Hello everyone,
A recent message here reminded me of William Badke's book Research strategies: finding your way through the information fog (2021, 7th ed) and the enduring role of the college library. It's a trusted lighthouse in an ever-foggy information ocean. I'd love to get your input on a related topic.
Last week the Authors Alliance, ALA, ARL, and others filed an amicus curiae brief supporting Anthropic's appeal in Bartz v. Anthropic. The Authors Guild lawsuit concerns the use of millions of books to train an AI system, and Judge Alsup has certified a class action representing rights holders of nearly 7 million titles. Anthropic's appeal now has the backing of ALA, ARL, and consumer- and computer-industry groups.
I'd love to hear your thoughts on the following:
- Strategic fit: Is this a shift in ALA's advocacy, or is it consistent with our long-standing priorities?
- Opportunities and concerns: What benefits and risks do you see on the horizon?
- Anti-AI/AI refusal: How do librarians who are cautious about AI interpret this development?
As a lover of literature and history, I'm also drawing on Jonathan Swift's satire The Battle of the Books for context as I prepare an update for Infophilia readers on this case.
If you'd like to be quoted, or if you'd prefer a private conversation, please let me know. Your insights will be invaluable to me and many others.
Thank you for your time and expertise.
Best,
Anita
Anita Sundaram Coleman, PhD | Infophilia, A Positive Psychology of Information | iSchool@Illinois
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Anita Sundaram Coleman, PhD | Infophilia, a positive psychology of information | iSchool UIUC
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