“Table ronde virtuelle avec R. David Lankes” Webinar. Fédération Des Milieux Documentaires
AI Free* Version of Triptych Now Available
TL;DR version: if you would rather read my latest book, Triptych, without the distraction of AI, then I have put out a new AI Free version. You can buy the new edition on Amazon. The content is the same, save for illustrations and AI generated discussion questions. New cover is from licensed stock art. The content is virtually identical in other ways (with a few edits made).
The first published version of Triptych used artificial intelligence to create images and a series of conversation starters used at the end of each lecture. As I stated in that version:
“I take my responsibility as an author and as a scholar seriously. That means having full ownership of the text and in writing from a place of experience… For me it [AI] is a tool and one I feel I need to use to better understand and write about. That said, I very much look to engage in a conversation about AI, the mission of librarians, and its impact in society.”
And a conversation was indeed had. Several reviewers and people I respect pointed out a key problem with including some AI-generated material in the book: it introduces a sort of fatigue when engaging the text. While a reader wants to be engaging the ideas, the even peripheral use of AI adds a sort of lingering doubt. Is what I am reading written by AI?
Continue reading “AI Free* Version of Triptych Now Available”Triptych World Tour Goes to Scotland
Join us for a lecture by visiting Professor and Author R. David Lankes, exploring his recent book ‘Triptych: Death, AI and Librarianship’
Register here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/death-ai-and-librarianship-a-professor-r-david-lankes-lecture-tickets-1980451536859
Join CILIPS for a special event taking place in Edinburgh, delivered in partnership with the Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC), where we are delighted to welcome Professor R. David Lankes for a one hour lecture in the National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge. The lecture will begin at 11am and finish at 12pm, please ensure that you arrive promptly and take your seat before the lecture begins.
Continue reading “Triptych World Tour Goes to Scotland”Death, AI, and Librarianship
“Death, AI, and Librarianship” Plenary. 23º Seminário Nacional de Bibliotecas Universitárias. Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Abstract: Em uma era marcada pelo isolamento social, desinformação e crescente desesperança, bibliotecários de todos os tipos devem evoluir de prestadores de serviço passivos para agentes ativos de resiliência comunitária e infraestrutura que salva vidas. Esta palestra desafia as definições tradicionais da Biblioteconomia, defendendo um modelo mais inclusivo e adaptável, que valorize missão, valores e engajamento comunitário acima de credenciais formais. Ao abraçar a alegria, o uso ético da IA e as narrativas locais, os bibliotecários podem fomentar a confiança, empoderar comunidades e liderar mudanças transformadoras em um mundo fragmentado.
A New World Tour?
Back in 2015 I had an Expect More World Tour. I was fortunate to be invited to talk about New Librarianship in countries like the UK, New Zealand, Canada, Italy, and the Netherlands.
Well, new book, new opportunities. I’m off to Brazil next week and things are in the works for the UK and Europe in the Spring. As always I’ll post materials from the visits, and let me know if you have an opportunity to go abroad and say hi.
Death, AI, and Librarianship
“Death, AI, and Librarianship” Keynote. Internet Librarian 2025 Conference
Abstract: In a time of rising social isolation, ideological division, and technological upheaval, libraries stand at a crossroads. Lankes shares thoughts from his new book and delivers a bold, urgent, and deeply human call to action for the library profession. From confronting the rise of book bans and the erosion of intellectual freedom to navigating the ethical minefields of AI, he explores the evolving identity of librarianship in the 21st century and champions the power of storytelling, the necessity of joy in the face of adversity, and the radical inclusion of “feral librarians”—those who enter the profession through unconventional paths but embody its deepest values.
Transcript
Transcript (AI generated):
00:00:01
Good morning. Thank you, Brian. Thank you, Jane. I really appreciate the opportunity to come speak to you today. I am always thrilled to be part of this conference. It’s a great group of people getting to know them and working on a regular basis. So, without further ado, because hearing me mutter on is not necessarily that helpful, I’m going to do the infamous look at my slides for the next 45 minutes or so, and hopefully then we’ll have time for a conversation over on feed loops. So, let’s make sure everything is having a good moment. There we go.
Triptych Slides and Excerpts Now Online
I’ve updated the book page for my newest book, Triptych: Death, AI, and Librarianship. You can now download the PowerPoint slides for each lecture to use in professional development or your own presentations. I’ve also linked to the two excerpts of the book published in Library Journal.
Take a look at: https://davidlankes.org/new-librarianship/13901-2/
An AI Video Explainer of Triptych
Google has added a new trick to NotebookLM. Now, you can not only make an audio podcast summary, it will create a video explainer. I tried it out on the text of me new book, and it is actually really good. Take a watch (it’s 8 minutes):
Triptych Audio Book Now Available
My latest book, Triptych: Death, AI, and Librarianship, is now available as an audio book narrated by the author. Head on over to Audible
An Urgent Conversation
Take a trip over to Words & Money, a new outlet looking at the intersection of publishing and librarianship. There you’ll find the first review of my new book Triptych, and a piece I wrote on how I published the book, and how I really feel about AI.
