

July 13, 2021

by Cas Laskowski Great AI applications require deliberate application, thoughtful planning, and meaningful data. Unfortunately, many projects are subject to various pressures that work against best practices. The seemingly never-ending hype around AI, and more specifically machine learning (ML) creates serious institutional fear of falling behind and losing opportunities. Budget cuts exacerbate these pressures as…

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Machine Learning for Archival Image Classification

July 13, 2021

by Ismail Msuya I believe that the adoption of Artificial Intelligence in libraries and information environments would open the door to transformative opportunities for increasing library usage and enhancing the overall user experiences. A prime example of such opportunities includes the implementation of visual sensors that utilize AI technologies in a library setting so that…

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SIG-Infolearn Events

ISO 18461:2016 (vers 2), International museum statistics

August 20, 2026

The Standards committee voted Confirm on ISO 18461:2016 (vers 2), International museum statistics This International Standard specifies rules for the museum community on the collection and reporting of statistics. It provides definitions and counting procedures for all types of resources and services that museums offer to their users. It is recognized that not all measures specified…

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Invitation to ASIS&T SIG-HLTH Workshop “Beyond Prompting – Generative AI Workflows in Health Research and Practice”

August 14, 2026

Invitation to ASIS&T SIG-HLTH Workshop “Beyond Prompting – Generative AI Workflows in Health Research and Practice” Date: Wednesday, December 2, 3 pm-7 pm (EST) Proposal Submission Due: August 30, 2026 Location: Online  SIG-HLTH is seeking proposals for the ASIS&T SIG-HLTH Workshop, Beyond Prompting – Generative AI Workflows in Health Research and Practice. We invite proposals…

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President’s Message, August 2026

August 11, 2026

Hello InfoFolk! In the part of the northern hemisphere where I live, most of us are gearing up for a new academic year. We’re gathering our notebooks and pencils (at least metaphorically), freshening up the reading lists for our courses and experiencing the familiar blend of end-of-summer melancholy and back-to-school excitement. No matter what part…

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From Your Executive Director, August 2026

August 11, 2026

ASIS&T Executive Director, Lydia Middleton has recorded a video sharing updates about the organization. Check it out! Back to Inside ASIS&T, August 2026

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Governance Update, August 2026

August 11, 2026

The Board of Directors met on July 29, 2026 via Zoom. In attendance were Maria Bonn (President); Marlene Holmner (President-Elect) Ian Ruthven (Immediate Past-President) (zoom); Chris Cunningham, PhD, (Treasurer); Lu An, Anne Barker (SLA Appointee), Timothy Dickey, Bhakti Gala; Isto Huvila; Heather Kotula (SLA Appointee); Luanne Sinnamon; and Lydia Middleton, MBA, CAE (Executive Director). Information…

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Welcome to the Newest Board of Directors Members

August 11, 2026

ASIS&T wishes to congratulate and welcome the new members of the Board of Directors. Their terms will begin at the Annual Meeting in November. Click their photos to read more about them. President-Elect Isto Huvila Directors-at-Large Anne Barker Shannon Oltmann Kip Wolf Back to Inside ASIS&T, August 2026

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NEW: Module Series for Early Career Researchers

August 11, 2026

The ASIS&T Research Engagement Committee (REC) has developed a multi-part module series titled “Sharpening your Research Skills (SRS) Modules Series: Translating Research for Practice”. This series provides actionable research knowledge, particularly aimed at practitioners, students, early career professionals, and those from developing countries. It aims to address a range of research training needs – from…

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Knox to Present 3rd Annual ASIS&T President’s Lecture

August 11, 2026

ASIS&T is delighted to announce the 3rd Annual ASIS&T President’s Lecture. The Lecture will be freely open to the public and delivered via Zoom to ensure that all who wish to may attend. The ASIS&T President’s Lecture will take place September 15 at 9:00 am Eastern Time (find your time here) and be presented by Emily…

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ISS/SLC26 Highlights

August 11, 2026

CHECK OUT THE PHOTO GALLERY The inaugural ASIS&T Information Science Summit and Special Libraries Conference (ISS/SLC26) brought together information professionals, researchers, educators, and practitioners for an inspiring week of learning, collaboration, and community building. Based on results from the post-event attendee survey, the meeting delivered a highly positive experience, with participants praising the valuable educational…

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ISS/SLC27 Save the Date

August 11, 2026

Save the date for the ASIS&T 2027 Information Science Summit & Special Libraries Conference (ISS/SLC27), taking place May 22-25, 2027, at The Curtis Hotel in Denver, Colorado. Expect engaging sessions, fresh perspectives, opportunities to reconnect with familiar faces and meet new ones, and plenty of that special ASIS&T energy that makes our events memorable. And…

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