Libfocus Link-out for October, 2023

Welcome to the October edition of the Libfocus link-out, an assemblage of library-related things we have found informative, educational, thought-provoking and insightful on the Web over the past while.

Images featured in this month's libfocus link-out articles

What Is A Repository For?
A lot of librarians feed repositories and keep them working. But what should the function of a repository be? Here, Ian Scott from the Building the Commons blog is “re-imagining” Humanities Commons, a popular discipline repository. He introduces interesting concepts of the repository as a “broadcast tower”, a “filter” or a “workroom”.

Looking towards a brighter future. the potentiality of AI and digital transformations to library spaces
A new research report by University of Leeds Libraries examines the potential and the practicalities of using AI in library spaces.

New guidelines urge UK libraries not to avoid controversial books and ideas
In this Guardian books article Ella Creamer presents the CILIP report which responds to calls for librarians to remove books from library shelves. ‘In [a] polarised world, it is important our sector is clear in its opposition to censorship.'

10 Simple Tips On Presenting Complex Information
"Regardless of the topic, all presenters share the common goal of ensuring that they keep their audience stimulated." Author Maurice deCastro explains that "exceptional presenters aim for much more; they want their audience to feel connected to them and their message. They want their listeners to remember their key message and then act on it."

We read X's new privacy policy so you don't have to
This Mashable article by Caitlin Welsh and Stan Schroeder examines Twitter/X's new privacy policy and how it will affect the way your personal data is used. The platform will now collect users' employment and educational history and biometric data and has plans to use that data to train AI.

Congress could stop free public access to government-funded research
In this Statnews article by Mayank Chugh and Jessica Polka the authors look at how the US Congress may block the public from having immediate and free access to U.S. federal government research.

Podcast: America's Top Librarian on the Rise of Books Bans
ALA President Emily Drabinski speaks to Tressie McMillan Cottom on public libraries becoming a battleground for today's culture wars.

The Future of AI in Information Services
In an ever evolving A.I. landscape, how do Higher Education Information Services step up? Beth Burnet and Jon Phipps from the University of Essex Library Services take a dive into the world of AI and explore how HE libraries and information services can respond and support their users.

Testing the EU 2022 Code of Practice on Disinformation, a pilot empirical study
Online disinformation is a fast-changing phenomenon and in this study, X is flagged as the worst offender among big tech. 

Supporting student mental health through teaching practices
Liz Cheveney's study, presented in the In the Library with the lead pipe blog looks at the ways librarians introduce pedagogies of care into teaching as a method of being more aware and supportive to mental health in the classroom.

Ask the Chefs: What is the Single Most Pressing Issue for the Future of Peer Review?
Several chefs from The Scholarly Kitchen identified obstacles peer review is currently facing. In particular, they talk about the increasing difficulty in finding reviewers, the impact of AI and bias, as well as the lack of recognition and financial incentives for peer reviewers.

Scholarly Communication Librarianship and Open Knowledge
Scholarly Communication Librarianship and Open Knowledge is an open textbook and practitioner’s guide that collects theory, practice, and case studies from nearly 80 experts in scholarly communication and open education. Divided into three parts: (1) What is Scholarly Communication?, (2) Scholarly Communication and Open Culture, (3) Voices from the Field: Perspectives, Intersections, and Case Studies.