Library Technology, Code4Lib, AI, and more with Eric Lease Morgan

An interview about the history and future of library technology

Posted on January 15, 2025 in Podcasts

You may recall Eric Lease Morgan, a Digital Initiatives Librarian at the University of Notre Dame, from the job profile we ran of his position in December. In it, Eric alluded to several dimensions of his career—from working with AI before it was called AI to founding Code4Lib—that struck us as warranting a far longer interview. Graciously, Eric agreed to sit down with Choice’s Bill Mickey on an episode of The Authority File podcast and walk us through the development of the library technology field. He charts the progression of library technology applications, explaining how we’ve arrived at the current moment of machine learning and Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) language processing.

In addition, Eric shares how library leaders and managers can advocate for innovative library work, suggesting designated times for librarians to “play,” experiment, and learn new technology skills. Walking through the impressive list of library technology projects he’s led or been a part of over his career—Code4Lib and Distant Reader among them—Eric highlights how the library profession must adjust its services to better reflect today’s technologically advanced patrons and environment.

We can’t recommend this episode highly enough! Listen in:

🎧 Like what you hear? Check out The Authority File podcast.

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About the guest:

Eric Lease Morgan
Digital Initiatives Librarian, Navari Family Center for Digital Scholarship
Hesburgh Libraries, University of  Notre Dame

Eric Lease Morgan is a Digital Initiatives Librarian in the Navari Family Center for Digital Scholarship, Hesburgh Libraries, University of  Notre Dame. His primary responsibilities are three-fold: 1) to facilitate workshops on text mining and natural language processing, 2) to collaborate with students and faculty on scholarly projects, and 3) to investigate ways computers can be used to improve library collections and services. He has been practicing librarianship for forty years, and he has been writing software longer than that. In in spare time, he binds books. He is lucky because his vocation is also his avocation.

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