PC proposal for WILSIG closing – Based on the self-study – WILSIG Review, the recommendations of SIG, Sponsoring Section and Division Chair were discussed by both the Professional Council Governance Subcommittee and the Professional Council as a whole. Based on these discussions the recommendation of the Professional Council to the Governing Board is that the Women in Libraries SIG begin the transition to closure to be completed by August 2025. It is explained be the following: According to the IFLA Rules of Procedure, a SIG has up to 2 terms.  At any time, but especially after a review or at the end of the 2 terms, it has to either close or move on to another structure, existing or new (IFLA Rules of Procedure R21.1.3.10/Handbook 12.2.3). Regarding unfinished work, at the end of this term SIG may like to look to joining up with a Section such as Equitable and Accessible Library Services to continue or to collaborate on remaining projects. The rationale and rigour of the process and recommendations from the PC will be considered by the Governing Board.  For this reason, there is no need to provide an additional statement for consideration. We will come back to you once the GB decision has been made and I will be able to provide some additional guidance at that time.

WILSIG Convenor Discusses AI Challenges at 24 Hours of Global IT IFLA – During the Division B panel, which was dedicated to the topic of “Artificial Intelligence and Government, Parliamentary and Law Libraries, and Official Publications: A Cross-Sector Conversation,” Blagojević presented pre-AI tools used in the Library of the Parliament of Montenegro. Specifically, she highlighted the application of OCR (Optical Character Recognition) technology to convert images of verbatim records into searchable text.  In addition to her presentation, Blagojević addressed questions related to the broader impact of AI on the library sector, touching on ethical considerations, user behavior, and the future of AI. She outlined several key points:

  • AI as a Challenge: Librarians must acquire new skills to adapt to and make the most of AI technology;
  • Risk of Misinformation: AI tools, such as ChatGPT, can bring risks of misinformation;
  • Gender Imbalance: The AI sector is predominantly male-dominated, with insufficient female involvement in key decision-making processes related to AI solutions and tools;
  • Language Limitations: AI tools often have limitations regarding language availability, with insufficient information accessible in non-English languages.

 

The Action Plan activities – The call for the WILSIG Newsletter should be concluded by the end of September, at which point the review process will begin to ensure the newsletter is published at the start of 2025. Regarding the working group on Gender Equality Bibliographies (Children’s Literature), a meeting will be held soon with the Section for Children and Young Adults to define the final criteria. Regarding the activity of improving communication tools, Thana is working on creating a LinkedIn page.