CILIP Rewired Conference 2024 Reflection #4

Digital transformation was the topic of discussion at CILIP Libraries Rewired 2024. Inevitably there was a big focus on application of AI but also consideration of issues such as the digital divide and using tech to streamline processes. This took place at CodeNode, London on 1 November 2024.

The next couple of posts share a collection of reflections and learning from colleagues who attended: 

I have been fortunate enough to attend both editions of this conference, and the main point of comparison that I have found interesting is the manner in which AI technology has been discussed at both events. Last year was very much a discussion on how AI is going to change the library landscape, whereas this year we started seeing some implementations that some library services have created.

Of these my favourite was the Royal Library of Belgium’s Hannes Lowagie presenting on his use of the Microsoft Power Suite to automate cataloguing metadata. He has trained Microsoft’s AI tools to recognise from the title page all the basic metadata regardless of the design and presentation of the 100+ texts they digitise a day. I’m sure this makes many a cataloguer shudder with fear but it was a very interesting application of modern technology regardless.

There was also an excellent presentation on AI use cases in different parts of the library sector. I appreciated that the three speakers in this panel all presented different levels of enthusiasm and up-take on AI tools, with a healthy mixture of desire for innovation plus a concern over accuracy and necessity. Samuel Roberts representing health libraries made the salient point that “80% accurate” isn’t good enough in a clinical setting.

I would have perhaps liked to see more acknowledgement on the environmental impacts of AI even if this is a library-specific conference. Just as importantly, the lunch provided was excellent!