As generative AI tools move into library makerspaces, they do more than draft metadata or translate text—they reflect the power structures embedded in the spaces where they are deployed. Without intentional design, we risk automating the very inequities libraries seek to dismantle.
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We must remember that those who profit the most from our growing reliance of GenAI are the tech companies themselves. Meanwhile, the people who are the most excited about AI are the ones who understand it the least. While machine learning can be useful, I argue that GenAI comes at an unacceptable cost. Taking in to consideration GenAI’s role in the spread of disinformation, the complex damages caused to people and the planet along with the proven negative effect to cognitive skills among users, this text advocates for critical perspectives, and ideally, critical refusal of GenAI.
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One might expect students of Information Studies to take workshops on Python or metadata. But in an educational adventure I designed and teach, they are busy mastering a different kind of “code”: the interlocking bubbles of charming balloon animals.
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How should people and AI work together in ways that are useful, ethical, and trustworthy? Edited by Dan Wu and Shaobo Liang (Wuhan University), “Human–AI Interaction and Collaboration” maps the fast-moving terrain where users, systems, and information meet—treating human strengths and machine strengths as complements, not substitutes. The introduction frames collaboration as a user-centered endeavor that must balance capability with ethics, transparency, and trust.
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When you step into your local public library on a typical afternoon, you might see children and their families gathered for story time, a retiree reading in a corner, or a student hunched over a laptop. But, just as often, librarians encounter a very different scene: a patron in crisis. Public libraries have increasingly become places where people facing houselessness, mental health crises, or other personal struggles turn for help.
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As a mixed Ojibwe woman from Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory, I carry both pride and a sense of responsibility in how I represent my identity through academic and artistic spaces. I recently graduated from the Master of Information in Library Science Program at the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Information. My goal is to become a full-time librarian who integrates Indigenous knowledge into library and information systems. I am excited to share my painting with the Information Matters community as one way to contribute an Indigenous perspective in our shared field. This acrylic self-portrait, funded by an Ontario Arts Council bursary, reflects the concept of the “Red Thread of Information” (Bates,1999) and visually embeds my Anishnaabe worldview. The piece invites viewers to reflect on how identity and information phenomenon can be fused together into creative expressions.
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Michael Buckland, a pivotal figure in information science, has profoundly shaped the field through his scholarship and leadership. In this episode of InfoFire, Buckland engaged with me on foundational concepts, practical applications, and historical perspectives, offering provocative critiques that challenge conventional thinking. He declared “information” a problematic term— “It is a bad word; it is to be abolished”—arguing that its overloaded meanings obscure clarity. Similarly, he labeled bibliometrics a “pseudoscience,” questioning its methodological rigor. These rhetorical provocations underscore his effort to reframe information science around precise, document-centric frameworks.
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What role do podcasts play in spreading information about climate change? For a research project on environmental communication, I explored how these issues are discussed in podcasts. I found that serious channels with the ambition to inform about climate change issues share the space with channels with a dubious agenda and a loose relationship to facts.
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In today’s rapidly evolving field of information science (IS), continuous learning is no longer optional, it’s essential. But keeping up with the latest trends and developments can feel overwhelming if you go it alone. That’s where the power of supportive networks comes in. By cultivating a network of mentors, colleagues, and fellow lifelong learners, you can create a dynamic learning environment that fuels your professional growth.
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It’s tricky for people to agree on what counts as quality information. We see this every day with echo chambers on social media, where everyone has their own idea of what’s true or important. This suggests that information quality is a product of our own, individual minds—one that is best captured in “like,” “love,” “haha,” and “wow” buttons on social media. But our research suggests there’s a way to get people on the same page about information quality, and it involves making some changes to how we assess and share information online.
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