The Authority File

In the final episode of this four-part series, Eleanor Leese, Acquisitions Editor for Gale Primary Sources, discusses metadata challenges and solutions for Eighteenth Century Collections Online (ECCO) Part III. Noting the difficulty of digitizing objects with uneven records, Eleanor highlights the thoughtful choices Gale and its partners made for ECCO Part III when it came to standardizing the data. In addition, she chats about metadata updates to Part III requested from longtime users, such as adding an author gender filter and a material’s place of publication. Finally, Eleanor shares one of her most surprising discoveries in the archive while using its digital humanities tools—the 1782 caterpillar plague, anyone? Learn more about ECCO Part III and request trial access for your library. Missed an episode? Subscribe to our monthly newsletter, Choice Podcast Updates.

In the third episode of this four-part series, we chat with Eleanor Leese, Acquisitions Editor for Gale Primary Sources, about the logistics of digitizing tiny books for Eighteenth Century Collections Online (ECCO) Part III. First, Eleanor outlines the challenges the physical conditions of miniature books bring to the digitization process. Praising the work of the British Library on ECCO Part III, Eleanor explains how the team tested out new digitization techniques and even built a tiny book cradle to accommodate their small size. In addition, Eleanor shares how Gale worked with library partners to determine what to digitize—keep or discard a hundreds-year-old bug stuck between the pages? Our guest closes with thoughts on remediation, exploring the transformation of books from texts to objects when digitized. Missed an episode? Subscribe to our monthly newsletter, Choice Podcast Updates.

In the second episode of this four-part series with Eleanor Leese, Acquisitions Editor for Gale Primary Sources, we turn our attention to a big topic: tiny books. A key archival format in Eighteenth Century Collections Online (ECCO) Part III, miniature books emerged in the 17th century as collectible items often in the form of almanacs, historical works, or religious pieces. In the episode, Eleanor recounts their history, exploring how their size—for example, holding the entire history of Britain in your palm—revealed their impracticality and allure as a symbol of knowledge and art piece. In addition, we chat with Eleanor about what makes tiny books “invisible” in the archives and the benefits of digitizing these small but mighty works. Missed an episode? Subscribe to our monthly newsletter, Choice Podcast Updates.

What does it take to bring some of the smallest—and most fragile—volumes of the eighteenth century into the digital research environment? In this series, Gale acquisitions editor Eleanor Leese discusses the preservation and digitization of rare and understudied materials now available in Eighteenth Century Collections Online (ECCO) Part III. Historically inaccessible due to their physical condition and scarcity, these items include miniature devotional works, ephemeral pamphlets, and personal instructional texts. Over the next four episodes, we’ll examine how careful handling, specialized imaging techniques, and collaboration with libraries help ensure these delicate works survive to be searched, cited, and studied by scholars around the world. In the first episode of this series, Eleanor introduces us to Eighteenth Century Collections Online. She details the inspiration for the original collection, charting its development over the past two decades to its latest iteration, Part III. As Eleanor notes, ECCO was last updated in 2009, so Part III contains unique objects that previously couldn’t be microfilmed due to their unique size, in addition to updated color imaging and the books’ exterior features like the spine and cover. To close, she shares how scholars use ECCO across disciplines and its impact on 18th-century research. Learn more about ECCO Part III and request trial access for your library. Missed an episode? Subscribe to our monthly newsletter, Choice Podcast Updates.

In the final episode of this four-part series, Louis Coiffait-Gunn, CEO of the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP), and Camille Gamboa, AVP of Corporate Communications at Sage, explore supporting information professionals in the push for stronger public trust in science. Highlighting consistent patron trust in libraries, our guests see librarians as key players in the fight for academic freedom. In fact, Louis discusses the library’s connections to the local community, research ecosystem, and publishing cycle as crucial benefits. Surfacing the recent information curation guide from Sage and Sense about Science, he also notes the value of the guide’s connections across the information ecosystem and points to the tech industry as an essential partner. To close, Louis reflects on librarians’ changing curatorial roles in the AI environment, and Camille previews next steps from Sage following the guide’s publication. Missed an episode? Subscribe to our monthly newsletter, Choice Podcast Updates.

In the third episode of this four-part series, Louis Coiffait-Gunn, CEO of the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP), joins Camille Gamboa, AVP of Corporate Communications at Sage, to discuss the current environment for public trust in science. First, Louis shares CILIP’s background and previews its upcoming five-year strategy and updated mission. Next, Louis and Camille highlight major obstacles toward restoring public trust in research, reflecting on censorship attacks, political interference, and, of course, artificial intelligence. Our guests also share why information curators within and outside academia are stepping up in this moment to champion academic freedom, access to information, and research impact. Camille also touches briefly on The People’s Case for Curators, the recent guide from Sage and Sense about Science. Missed an episode? Subscribe to our monthly newsletter, Choice Podcast Updates.

