All posts by tex libris

Artificial Intelligence, Services

Building a Bot: An Exploration of AI to Assist Librarians

Leave a comment

Recognizing the looming impact of artificial intelligence on the current landscape in higher education and libraries, the University of Texas Libraries has been experimenting with an AI-driven chatbot that could eventually augment library staff to ensure continuous availability of assistance at times when our staff are not available.

The project, which serves as a research initiative rather than a production service, explores the potential of artificial intelligence to enhance user experience.

This exploration has been spearheaded by Hannah Moutran, a recent graduate and Library Specialist, in coordination with Aaron Choate, the Director of Research & Strategy at the University of Texas Libraries.

Choate has been instrumental in organizing an AI interest group aimed at educating library, archives, and museum staff about the potential and applications of AI. Moutran, whose academic research has focused on AI implementations, was a perfect fit for leading the chatbot project, which emerged from discussions among the principals in the interest group.

The chatbot, envisioned as a backup for the “Ask a Librarian” service, is being tested to understand its capacity to provide uninterrupted assistance when human staff are unavailable. To build this system, Moutran analyzed chat logs from the fall 2022 semester, gaining insights into the types of questions users asked and the responses provided by librarians. This analysis revealed that users were often referred to other librarians, departments, or websites for more detailed information.

The chatbot’s development has been guided by a series of in-depth interviews with five librarians from the “Ask a Librarian” service. These interviews uncovered several design priorities for the AI system, including transparency about its nature and data usage, the accuracy of information provided, and alignment with the library’s mission of fostering human connections. Ethical considerations were front and center in the design, ensuring that users know when they are interacting with an AI rather than a human.

To address these concerns, the development team chose the Voiceflow platform and the Claude language model. This combination allows the chatbot to offer controlled responses by providing users with links to library resources rather than attempting to answer questions directly. The system also incorporates disclaimers, user memory, and predefined rules to ensure that the chatbot aligns with the library’s values and operates within ethical boundaries. It is a deliberate design choice meant to avoid the common pitfalls of AI-generated misinformation.

In addition to providing general library support, the team has integrated an AI flow specifically designed to assist users with research. This tool can help users brainstorm topic ideas, generate initial search links, and even provide citation and writing assistance. The AI can also connect users with specialized librarians based on the nature of their inquiry, giving a brief explanation of each librarian’s area of expertise to help guide users toward the most appropriate contact.

While the pilot project has shown promise, the developers are clear about the experimental nature of this tool. While it offers new ways to assist users, there is no immediate push to implement it in its current form. The focus is on exploration—understanding how AI might improve library services in the future, rather than rushing to deploy it as a finished product.

“This project isn’t about replacing human librarians,” explained Choate. “It’s about providing a tool that can fill gaps when staff aren’t available, allowing librarians to focus on more complex and human-centric tasks.”

One of the most significant aspects of this project is the freedom granted by the Libraries to experiment without the immediate pressure of launching a production service. This flexibility has allowed Moutran and Choate to focus on the chatbot’s ethical design and explore the long-term role AI might play in library services.

Presented by Moutran as a Capstone project for the School of Information, the chatbot has received valuable feedback from testers, highlighting the importance of trust and verification of AI-generated information. And her work with the chatbot has provided valuable insights into conversational design, user experience research, and prompt engineering.

As the chatbot continues to develop, the project remains a research initiative with the potential to reshape how libraries use AI. With a focus on transparency, ethics, and user support, the chatbot may one day serve as a supplementary tool for both users and librarians, increasing access to library services and freeing staff to focus on more complex inquiries.

Access the prototype: UT Libraries Assistant Chatbot Demo

Events, Open Access, Scholarly Communication

OA Week 2024 Recap

Leave a comment

Open Access Week 2024 at the University of Texas Libraries provided an engaging platform for exploring Open Access (OA) issues and celebrating community-focused approaches to knowledge sharing. With the theme Community over Commercialization, the week featured events, blog posts, and social media highlights aimed at fostering awareness of OA principles and practices.

