Tim Dennis
Director, Library Data Science Center
University of California, Los Angeles
Indrani Mandal
Lecturer
University of Rhode Island
Vicky Steeves
Librarian for Research Data Management and Reproducibility
New York University
Matthew Burton
Lecturer
University of Pittsburgh
Harrison Dekker
Data Librarian and Interim Director, AI Lab, Libraries
University of Rhode Island
Search cutting-edge academic libraries’ homegrown services and you will find artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), digital humanities (DH), natural language processing (NLP), and virtual reality (VR) experts, workshops, consultations, and interdisciplinary projects. Why is that? While on the surface this segment of information and research services may be considered beyond the accustomed library role, the growing popularity of these offerings, at a time when traditional library services are on the wane, suggests that they are fast becoming the new normal. By connecting and fostering collaboration across the disciplines, these libraries are enhancing the teaching, learning and research experience and helping reassert the library’s key role as the center of scholarship. In this panel, data-centric librarians and scientists explore the origins of this trend and possible future directions.