At a time when global research output is booming, access remains a privilege for the few. This article explores the irony of knowledge locked behind paywalls and argues for a publishing model where research truly reaches the people who need it most. If they published it, why can’t you read it?
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Fixing things in Canada has never been more difficult. Smartphones, laptops, refrigerators, washing machines, smart speakers, virtual assistants, cars, bicycles, wheelchairs, pacemakers, ventilators, tractors, tanks, fighter jets, and almost every other device or piece of equipment in our homes and workplaces is more costly, more inconvenient, and more difficult, if not impossible, to repair. Barriers to repair impact all industries, sectors, and regions. No one is spared from the Great Canadian Breakdown. As breakdown becomes more pervasive, the need for a comprehensive Canadian “right to repair” becomes more critical.
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Christina J. Steffy and Meg Massey wrote in the October 2024 issue of C&RL News about a challenge that has plagued Information Science education and professional librarians for many years. They specifically focus on one job position at the American Library Association (ALA) and pose reasonable questions to all of us. Can the specialized training of library schools (even if they are innovative and have joined the iSchool movement) prepare graduates for the jobs available in the ALA? Is it not possible to find a person who is more qualified to hold the desired job among the graduates of the adjacent fields, such as Computer Science and Management? Basically, should librarians run the ALA?
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During the current moment, as generative AI dominates our thinking, both for its extraordinary performance and serious flaws, a new direction is needed. The way forward may involve looking backward. The addressing the deficiencies of generative AI would benefit from reviewing, and incorporating, some of the lessons from expert system development during the late 20th century.
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Social media has not helped us build a strong and resilient tribe with diverse skills and resources. It is now simply geared to help us find others that “like” the same things as we do, which is not the connection points for tribes.
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In early June, Australia woke to the news that the nation’s public broadcaster (the Australian Broadcasting Corporation) was making its librarians and archivists redundant.
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Modern collaborative Wiki platforms can be used to support and facilitate the research process, and to provide a starting point for the efficient implementation of a knowledge management system in academic research settings.
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Within the last five years, disinformation and misinformation have become part of our common vernacular. These terms are often misunderstood, misused, or even used interchangeably. Clarifying definitions are critical in a world of increasingly high-stakes information sharing, and this is of particular importance for information professionals.
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The core idea of all my studies emerged from my experience with two dogs who have given me unconditional love and support during my busy life.
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The copyright laws … help balance the private needs of creators and public interests. The question is: Do they?
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