A centerpiece event during the week was an informative panel on the evolving landscape of open access, addressing both faculty and student interests. The discussion focused on the importance of community-driven models and equitable access to research outputs.

The week’s blog posts at the Open Access blog served as a rich resource, covering topics like the “OA Initiatives Annual Report,” which celebrated the Libraries’ recent successes in supporting OA publishing and international partnerships, and “Theses, Dissertations, and Embargoes,” which offered guidance to students on managing access to their research. Another post on “Preprints” detailed how these early research outputs promote rapid knowledge sharing, and the final post, “Open Access Business Models,” discussed sustainable funding pathways for OA initiatives.

Throughout the week, the Libraries shared a series of social media posts to spotlight OA topics and resources, including a Sticker Shock price comparison, and a Highlighting Diverse Collections featuring open resources, which provided followers with easy-to-understand overviews and encouraged engagement with OA resources available through Libraries, as well as Tocker Open Education Librarian Heather Walter’s pithy meme-ified posts (1, 2, 3) that are a favorite with the Libraries’ more youthful followers.

In alignment with OA Week, the Libraries also announced “Important Changes Coming to Public Access for Federally Funded Research,” signaling a new phase in research accessibility. This announcement addressed policy updates stemming from the Office of Science and Technology Policy’s Nelson memo, outlining upcoming shifts in how federally funded research will be shared with the public, underscoring the Libraries’ role in helping researchers navigate these changes.

Together, these events, posts, and resources underscored  the Libraries’ commitment to advancing open access and fostering a collaborative, community-oriented approach to scholarly communication. Open Access Week 2024 effectively highlighted the Libraries’ ongoing efforts to ensure that research is accessible and impactful for both the academic community and the broader public.

Benson Latin American Collection, Books, Global Studies, LLILAS Benson

Primeros Libros Triennial Takes Place in Oaxaca

Leave a comment

The 2024 Primeros Libros Triennial Partner Meeting and Symposium, held at the Francisco de Burgoa Library in Oaxaca on October 10–11, brought together scholars, librarians and cultural heritage experts to celebrate and examine the legacy of early Mexican printed books and their impact on understanding the colonial period.

The Primeros Libros de las Américas project is a collaborative digital initiative to preserve and provide access to the first books printed in the Americas during the 16th century. It emphasizes the creation of a comprehensive digital corpus to promote global access and scholarship. With contributions from institutions across Europe and the Americas, the project embodies the shared heritage of colonial Mexico and serves as a vital resource for understanding the history of print, culture and language in the New World.

Day 1 of the gathering opened with a keynote lecture, “The Christian Doctrine in Mixtec by Fray Benito Hernández (1567-1568): Its Historical and Current Context,” delivered by a panel of experts, including bilingual educators, psychologists, and philologists. The presentation highlighted efforts to preserve indigenous Mixtec texts through interdisciplinary research.

Panel discussions throughout the day explored the artistry and subversion in 16th-century Mexican prints, including analyses of the unique Franciscan Library’s “Warnings for Indian Confessors” and the survival of anti-colonial Nahuatl codices.

A virtual presentation from the Biblioteca Statale di Lucca shed light on the discovery of rare early American prints in European collections, illustrating the transatlantic reach of colonial print culture.

The second day delved deeper into the lives of early printers, such as Pedro Ocharte and the Calderón family, with a spotlight on technological advances in printmaking during the colonial era. Discussions also explored the circulation and reception of printed works across the Americas, including a case study of an indigenous sacristan in Zacatecas who risked punishment to preserve knowledge.

The symposium also included a visit to the Juan de Córdova Research Library and concluded with a book presentation on the history of engraving in Mexican print. Scholars and participants hailed the event as a critical platform for fostering collaboration and preserving the shared heritage of the Americas.