In the second episode of this four-part series, Tracey Brown, Director of Sense about Science, and Camille Gamboa, AVP of Corporate Communications at Sage, reflect on key takeaways from Sage and Sense about Science’s guide on increasing public trust in research, The People’s Case for Curators. They discuss the similarities and differences between editors, librarians, and journalists in their contributions to the information landscape; despite distinct processes and criteria, each group works to get vetted information to readers. In addition, our guests explain why they want to make the invisible work of public-good curators visible and provide action steps informed by the guide on how everyone can spotlight curators’ efforts. Last, Tracey shares an optimistic outlook on the general public recognizing the contributions of information curators. Missed an episode? Subscribe to our monthly newsletter, Choice Podcast Updates.

In this month’s four-part series, we dive into public trust in science. Inspired by the recent guide The People’s Case for Curators from Sage and Sense about Science, the series investigates the need for the guide and what issues within and outside scholarly communication have compounded on each other, creating unique challenges to strengthening public trust in research. We first chat with Camille Gamboa, AVP of Corporate Communications at Sage, and Tracey Brown, Director of Sense about Science, in episodes one and two, digging into their collaboration on the guide, key takeaways, and the value of research communicators. In episodes three and four, Louis Coiffait-Gunn, CEO of the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP), joins Camille to discuss the obstacles impacting public trust in science and the key role of information professionals in combatting these issues. In this first episode, Tracey shares the mission behind Sense about Science and why the organization wanted to team up with Sage on the guide. Further, Camille and Tracey define public-good curators, explaining how librarians, research officers, and journalists each play a unique and crucial role in building public trust. Missed an episode? Subscribe to our monthly newsletter, Choice Podcast Updates.

In the second episode of our two-part series with ACRL, Whitney Kramer and Iliana Burgos, editors of Text and Data Mining Literacy for Librarians, move into the applications of Text and Data Mining (TDM). They start by highlighting key partnerships essential to TDM’s success on campus and encourage librarians to stay engaged in researcher trends and the local community. Next, they chat about licensing and legal issues, identifying how vendors are responding to the uptick in TDM practices in scholarship. Looking ahead to the future of Text and Data Mining, our guests share how TDM and AI literacies go hand-in-hand and why broader data literacy efforts prepare librarians to adapt and respond to fast-moving technology trends. Apply promo code “ACRL20C” through December 1, 2025 for 20 percent off Text and Data Mining Literacy for Librarians. Missed an episode? Subscribe to our monthly newsletter, Choice Podcast Updates, and check out the Authority File Round-Up on our blog, Open Stacks!

This fall our friends at ACRL published Text and Data Mining Literacy for Librarians, a wide-reaching text that details how librarians are using Text and Data Mining (TDM) across disciplines and levels of expertise. This month, we’re joined by two of the book’s editors, Whitney Kramer and Iliana Burgos, for a two-part series to discuss why this book is needed right now. In the series, our guests highlight the growing demand for TDM literacy among researchers and outline what makes TDM partnerships work across campus. Further, they chat about licensing agreements and copyright in relation to TDM, practical case studies in the book, and how TDM literacy might evolve from here. In this first episode, Whitney and Iliana reveal that they started this project with their coeditor Evan Muzzall in response to a gap in the literature—there was a clear lack of guidance for librarians on how to support researchers using TDM. Next, they share their working definition for Text and Data Mining and why their call for chapter proposals specifically sought out early-career writers. Last, Whitney and Iliana underscore that librarians don’t need to become TDM experts overnight, instead recommending to approach any new technology from a “learning perspective.” Apply promo code “ACRL20C” through December 1, 2025 for 20 percent off Text and Data Mining Literacy for Librarians. Missed an episode? Subscribe to our monthly newsletter, Choice Podcast Updates, and check out the Authority File Round-Up on our blog, Open Stacks!

This week we conclude our four-part series with Paul db Watkins, author of Soundin’ Canaan: Black Canadian Poetry, Music, and Citizenship, by reflecting on the power of remixing. Digging into the book’s unique design elements, Paul explains that he wanted readers to “feel a little bit like a kind of DJ themselves” through an active, auditory reading experience. We also talk about Paul’s website for the book, which offers resources like relevant poems, lectures, discussion questions, and audio files. In addition, Paul shares how he aimed to disrupt traditional scholarly communication practices by holding poetry readings, open mics, and interviews at the book’s launch events to underscore the title’s multimedia elements. Last, Paul reflects on the willingness (or lack thereof) of major musical acts to speak about political or social issues. Though perhaps not a solution to today’s ongoing crises, Paul underscores that poetry and music can act as an “antidote to apathy…[and] a catalyst for change.” Missed an episode? Subscribe to our monthly newsletter, Choice Podcast Updates, and check out the Authority File Round-Up on our blog, Open Stacks!

