The IFLA Digital Humanities/Digital Scholarship Special Interest Group (DHDS SIG) in partnership with the Artificial Intelligence (AI) SIG, the Information Technology (IT) and Knowledge Management (KM) Sections, invite you to submit proposals for the Open Webinar “Navigating the Risks of Global Inclusiveness: ML/AI Applications in Librarianship and DH/DS Practices”.

Machine Learning (ML), Deep Learning and Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications are revolutionizing librarianship, offering opportunities for personalized user services and streamlined workflows. However, as libraries embrace these technologies, it’s essential to consider the risks associated with global inclusiveness. ML and AI developments, including natural language processing and semantic analysis, hold promise for advancing DH/DS practices and fostering social progress. Yet, there’s a need to ensure that these technologies promote inclusivity and minimize bias for all linguistic identities and social groups.

This webinar seeks speakers to explore the role of libraries in enhancing social and cultural inclusion through ML/AI adoption. Topics include personalized discovery interfaces, automated metadata creation, NLP and semantic analysis, support for DH/DS, and promotion of language diversity  through projects aided or facilitated by AI.

Join us to delve into practical strategies for leveraging ML/AI to foster diversity, equity, and accessibility in libraries and society.

Possible Topics:

  • Personalized Discovery Interfaces: ML algorithms enhance user experience by tailoring search results based on behaviour and preferences in national languages.
  • NLP and Semantic Analysis: Techniques extract meaningful insights from textual data, improving search capabilities and user understanding in national languages.
  • Support for DH/DS: ML/AI tools aid researchers in analysing large datasets, contributing to DH/DS advancements.
  • Promotion of Language Diversity: ML/AI models trained on various languages ensure linguistic inclusivity, making resources accessible to diverse language speakers.

The webinar will offer a platform for experts and practitioners to discuss the transformative potential of ML/AI in libraries. Together, we’ll explore how libraries can embrace innovative technologies to better serve communities and promote inclusivity in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.

Proposals must include:

  • Name, title, institution, country, and email of speaker(s)
  • Brief biographical statement about each speaker (max 100 words)
  • Title of proposed talk
  • Abstract of presentation (max 300 words)

Proposals should be submitted to:

Sabrina Celi (sabrina.celi@unisi.it)
Convenor, Digital Humanities/Digital Scholarship (DHDS) SIG

All proposals and presentation slides will be required to be in English.

Important dates:

  • 24 June 2024– Deadline for submission of proposal abstract
  • 9 July 2024 – Notification of acceptance
  • 6 August 2024 – Deadline for submission of final presentation
  • 18 September 2024 – Midterm Online Event