For more information about Primeros Libros and ongoing preservation initiatives, visit primeroslibros.org.

Global Studies

NEH-Funded Project Pioneers AI Solutions for Spanish Colonial Texts

Leave a comment

Work on the “Unlocking the Colonial Archive” project – which was funded through the NEH/AHRC New Directions for Digital Scholarship in Cultural Institutions program,  a collaborative initiative between the National Endowment for the Humanities and the UK Arts and Humanities Research Council – has been completed. 

Dr. Kelly McDonough, Associate Professor in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese, and Dr. Albert A. Palacios, LLILAS Benson Digital Scholarship Coordinator and lecturer in the School of Information, co-led the three-year initiative. With $149,915.00 in funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), the project has focused on transcribing digitized Spanish colonial materials in the Benson Latin American Collection and its post-custodial partners, addressing linguistic challenges in Handwritten Text Recognition (HTR) technologies, and sharing innovative workflows with the scholarly community.

Key activities include the development of HTR models for Spanish calligraphic styles from the 16th through the 18th century, the establishment of a publicly accessible data repository for transcriptions of Benson collection materials, and the organization of paleography and digital humanities institutes that benefitted scholars from over 15 countries and 20 U.S. states.

Project dissemination has been extensive, with presentations and keynote speeches at conferences and institutions across Latin America and the United States, highlighting the use of artificial intelligence in historical research. 

You can read more about the program activities here: https://apps.neh.gov/publicquery/AwardDetail.aspx?gn=HC-278116-21 and read the final project white paper here: https://hdl.handle.net/2152/129230.

Benson Latin American Collection, Events, LLILAS Benson, Uncategorized

Former Chilean President Bachelet Champions Women’s Leadership and Equality in Public Address

Leave a comment

The Honorable Michelle Bachelet, former President of Chile and United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, addressed a crowd at the Benson Latin American Collection on October 16. Part of the Mary Ann Faulkner Distinguished Lecture Series in Latin American Public Affairs and Politics, the event was hosted by the Lozano Long Institute for Latin American Studies (LLILAS).

Bachelet made history as the first woman to serve as President of Chile, holding office for two non-consecutive terms (2006–2010 and 2014–2018). Born in 1951 in Santiago, Chile, she grew up in a politically active family and pursued a career in medicine, specializing in pediatrics and public health. Her life took a dramatic turn during Chile’s military dictatorship when her father, a general loyal to President Salvador Allende, was arrested and died in custody, and she herself was detained and tortured. After returning from exile in the 1980s, Bachelet became a prominent advocate for democracy and human rights. She later entered politics, serving as Minister of Health and Minister of National Defense before ascending to the presidency. Following her time in office, she was appointed as the first Executive Director of UN Women and later served as the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights from 2018 to 2022, continuing her lifelong commitment to social justice and equality.

Before the evening event, Bachelet visited the Benson’s Rare Books and Manuscripts Reading Room, where she was provided an introduction to the archive with a viewing of rare materials led by Benson Director Melissa Guy, Head of User Services AJ Johnson and Head of Special Collections Ryan Lynch.

The evening talk began with an introduction from LLILAS Director Adela Pineda Franco, who underscored Bachelet’s influence on democratic governance and human rights worldwide, then Bachelet launched into a talk focused on women’s leadership and gender equality across the Americas, set against a backdrop of rising authoritarianism and rights erosion. Reflecting on setbacks for women’s rights globally, Bachelet touched on issues such as recent limitations on reproductive rights in the U.S., elimination of Argentina’s Ministry of Women and gendered restrictions in Afghanistan. She argued that women’s rights must remain integral to discussions on democracy, noting that societal progress is hindered when women’s contributions are overlooked.

Bachelet also explored the impact of artificial intelligence on women’s employment, emphasizing the need for a human rights framework to prevent biased AI systems. She called for greater diversity in AI development, pointing to a male-dominated tech sector where gender biases could impact future job markets.

