Association of Research Libraries

In response to President Trump's executive order on American history, ARL Executive Director Andrew Pace said, “Access to knowledge is a cornerstone of a healthy, informed society. Smithsonian scientists, historians, archivists, librarians, and museum professionals conduct leading scholarship and steward extraordinary collections in service of public engagement and education. As in all great libraries and museums, these professionals help students and lifelong learners navigate sources of information, evaluate information for integrity, and provide a platform for exploring complex stories. These professionals and the millions of visitors to these public spaces should be free to teach and learn without political interference.” Read more in our news item linked below. #NewsYouCanUse #ARLResponse

Today, we're shining a spotlight on Marcel LaFlamme's latest blog for the #ARLRepertoires series, which highlights Duana Fullwiley's 2024 book on #race and #genome science from University of California Press. Takeaways for library leaders include the need to consider both the upstream assumptions and downstream effects of the scholarship that libraries support. Read the full post via ARL's website. https://lnkd.in/eUeym9JA

Special thanks to Tech Policy Press for reposting an article written by Katherine Klosek and Samantha Teremi. Together, they examined how the contractual restrictions on AI echo the same concerns libraries raised 20+ years ago during the US Copyright Office Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) Section 104 study. We encourage you to read the full article https://lnkd.in/ey8djQHX #NewsYouCanUse

Earlier today, our executive director, Andrew Pace, sat down with Publishers Weekly and shared ARL's perspective on the Institute of Museum and Library Services. “Every dollar awarded in IMLS’s highly competitive, merit-based process is multiplied a thousandfold by the hard work of librarians and museum experts.” The IMLS, Pace explained, exists to help libraries and museums build programming, create professional development opportunities, and preserve the scholarly and cultural record. “Nothing,” he added, “is more efficient than the way libraries and museums can scale access to knowledge and culture in their communities with what amounts to a very small investment by the federal government.” The full article can be viewed online via https://lnkd.in/edF9wCqD #ARLupdates #NewsYouCanUse

In comments to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), the Library Copyright Alliance (LCA) encouraged the administration to safeguard fair use principles and prevent licensing restrictions from undermining these rights in a national “AI Action Plan.” “American research libraries spend over a billion dollars annually licensing digital databases and journals for researchers,” said Katherine Klosek, ARL’s director of Information Policy and Federal Relations. “By protecting fair use rights, the administration can maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of this substantial investment in America’s research infrastructure.” Read on: https://lnkd.in/eY-VR3Bp

The Library Copyright Alliance encouraged the administration to safeguard #fairuse principles and prevent licensing restrictions from undermining these rights in a national "#ArtificialIntelligence Action Plan."

Mark your calendars and plan to join us Feb. 11-12, in Chicago-Rosemont for the third annual Association of Research Libraries President's Institute. The theme of the 2026 institute will be 'innovation in libraries'. #ARLPresInst26 #ARLMeeting

Two highly esteemed friends of ARL, Leo Lo and Cynthia Hudson Vitale, authored a new blog on #GenerativeAI in research libraries. Simply put, the #AI environment has changed rapidly, and there are far reaching implications of its utility . . . take a few moments to see how leaders at ARL member institutions view the challenges and strategies associated with integrating generative AI technologies.

My colleague Shawna Taylor and I spoke with IMLS senior program officer Ashley Sands about the agency's new public access policy guidance, including the importance of developing #OpenScience norms in the library and museum research community. https://lnkd.in/eBBvgCED

Breaking #ARLupdates Moments ago, the Association of Research Libraries announced that we have launched a search for a new executive director for the Coalition for Networked Information. This news comes after long-term leader #CliffordLynch announced plans to retire effective June 30, 2025. Help us spread the word by encouraging those in your professional network to apply! Full details can be found on our website. https://lnkd.in/eQB88UBa