The Authority File Round-Up: June 2023

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

Posted on July 13, 2023 in Blog

Taking an in-depth look at scholarly communication, our first series uncovered new opportunities for librarians and developments in open access and artificial intelligence technology. Our guest highlighted the importance of aligning library goals with those of the institution, along with how librarians can aid researchers in making content accessible for those within and outside of academia. Our speaker further considered how strategies among vendors, educational technology companies, and publishers have evolved and the ways AI can revolutionize librarianship.

Our second series delved into publisher and librarian perspectives on the current open access landscape. Covering the benefits of OA like broader access and quick dissemination, our speakers noted the value of advocating for OA among stakeholders. Our guests also addressed funding challenges and the increased responsibility placed on librarians. They closed with hopes for the future of open publishing, including partnerships among librarians and publishers and support for humanities and social sciences researchers.

Here’s a quick round-up of the episodes, in case you missed them. We hope you find the conversations helpful, encouraging, and insightful. Thanks for listening!

---

How Librarians Are Helping to Build the Connected, Global Scholarly Community

Barbie Keiser, librarian and information resources management consultant, joined the program to discuss current and future opportunities in scholarly communication. Focusing on the library’s role in ScholComm, Barbie emphasized the adaptability of librarians and their ability to create targeted messaging and stay up to date on methods for research assessment. In addition, Barbie advocated for a simplified open publishing landscape and disclosed several AI tools that can help enhance LibGuides and daily library tasks. Brought to you by Gale Business: Insights.

Listen to episode one: The Evolution of ScholComm
Listen to episode two: Looking at the Market
Listen to episode three: New Opportunities and Challenges
Listen to episode four: Future Developments in AI and OA

---

Open Access Resources Trends in Academic Libraries

Next up, Emily Farrell, Global Commercial Director for Open Research at Taylor & Francis, and Jennifer Townes, Open Access Librarian at Emory University, detailed the benefits and challenges of adopting open access. Emily and Jenny shared how they support OA in their current roles and the importance of acting as a facilitator, rather than a gatekeeper, for open publishing. Emily and Jenny also dove into how OA is affecting open research, the ways OA boosts humanities and social sciences publications, and their wish list items for future open access publishing. Brought to you by OverDrive Academic.

Listen to episode one: Core Benefits and Current Roadblocks to OA
Listen to episode two: The Evolving Role of Librarians
Listen to episode three: Addressing OA Funding and Sustainability
Listen to episode four: Current OA Milestones and Wish List Items

---

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

Student success was the through line in our first series, which brought together two librarians, a professor, and a publisher to share how they best support students. Our guests described the impact of the pandemic and the need to update approaches to student success that help meet students where they are. The speakers also highlighted ways to maintain partnerships with stakeholders on campus and stressed the importance of increasing resource accessibility and discoverability. You can listen to the series here.

In our second series, Nicole Gallo, Executive Vice President of Rittenhouse Book Distributors, underscored the unique insights a book distributor holds as a mediator between publishers and libraries. In particular, Nicole spotlighted Rittenhouse’s recent DEI special collection, along with the ways libraries and publishers are supporting DEI policies. Nicole also acknowledged library budget restraints, the role of data in Rittenhouse’s operations, and the distributor’s goal of making vetted content equally available by collaborating with a wide range of publishers. Listen to the first episode here.

---

What’s Coming Up in July

We have two fascinating series this month. First up, Dr. Naila Keleta-Mae, a multidisciplinary artist and Associate Professor in the Department of Communication Arts at the University of Waterloo, provides background on her research in Black theater and her latest title, Performing Female Blackness. Naila explains the reasoning behind her expansive definition of “performance,” encapsulating the ways Black women are expected to perform both publicly and privately. Naila further considers the effects of social media on performance, the benefits of including multiple mediums in her work, and details her Black & Free research project. Listen to the first episode here.

Our second series centers on The History and Archaeology of the Iroquois du Nord. Ronald Williamson, co-editor of the title and Founder and Senior Associate of Archaeological Services Inc., presents an overview of his archeological research and the inspiration behind the book. Ronald shares the mystery behind Haudenosaunee settlements along the north shore of Lake Ontario, providing historical context to the areas. In addition, Ronald notes how the book aims to advance archeological understanding of these Haudenosaunee settlements and what research is yet to be done. You can listen to the first episode here.

---

You can find more episodes of the Authority File here on our website, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Thanks for listening! See you next month.

---

Subscribe to our monthly newsletter, Choice Podcast Updates!

Get each month’s round-up sent directly to your inbox. Sign me up!

---

Related Posts