It’s back! What you can expect from the refreshed OCUL Newsletter
At least twice a year, the Ontario Council of University Libraries (OCUL) will publish an email newsletter to share updates on consortium activities and events. We’ll celebrate member news and highlight what’s happening with OCUL committees, communities, working groups/task forces and the Council.
AI and Machine Learning at OCUL
With artificial intelligence and machine learning (AIML) transforming the way academic libraries work, OCUL has started to explore avenues for services, professional development and projects that incorporate AIML technologies.
Starting with the Task Force on Machine Learning/AI, this group is responsible for setting the stage for OCUL to make strategic decisions on AIML use. Their interim report released in early March proposed more than a dozen use cases and projects, and the recent AI Summit offered a space to discuss and examine the report. Next steps are to take this feedback and further consultations to build the Task Force’s final report with recommendations to shape plans for OCUL initiatives and services that involve AIML. The final report is expected this summer.
The new national Community of Practice for AIML in academic libraries (AIMLComm) gained 400 members in its first months since it launched in January. AIMLComm is an online space with more than a dozen discussion groups on a variety of AIML topics. Membership is open to university library workforces and team members from library-adjacent organizations across Canada. Fill out the AIMLComm registration form to join.
Finally, OCUL held its first AIML hackfest in February. The event, held at McMaster University Library, had 30+ participants testing the OpenAI transcription tool, Whisper, for various library uses. Stay tuned for future hackfests that will explore different applications of machine learning tools.
OCUL Communities Update
Two OCUL Communities welcome new moderators this year.
Mark Pellegrino (McMaster) is serving as the moderator for the Digital Curation Community and Alex Wong (York) and Kaelan Caspary (Ontario Tech) are co-moderating the Data Community. Moderators serve for two-year terms.
A big thank you to Bridget Whittle (McMaster) for leading the Digital Curation Community and to Jane Fry (Carleton) and Kevin Manuel (Toronto Metropolitan) for leading the Data Community over recent years.
Interested in joining an OCUL Community? Check out the list of Communities and contact the moderator of the group you want to join.
Congratulations to the OCUL Award Recipients
Two Collaborative Futures project teams have been recognized for their achievements that helped enable the successful implementation of the Omni academic search tool and shared network in partner libraries across Ontario.
This year marked the return of the OCUL Award, after being on hiatus since 2017. Nominations were open to consortial contributions from between 2019 and 2023.
Read more about the OCUL Award recipients
OCUL Welcomes two Visiting Researchers for 2024
Collaboration and knowledge-sharing are essential to advancing innovative library services. Our Visiting Researcher program offers support to OCUL members as they pursue a research project while on sabbatical from their home institution.
We are excited to have Joanne Rumig (Carleton) and Geoff Sinclair (Trent) as this year’s Visiting Researchers.
Read more about Joanne and Geoff's research projects
Upcoming Events
Scholars Portal Days – May 1 and 2, 2024
This year for Scholars Portal Days we’re coming together to leverage our knowledge, insights, and skills as information professionals to invest in our collective, collaborative intelligence as we look to the future of AI and machine learning in libraries. REGISTER for Scholars Portal Days
Collaborative Futures Mini Conference – June 5, 2024
The Collaborative Futures Mini Conference is an opportunity to share knowledge and experiences working with Ex Libris products (e.g. Primo VE, Leganto, Alma, Rapid ILL) or other collaborative library technologies, and to learn from your colleagues. Attendance is open to anyone from Ontario academic libraries. REGISTER for the Collaborative Futures Mini Conference
Get Involved with OCUL
To join an OCUL committee, subcommittee or working group, OCUL members can self-nominate or be nominated by a colleague. Nominations are submitted via online form (alternate nomination methods available).
Two groups are seeking new members:
OCUL Truth and Reconciliation Standing Committee
- Positions open: 2 member roles
- Deadline for nominations: Open until roles are fulfilled
The Truth and Reconciliation Standing Committee serves to identify potential strategies and initiatives that will support collective and individual OCUL member responses to the Truth & Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action and Universities Canada’s 13 Principles on Indigenous Education.
GeoPortal Redevelopment Project Working Group
- Positions open: 6 member roles
- Deadline for nominations: April 5, 2024
The GeoPortal Redevelopment Project Working Group will begin its work in April/May. The working group is tasked with creating a work plan for the GeoPortal Redevelopment Project Phase 2 and proposing scopes of work and coordinating with the sub-groups/focus groups that will carry out project tasks and components (terms of reference - PDF).
OCUL members can self-nominate or be nominated by a colleague. All OCUL committees, subcommittees and working groups use an online nomination form (alternate nomination methods available).
SUBMIT a nomination
Your Feedback
- Have a story you think would be a fit for the OCUL Newsletter? Email us to share your idea.
- We are committed to providing equitable access to OCUL online publications. To provide feedback on the accessibility of our newsletter or to request an alternative format, please contact ocul@ocul.on.ca.
- Next newsletter issue: August 2024