Call for proposals

The Library at Northwestern University in Qatar is pleased to announce the upcoming symposium, “Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Libraries and Librarianship,” scheduled to be held on February 26-27, 2025. This Symposium aims to explore the transformative impact of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technologies on libraries and the evolving role of librarians in this digital age with a focus on the Gulf region.

Symposium Overview

The Library at Northwestern Qatar, in collaboration with the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) Information Technology (IT) section, and the IFLA Artificial Intelligence Special Interest Group (SIG), is inviting librarians, researchers, and educators to participate in its upcoming Symposium at Northwestern Qatar.
The IFLA IT section promotes the sharing of knowledge and best practices in implementing IT solutions across various library environments. Each year, the IFLA IT section conducts symposiums in different locations to enhance global outreach. IFLA AI-SIG focuses specifically on integrating AI technologies in the library and information science (LIS) field. The collaboration between the NU-Q Library, IFLA IT section, and IFLA AI SIG will empower and advance Library and AI research in the Gulf region.

AI impacts all aspects of our daily lives with transformative technologies like generative AI. The world around us is evolving at an unprecedented pace, increasing access to knowledge and creating new informational and ethical challenges. These shifts are broadly reshaping the landscape of libraries and the information professions. In the middle of these challenges, libraries worldwide have an incredible opportunity to reimagine how libraries and librarianship can benefit from the Fifth Industrial Revolution and serve communities by enhancing information access, empowering engagement with these tools, and acting as advocates for information literacy in a world faced with the challenges of AI-powered misinformation.

By collaborating with the IFLA IT section and AI SIG, this Symposium will examine different uses of AI in libraries focusing on the Gulf region, libraries’ best practices in using generative AI and other AI models, and ethical guidelines for utilizing AI in libraries and information studies.
 
Topics of Interest
We invite proposals for paper presentations, panels, workshops, and poster sessions on topics including, but not limited to
 
– AI and libraries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region
– Natural language processing (NLP) and Arabic chatbots
– Challenges of using AI applications in libraries in Qatar and Gulf countries
– Bias (gender, ethnicity, religion, culture, region, etc.) in large language models (LLM)
– Implementation of AI and ML in library systems and services
– Challenges facing librarianship education with the rise of AI and ML
– Training and skills development for librarians in the age of AI
– Case studies of AI and ML applications in libraries
– AI literacy programs in the MENA region
– Responsible and ethical considerations in the use of AI and ML in libraries
– Machine learning (ML) algorithms for cataloging and classification
– Predictive analytics and library management
– AI and ML in digital preservation and archiving
 
Submission Guidelines
Submissions are open to librarians, researchers, and educators in the Library and Information studies field.
 
Proposals should include the following
– Title of the paper presentation/panel/workshop/poster
– Abstract (300-500 words)
– Author(s) and affiliation(s)
– Contact information for the corresponding author
– Type of presentation (e.g., oral presentation, panel discussion, workshop, poster)
– Any special requirements for the presentation (e.g., AV equipment, internet access)
 
The event will be live-streamed, but at least one speaker for each presentation is expected to attend in person.
Presentations will be in English.
 
Submission
Please submit your proposals via email to both:
Iman Khamis
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Andrew Cox
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OR you can submit via a google form @ https://forms.gle/zCG7tdwPyB5bMDc5A
 
Important Dates
– Deadline for submission of proposal abstract: November 5, 2024
– Notification of Acceptance: December 2, 2024
– Deadline for submission of presentation slides: February 21, 2025
– Symposium Dates: February 26-27, 2025

https://www.ifla.org/news/call-for-proposals-artificial-intelligence-and-the-future-of-libraries-and-librarianship/