Collaborative, responsible innovation through experimentation.
OCUL aims to promote responsible, ethical AI and machine learning (AIML) use in the academic library environment while building related knowledge and skills across the OCUL membership and beyond.
The multi-year AIML Initiative launched in 2024 and enables OCUL and its digital service arm, Scholars Portal, to test and evaluate specific technologies and processes through hands-on, collaborative experience. In addition is a significant focus on capacity building to help member libraries and academic partners enhance library workforce competencies in areas such as AI literacy and instruction.
Capacity Building Program
This program takes an evidence-based approach to understanding the current knowledge and skill levels among member library workers and leadership; staff perceptions about the potential implications of AIML technologies for higher education, research and scholarly publication as related to academic library service; and the education, training and professional development needed to evolve libraries' academic and research services, workflows, and professional practice for the generative AI era.
Informed by member survey findings, current programming includes:
- A bimonthly blog series on LibTech Insights that offers a clear, practical look at various categories of AI tools to empower academic library professionals to make informed, confident decisions about AI technologies.
- A reading club, Beyond the Algorithm, focused on AI ethics and academic librarianship and hosted every other month starting September 2025.
- A national, online Community of Practice that helps facilitate the exchange of ideas and advances by library staff regarding AIML in Canadian academic libraries.
AI and Machine Learning Projects
In its initial years, the OCUL AIML Initiative focuses on four pilot projects that:
- Meet an expressed need.
- Provide consortial solutions.
- Range from simpler to more complex, allowing for learning and experience.
- Create reusable tools and techniques for future use.
ACE Remediation and Summaries Project
The Accessible Content ePortal – known as ACE – is a Scholars Portal service that provides access to university and college library books in digitized, accessible formats. To increase the usability of ACE, this project assesses the variety of AIML tools available to assist with remediation and explores using open-source tools to create book/chapter summaries and add them to the item’s metadata.
Government Documents Project
Through a large-scale digitization project at the University of Toronto, a collection of government documents is available on the Internet Archive, but searchable metadata is often unavailable or limited in quality. This project uses AIML tools to provide enhanced metadata and new discovery tools to increase the accessibility and usability of the collection. Read more about this project on the HEQCO Consortium on Generative AI blog.
Audio to Text Project
Transcriptions of audio files are an essential element of digital accessibility. This project involves using the Whisper open-access automatic speech recognition system to transcribe audio files, setting up a pipeline through Scholars Portal and providing access and technical documentation to OCUL member libraries. This will allow members to quickly begin using the system on their locally hosted servers.
Enhancing Virtual Reference Project
Ask a Librarian is the Scholars Portal bilingual virtual reference service that connects students, faculty and researchers with real-time library and research assistance through online chat. LibraryH3lp, the software that powers the service, is developing a chatbot; this project involves analyzing and testing the tool, plus exploring the impact of chatbot service on virtual reference, with a recommendation for whether to proceed with chatbot implementation for Ask a Librarian.
Read more about the project in the Enhancing Virtual Reference FAQ (PDF).
Program Team
Catherine Steeves
Program Director
Kari Weaver
Program Manager
Pieter Botha
Technical Manager
Furquan Hassan
AI Special Projects Developer
In addition, the AIML Initiative is supported by OCUL and Scholars Portal staff members.
Amy Greenberg
OCUL Executive Director
Kate Davis
Scholars Portal Director
Anika Ervin-Ward
OCUL Assistant Director, Collaborative Initiatives
Jacqueline Whyte Appleby
Scholars Portal Associate Director
Harpinder Singh
Scholars Portal Associate Director, Systems and Technical Operations
Sabina Pagotto
Scholars Portal Assessment and Member Engagement Librarian
Program Background
The AIML Initiative grew from the final report and recommended projects of the OCUL Task Force on Machine Learning and AI. Between October 2023 and May 2024, the task force consulted with a wide range of experts and reviewed current AIML developments and best practices to create an interim report and eventually its final report.
Read more about the interim report
Read more about the final report
In addition, the task force led two events over its term:
- A national online summit to interrogate the interim report and gather AIML ideas and challenges to inform the final report and recommended projects.
- A hackfest at McMaster University to offer a learning and development environment for library staff of all backgrounds and skill levels to test and use the Whisper open-access automatic speech recognition system.
For More Information
Read the latest update about OCUL's AI and machine learning projects and capacity building programming.
Visit the AI and Machine Learning wiki space on SPOTDocs.
For additional information or questions about the OCUL AIML Program, please email Program Director Catherine Steeves (c.steeves@ocul.on.ca) or aimlprogram@scholarsportal.info.