Immediately following her address, Dean JR DeShazo of the LBJ School of Public Affairs interviewed Bachelet on the challenges and progress in women’s leadership and gender equality in the Americas. Bachelet emphasized the importance of inclusive policies and the need for continuous efforts to address systemic inequalities. She highlighted her experiences in overcoming political and social barriers, underscoring the role of resilience and strategic optimism in advancing human rights and gender parity. The discussion also touched upon the impact of global crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, on women’s rights, and the necessity for collaborative international approaches to safeguard and promote gender equality.

Bachelet concluded the evening by encouraging attendees to champion gender equality as a foundational element of democratic integrity. Her call to action extended to the university’s community, encouraging students, faculty and future leaders to break barriers and advocate for equitable representation.

Preservation, Staff, Walter Geology Library

A Flood of Action to Save the Books

Leave a comment

Catastrophe was narrowly averted due to a water leak at the Walter Geology Library in late September thanks to direct, coordinated action from library staff and Jackson School of Geosciences personnel.

The incident began with an unexpected leak in a wet lab on the fifth floor of the Jackson School, above the Walter Geology Library. The leak was discovered early Tuesday morning by Jackson School staff, who immediately alerted the building manager and the library team. Water made its way from a compromised holding tank in a lab, penetrating sections of the ceiling, flooding the library and damaging materials in the stacks.

In a show of composure, several University of Texas Libraries (UTL) staff members, some of whom learned about the emergency while on their way to work, diverted to the Geology Library to take immediate action. The response was focused, methodical and purposed at mitigating and preventing further damage to collection materials. The team swiftly began moving wet books to safer locations, covering vulnerable stacks with plastic sheeting and vacuuming up standing water to stem the immediate threat to the collections.

Once the situation was somewhat stabilized, the next priority became rescuing the most severely damaged items. Staff worked diligently to identify these items and began preparing them for preservation by freezing them in the Perry-Castañeda Library’s (PCL) preservation freezers. Freezing wet materials is a well-established method to prevent mold growth and give preservation staff time to determine the best treatment methods.

As soon as standing water cleared, the focus shifted to restoring the environment. Dehumidifiers and fans were brought in to ensure that residual moisture was dealt with effectively, minimizing long-term damage to the collections and the library environment.

Careful attention was then paid to the individual items that had been impacted. Teams of staff interleaved wet pages with coated paper to absorb excess moisture, unfolded map inserts to lay them flat for drying, and fanned out books to improve air circulation. This painstaking process continued throughout the day on Tuesday, showcasing not only the technical expertise of the team but also their unwavering commitment to safeguarding knowledge.  Staff continue to monitor the space and repairs to damaged items are expected to continue for several months.

The recent water leak evoked memories of a much larger disaster that struck the former Marine Science Library in 2017. During the catastrophic flooding from Hurricane Harvey, library staff worked around the clock to rescue rare collections that were at risk from the rising waters. The response to that event, while on a greater scale, carried the same resolve as this week’s efforts at the Geology Library – demonstrating the immense dedication of libraries staff to respond to disasters that might otherwise destroy the collections they oversee.

Libraries are not just places where information is stored; they are custodians of our collective human record, preserving materials in perpetuity so that future generations may learn from and build upon the past. Emergencies like the leak at the Walter Geology Library remind us how fragile that mission can be – and how it truly takes a village of committed individuals to protect these collections.

From pulling books off shelves to quickly interleaving wet pages, every action taken by library staff this week was aimed at preventing irreparable loss. It was a stark reminder of the importance of collective action in the face of emergencies that threaten the Libraries’ commitment to the preservation of knowledge.

The response to the Walter Geology Library incident highlights an idea that lies at the core of every library: the mission to preserve and protect collections is not an abstract ideal. It is a hands-on, all-hands effort, and one that requires dedication, expertise and a deep belief that the knowledge of today is a legacy to the future.

