Edition Guide
Coalition for Networked Information
Pre-Recorded Project Briefing Series
Spring 2025
The spring 2025 pre-recorded project briefing collection includes several examples of potential applications of emerging technologies, professional learning programs, and infrastructure projects to support equitable access to information. From artificial intelligence (AI) to digital preservation, the videos showcase innovation throughout the community.
Several sessions explore AI implementation across library services and infrastructure. They illustrate both the potential promise and challenges of AI, emphasizing critical evaluation, iterative refinement, and human oversight:
- Using the example of a retrieval augmented generation (RAG) pipeline developed at the University of Victoria Libraries, Unlocking Web Archives Using RAG investigates the potential and challenges of integrating large language models with RAG to transform access to web archives, with a focus on infrastructure, data quality, and ethical AI integration.
- In Bringing AI into Focus with Viewfinder, presenters from Montana State University introduce a toolkit from the Responsible AI in Libraries and Archives project that guides ethical AI adoption in libraries and helps practitioners assess AI implementations through a values-driven framework.
- The Accuracy-Bias Trade-Offs in AI Text Detection Tools discusses a study to evaluate the use of AI detection technologies for scholarly publishing. The results highlight the limitations and possible pitfalls of using these tools.
Other presentations highlight efforts to expand capacity and better support learners through innovative instructional strategies and professional development initiatives:
- The University of California San Diego Library launched a self-directed learning model to foster research skills and evolve health science library instruction. Developing Scalable Library Research Training explains the model’s development and how it is a foundation for broader AI-assisted research support.
- LEADING / DATALIS Project Update: Future Directions in Professional Education and the Innovation Funnel Methodology shares outcomes of the DATALIS program, part of the Institute of Museum and Library Services-funded LEADING (LIS Education and Data Science Integrated Network Group) project. The initiative reimagined professional education pathways in data science and librarianship, and recently employed the Innovation Funnel methodology to envision potential future pathways for professional education. Full disclosure: CNI staff served on the LEADING advisory board, and the program was featured at several CNI membership meetings.
The Canadian Scholaris initiative used collaborative approaches to build a shared national repository platform. Reflections on Building Community Infrastructure for a Shared Repository Service overviews the technical background and development of community-driven infrastructure for a shared repository service.
Ethical Data Curation in Libraries and Archives showcases the Enhancing Access and Research Possibilities through Critical Engagement with Historical Data initiative, based on the Dana A. Dorsey Collection—a collection of papers from Miami’s first Black millionaire—at Florida International University. The project models care-based, equity-centered data practices and demonstrates responsible approaches to data.
We thank the presenters for sharing their work with our community; please contact them directly with questions or comments about their projects. We invite you to explore more videos from CNI, including those from our recent Spring 2025 Membership Meeting, available at cni.org, and on our YouTube and Vimeo channels.