Minitex Technical Services Symposium: A Virtual Encore

This presentation covers cataloging at an institution that no longer has a technical services department, or any librarians devoted to cataloging/metadata work. Over the last 2.5 years, I have been the sole catalog and metadata library technician for physical materials at a university library. Basically, I am paddling my own canoe. This presentation will explore the realities of being the lone catalog and metadata library technician. It will discuss the challenges and resources that have been helpful while doing this work. The presentation will cover practical strategies for managing diverse responsibilities. The session will also address workflow management, prioritizing tasks, and leveraging professional development opportunities to stay current in a changing field. Being a sole catalog and metadata technician requires resilience and adaptability. This presentation aims to empower catalog and metadata specialists with strategies to excel in their roles, face challenges, and continue to contribute significantly to their library's mission.

The question of authorial intent asks whether a creator's intentions have any bearing on the meaning of their work.  The introduction of large language models (LLMs) and their use by students and scholars revives this problem with some old and new questions: Does an author's identity affect their work's meaning?  Must an author have some sort of independent agency (and can we attribute agency to an LLM)?  If only a reader's interpretation determines a work's meaning, could two copies of the same work, one by a human and one by an LLM, be reduced to one and the same?  We will explore some of these and other questions in a whirlwind tour at the intersection of authorship, AI, and the philosophy of mind.

Are you grappling with the challenge of balancing a robust print collection with the realities of limited physical space? This session brings together two complementary perspectives on tackling that issue—statewide shared print collaboration and local, large-scale weeding efforts. Learn how Minnesota libraries are navigating the evolving landscape of shared print initiatives, including the history, goals, and future of the MN Shared Print Project. We'll explore how collaboration across institutions can help preserve the scholarly record, support collection goals, and free up valuable space.

We’ll also take a deep dive into a real-world case study from the University of St. Thomas Libraries, which undertook a major weeding initiative in Summer 2024, removing over 40,000 items from the collection. Using MN Shared Print Project data, Alma workflows, and cross-departmental collaboration, the project offers practical insights into planning, deselection criteria, stakeholder engagement, and logistics.