“I am so grateful to our staff for a commitment to their work so pronounced that they respond without hesitation to challenges,” says Vice Provost and Director Lorraine Haricombe. “Thanks to the efforts of the people involved, over 1,200 books will continue to be available for use in research and scholarship for all those who might need them.”

Humble gratitude to all the people involved in this effort:

Margaret Alvarado

Geoff Bahre

Chris Carter

Brittany Centeno

Benn Chang

Morgan Colbert

Elizabeth De Marco

Loren Fiebrich

Claudia Fuentes

James Galloway

Bill Gannon

Dave Gilson

Mirko Hanke

Meghana Kamat

Jennifer Lee

Joey Marez

Wendy Martin

Sean O’Bryan

Michael Rodriguez

Kent Scott

Tony Tomasello

Britt Wilson

Advisory council, iSchool

Advisory Council Joins with iSchool for Day of Advocacy

Leave a comment

On September 26, the Fall 2024 gathering of the University of Texas Libraries Advisory Council brought together library advocates for a day of engaging discussions, presentations and tours. The council, along with the iSchool Advisory Council, convened to hear updates, set goals, and strengthen connections within the library community.

The day began with a joint lunch that included Interim Dean Dr. Soo Young Rieh from the School of Information, followed by an afternoon session focused on updates from the Libraries. Lorraine J. Haricombe, Vice Provost and Director of UT Libraries, delivered a state of the library address, followed by a development report from Claire Burrows, Director of Development. The development report shared that the Libraries are closing in on their $12 million capital campaign goal, with a current total of $10.36 million raised and an additional $2 million goal for FY25. It also highlighted areas of need, such as Open Educational Resources (OER), fellowships and endowed positions.

Assistant Director of Research Support & Digital Innovation Allyssa Guzman joined the Libraries’ Resident Librarians – Cristina Berron, Elizabeth Garza, and Ana Rico – who shared their experiences and the goals of the Libraries’ Residency Program, established as a career pipeline for early-career librarians and archivists. The council learned about the program and were introduced to the newly established Artaza Castañeda Family Librarian Residency Professional Development Fund, which supports the residents in their career development.

Council members were given a tour of the recently renovated 4th and 5th floors of the Perry-Castañeda Library (PCL). The day concluded with a reconvening of the Libraries’ and iSchool Councils at a social event, facilitating rich conversations about the evolving role of libraries, the library profession and, of course, books.

The Advisory Council’s primary mission is to advocate for UT Libraries by raising awareness of its impact, supporting fundraisers and generating charitable contributions. The meeting also included discussions about upcoming events, including a presentation by former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet at the Benson Collection (scheduled for October 16).

The success of the day was made possible by the contributions of the Libraries staff, whose planning and support efforts ensured a worthwhile and impactful experience for all who attended.

iSchool, People, Uncategorized

Libraries Kick Off Fall Mentorship Program

Leave a comment

The University of Texas Libraries is pleased to announce the launch of this fall’s iSchool Mentorship Program.

The UTL-iSchool Mentor Program is a joint program occurring each Fall and Spring semester between the UT Libraries and the iSchool Career Services Office. It is a voluntary program for second year graduate iSchool students to pair with librarians to learn more about the experience of being a librarian. The focus is mainly on the academic track, so that mentees can find out what liaisons (or subject) librarians do, what archivists do, what’s involved in metadata work, or library administration. The goal is for mentees and mentors to meet 3 times either virtually or in-person over the semester. 

Liaison Librarian for Communication Meryl Brodsky fills the coordinator role as the iSchool Liaison. A committee composed of staff professionals works to match students with a librarian who works in the area of interest to candidates – instruction, metadata, subject librarianship, the administrative track, or others. Occasionally the program is able to match candidates with special interest placements, such as in film librarianship. 

This semester’s class is composed of seven students. Five are paired with librarians from Libraries: including librarians from Teaching & Learning Services, from Stewardship, from the Benson Library, from Scholarly Resources, and from the Resident program. One is paired with a librarian from Austin Public Library. And for the first time, one mentee was paired with a librarian from the Law School.

