Copyright Officer and Associate Librarian Stephen Spong joins the Ontario Council of University Libraries (OCUL) this year as a visiting researcher, with a project that explores how generative AI challenges traditional understandings of creativity, originality, and authorship.

As AI and machine learning tools continue to evolve, the Ontario Council of University Libraries (OCUL) is seeking deeper input to better understand how these technologies are influencing librarianship and library services.

OCUL is hosting a series of online focus groups between January and March 2026 and invites academic library workers to join the conversation. Insights gathered through these discussions will help inform consortial strategies that support innovation, ethical practices, and respond to changes in attitudes, usage, and professional development needs. 

As the end of another year approaches, we want to thank you for being part of the OCUL and Scholars Portal community.

Because of your support, in 2025 we celebrated some exciting developments and milestones:

Are you interested in the intersections of creation, copyright, intellectual property, and AI? Join the upcoming installment of the Beyond the Algorithm Reading Club and take part in community discussions on this complex topic.

In January, this Ontario Council of University Libraries (OCUL) reading club will explore copyright and generative AI through the article, "The AI-Copyright Trap," and a recorded conversation between its author Dr. Carys Craig (York University) and OCUL AI and Machine Learning Program Director, Catherine Steeves. 

The Ontario Council of University Libraries (OCUL) has formed a new AI Advisory Committee – an important step toward advancing the responsible use of AI across Ontario’s academic libraries.

Representing a range of university sizes and locations, this ad hoc committee will shape a longer-term plan for engagement with AI at the consortial level and assess the sustainability of OCUL’s current AI initiatives.

For academic librarians balancing teaching, service, and project work, managing tasks effectively is essential. AI-integrated productivity tools promise to help prioritize, organize, and even predict how long it might take to finish that ever-important task that's being avoided. But in practice, these tools are part experiment, part assistant, and part mirror.

As AI continues to transform the landscape of higher education, a new information exchange program hosted by the Ontario Council of University Libraries (OCUL) provides an opportunity for member libraries to showcase their AI-related skills and help build a province-wide professional development community.

The Beyond the Algorithm Reading Club invites you to explore the intersection of AI literacy, values, and affect in academic library contexts. 

The November installment of this Ontario Council of University Libraries (OCUL) reading club features interactive readings from the Domains of AI-Awareness for Education e-book, a recorded conversation with the e-book author Dani Dilkes, eLearning and Curriculum Specialist (Western University), and two opportunities for community discussion at upcoming online drop-ins. 

Supporting web development and digital research infrastructure are critical dimensions of work across academic libraries – and AI tools for coding are becoming vital to this work. But with so many different options and platforms to explore, it can be overwhelming to know where to start.