The Authority File Round-Up: July 2022

A quick overview of last month's episodes, in case you missed them

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The field of Indigenous Studies began to shift in the early 2000s. An increase of Indigenous scholars, research, and curricula contributed to the expansion of the field and the development of Indigenous Literary Studies. However, the discipline still faces challenges. Transformation must extend beyond the academy to the publishing and librarianship sectors. How can Indigenous Literary Studies continue to evolve? In what ways can we support Indigenous scholarship? 

Last month’s guest shared her contributions to developing Indigenous Studies, including building an Indigenous archive, honoring Indigenous authors, and creating support networks for Indigenous editors. Looking at the impact of new generations of Indigenous scholars, our guest assessed how far the discipline has come in the past decade—and how far it still needs to go. The series also looked at how autobiography fits into Indigenous Literary Studies, highlighting the role of life stories as an important intellectual inheritance in Indigenous communities.

Here’s a quick round-up of the episodes, in case you missed them. We hope you find the conversations thought-provoking, informative, and enthralling. Thanks for listening!


Cultivating Indigenous Studies

Autobiography as Indigenous Intellectual Tradition book cover

Deanna Reder, Associate Professor of Indigenous Studies and English at Simon Fraser University and author of Autobiography as Indigenous Intellectual Tradition: Cree and Métis âcimisowina, joins the program to discuss the growth of Indigenous Studies. Deanna describes her work in cultivating Indigenous Literary Studies in Canadian scholarship, along with the importance of supporting Indigenous editors in publishing, the success of the Indigenous Voices Awards, and the impact of the latest generation of Indigenous authors. Brought to you by Wilfrid Laurier University Press

Episode one: Background and Program Creation

  • Deanna provides background on her work in Indigenous Studies and role as Series Editor for the Indigenous Series at Wilfrid Laurier University Press. How has Deanna developed the Indigenous Studies curriculum at Simon Fraser University? How does she define Indigenous Literary Studies? Listen to episode one here.

Episode two: Autobiography as Indigenous Intellectual Tradition

  • How did Deanna’s background influence her recent publication? How does Indigenous autobiography fit into Indigenous Literary Studies? What is the significance of younger Indigenous generations learning their ancestral languages? Listen to episode two here.

Episode three: Supporting and Growing the Field

  • Deanna discusses initiatives in Indigenous Studies that she’s introduced and supported. How has Deanna’s work widened the discipline’s scope and extended to the publishing sector? Listen to episode three here.

Episode four: Evolution and Next Steps

  • How has the field of Indigenous Studies grown? What influence does the current generation have on the discipline’s future? What work is yet to be done? Listen to episode four here.

Missed June’s episodes? We’ve got you covered.

Our first series brought together two academic librarians, a university press worker, and a vendor to reflect on how the rise in digital has impacted the greater academic librarianship ecosystem. They discussed COVID-19’s influence on institutional and acquisition policies, academic market trends, and the library’s evolution into a service, rather than a physical space. You can listen to the first episode here.

In our second series, our guests highlighted the development process, implementation, and measures of success for three academic library innovations. The series offered guidance for librarians seeking to create their own innovations, and discussed the relationships and opportunities that arose from each project. You can listen to the series here.


Artificial Intelligence in Medicine book cover

What’s Coming Up in August

We have two fantastic series this month. First, Dr. Niklas Lidströmer, co-editor of Artificial Intelligence in Medicinedigs into how AI can impact medicine and librarianship. The series tracks how Artificial Intelligence in Medicine (AIM) affects clinical practices, along with the ethics of using AI in the medical field. Click here to listen to the first episode.

Our second series features Felicity Plester, Editorial Director for Humanities, and Tamsine O’Riordan, Editorial Director for Social Science, both at Palgrave Macmillan, who discuss how the publisher supports social justice through publication practices and company initiatives. They also chat about DEI policies, the peer review process, and Palgrave Macmillan’s merger with Springer Nature. You can listen to the first episode here.


You can find more episodes of the Authority File here on our websiteApple PodcastsSpotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Thanks for listening! See you next month.


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