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Beyond the Algorithm: Educational Labour and AI

Published on 2026-10-30
The November installment of OCUL’s Beyond the Algorithm Reading Club explores educational labour and AI. Read the month’s curated article, watch a conversation with expert Dr. Michael Mindzak, and sign up for the community discussion and join library colleagues to reflect on how AI may reshape the labour of education while leaving many fundamentally human dimensions of educational work intact.

Learning Together: Campus Libraries and Indigenous Communities

Published on 2026-10-29

As part of the Learning Together: Reflections on the Academy and Reconciliation speaker series, this upcoming event on November 18 will highlight the role libraries can play as places of connection, cultural recognition, knowledge sharing, and reconciliation on campus.

Speakers will share examples of university initiatives that have fostered meaningful relationships with Indigenous communities through library spaces, partnership, and shared learning. Following their presentations, the speakers will take part in a panel discussion and open Q&A with event attendees.

Blog: AI-Generated Alt Text

Published on 2026-10-27
The latest post in our AI Tools for Academic Libraries blog series highlights how AI tools can support the generation of alt text for digitized material and where these tools can fit into a centralized workflow. Using OCUL's Accessible Content ePortal Remediation project as its starting point, the article provides an overview of three popular AI models for the varying quality of their AI-generated alt text.

Advancing Responsible AI in Libraries Through Collaboration, Learning, and Innovation

Published on 2026-10-22
This update from the OCUL AI and Machine Learning Initiative highlights Phase 1 testing completed in the Enhancing Virtual Reference project, the extension of the popular AI Tools for Academic Libraries blog series, and how the initiative is helping elevate the profile of libraries as key partners in supporting responsible AI-enabled teaching and research.

Values-Aligned AI in Academic Libraries – Findings from the OCUL Focus Group Report

Published on 2026-10-07
Following up on a 2025 survey, OCUL has released an in-depth focus group report that offers one of the most comprehensive snapshots of academic library worker perspectives on AI currently available. Read the report for a look into the ethical considerations, risks, and opportunities that library workers feel AI and machine learning tools offer – in their day-to-day work and for students and researchers.

Blog: Open-Weight AI Models for Local and Private Use

Published on 2026-08-25
The latest post in our AI Tools for Academic Libraries blog series highlights some of the open-weight AI models that can be alternatives to the familiar commercial frontier tools like ChatGPT or Claude that often raise concerns about privacy, transparency, and equity. For libraries, open-weight models provide greater control over data and AI environments for better alignment with professional commitments to intellectual freedom and access to information.
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