Participants can talk with their mentor about the day-to-day work, and may shadow librarians on a chat reference shift or a research consultation, attend a librarian candidate presentation, discuss professional associations, decode job descriptions, or ask questions about the profession in general. The Mentor program is not a path to getting a job at the UT Libraries, but it could help to generate some ideas for Capstone projects, and help participants to network with library professionals.

The Mentor program is student-centered, which means that mentees direct it by asking questions or asking to meet people from different parts of the library or bringing their interests to the conversation.

“A mentorship really goes two ways,” says Meryl Brodsky. “The iSchool students learn about our jobs and the role we play on campus. They share their professional interests and what they hope to accomplish with us, and that shows us where our profession is headed. It’s a validating experience for both sides.”

Benson Latin American Collection, Development, Endowments

New Endowments Bolster Visiting Scholars at the Benson Collection

Leave a comment

This summer, two new endowments were established to support scholars working with the Benson Latin American Collection, strengthening research into Latin American, Latina/o, and Mexican American history.

The María Lugones Research Fund, created in memory of María Cristina Lugones—an Argentine feminist philosopher, activist, and professor—was established by her colleague, Professor Joshua Price. The fund will provide support for projects related to Latin America, Latina/os in the U.S., and the Black diaspora in the Americas. Eligible recipients include PhD students, activists, and established scholars from around the world, with priority given to those utilizing the María Lugones papers.

Additionally, the Montejano Benson Collection Research Award was created by Dr. David Montejano and Veronica Montejano to support visiting researchers focusing on Mexican American history. Dr. Montejano, reflecting on his own experiences at the Benson, said, “Over the past forty years, I have enjoyed countless days at the Benson doing research. I could not have written my trilogy on Texas history and politics without the Benson. With this modest endowment, I wish to encourage continued research into Mexican American and Latino history.”

Both endowments will receive matching funds from the Ann Hartness Benson Collection Matching Fund, further expanding their impact. These funds are expected to be accessible soon, depending on payment schedules and investment outcomes.

We eagerly anticipate the meaningful research these new funds will make possible.

To contribute to either endowment, please contact Libraries’ Development Officer Claire Burrows, claire.burrows@austin.utexas.edu.

Benson Latin American Collection, Black Diaspora Archive, Digital Scholarship

New Website Chronicles Texas’s Domestic Slave Trade

Leave a comment

The Texas Domestic Slave Trade Project (TXDST) has launched a new website, From Slavery to Freedom in Texas, exploring the often-overlooked stories of enslaved individuals in Texas. The site focuses on four counties—Brazoria, Red River, Waller, and Washington—to illuminate both individual stories and the broader legacy of slavery in the state.

The project emphasizes firsthand experiences of enslaved people and delves into the history that continues to shape Texas today. The stories include the account of Eli Terry, a free Black man who was sold into slavery in Red River County before reclaiming his freedom after over seven years. Another featured story discusses the Alta Vista plantation, where Prairie View A&M University—a historically Black college/university (HBCU)—now stands, and highlights efforts by plantation descendants to confront and preserve this history.

Educators will find a variety of resources to bring these narratives into the classroom, providing deeper insights into Texas’s complex history.

The project is a collaboration between The University of Texas at Austin and Prairie View A&M University, made possible through a Start-Up Grant for Collaborative Digital Editions from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC), with support from the Mellon Foundation and the National Archives.

Libraries’ Black Diaspora Archivist Rachel E. Winston played a significant role in this effort, serving as co-Principal Investigator from 2022 to 2024. The History Department also highlights contributions from several current and former students, including Dr. Signe Peterson Fourmy (PhD 2020), Sheena Moore, and current PhD candidate Ron Davis, who is also Curator of American History at the Witte Museum in San Antonio.

For more information, visit txdstproject.org.