In the third episode of this four-part series, Paul db Watkins, author of Soundin’ Canaan: Black Canadian Poetry, Music, and Citizenship, discusses themes of citizenship and multiculturalism examined in his book. He first digs into how he uses the word “sounded,” touching on music and poetry as acts of belonging and resistance. Next, he explores his adaptation of Vincent Andrisani’s concept of “sonic citizenship.” He argues that reading and listening to the artists featured in Soundin’ Canaan is a form of sonic citizenship as the reader explores the poets’ and musicians’ lived experiences as Canadian citizens, showcasing the malleability of cultural identity and multiculturalism. In closing, Paul relates ideas of citizenship to the practice of remixing or sampling music, highlighting Somali-Canadian artist K’naan’s song “Wavin’ Flag,” which grew to global significance when used by FIFA and remixed by international artists. Missed an episode? Subscribe to our monthly newsletter, Choice Podcast Updates, and check out the Authority File Round-Up on our blog, Open Stacks!

In the second episode of this four-part series, Paul db Watkins, author of Soundin’ Canaan: Black Canadian Poetry, Music, and Citizenship, expands on the writing process of his book. To start, he shares how he applied a “DJ Methodology” to the title. Highlighting the incorporation of different types of materials—close readings, author interviews, insights on cultural history—Paul discusses how this approach foregrounds Soundin’ Canaan’s through line of the intersections between poetry, musicality, and justice. In addition, Paul reflects on the process of decentering himself to write the book, and how that relates to white scholars writing about Black literature, art, and culture. As academia remains a primarily white institution, Paul explains that his role as an instructor is to amplify Black literature, build curiosity, and resist “absolute truth” in his research. In closing, Paul spotlights several poems from his book that combine aesthetic and rhetorical qualities, including Zong! by M. NourbeSe Philip. Missed an episode? Subscribe to our monthly newsletter, Choice Podcast Updates, and check out the Authority File Round-Up on our blog, Open Stacks!

This month we welcome Paul db Watkins, Professor of English at Vancouver Island University and author of Soundin’ Canaan: Black Canadian Poetry, Music, and Citizenship. His book looks at how Black Canadian poets are influenced by Black musical artists and song, and what this creative intersection reveals about multiculturalism and citizenship. In the next four episodes we discuss Paul’s research and writing process and the influence his work as a DJ had on his approach to the book. Further, we delve into the meaning of “sonic citizenship,” incorporating playlists and liner notes in an academic text, and the importance of decentering himself to write about Black literature, art, and culture. In the first episode of this four-part series, Paul introduces us to the themes of Soundin’ Canaan. He first outlines the distinctive features of the aesthetic and rhetorical functions of poetry and music and how they intertwine and enhance one another. Next, he shares the background behind the book’s title, explaining the meaning of the term “Canaan” and how it connects to Black liberation and migration to Canada. Last, he reflects on the complexities of establishing a Black Canadian literary canon. While Paul acknowledges the value and significance of recognizing Black Canadian literary figures, he also resists the rigidity of canon formation, instead aiming “to draw attention to the power of Black voice and song in Canada.” Missed an episode? Subscribe to our monthly newsletter, Choice Podcast Updates, and check out the Authority File Round-Up on our blog, Open Stacks!

In the final episode of this four-part series, Harmen van Paradijs, Vice President STM Books Publishing & Books Business Optimization at Springer Nature, discusses future impacts of AI on academic publishing. To start, he chats about whether AI adoption has influenced submission and publication volumes at the publisher. Next, he forecasts how AI tools will shape the competitive landscape in scholarly publishing, noting that publishers’ ability and willingness to build robust AI policies will most influence the environment. Last, Harmen considers the balance between publishers implementing standardized AI policies and staying agile in the market and how AI might shape content agreements between publishers and libraries. Missed an episode? Subscribe to our monthly newsletter, Choice Podcast Updates, and check out the Authority File Round-Up on our blog, Open Stacks!

In the third episode of this four-part series, Harmen van Paradijs, Vice President STM Books Publishing & Books Business Optimization at Springer Nature, addresses research integrity in the implementation of AI in STM book publishing. First, he outlines concerns he’s hearing from libraries on collecting and dispersing quality research in this environment. Underscoring the importance of human-in-the-loop AI strategies and tools, he emphasizes that clear communication on AI use benefits libraries, authors, and publishers. Next, Harmen explains AI research integrity and ethical issues specific to STM subjects, such as protecting patient privacy when handling medical data. To close, Harmen chats about Springer’s AI detection tools currently in use. Missed an episode? Subscribe to our monthly newsletter, Choice Podcast Updates, and check out the Authority File Round-Up on our blog, Open Stacks!

In the second episode of this four-part series, Harmen van Paradijs, Vice President STM Books Publishing & Books Business Optimization at Springer Nature, discusses communicating with authors on current AI innovations. He details both anecdotal author experiences collected by editors, in addition to researcher workshops hosted by Springer to hear academics to share new ways of working. Next, Harmen explains the current AI trends he’s observed in authors and how Springer responds to and even encourages these changes. For example, the publisher offers AI-generated English language translation for manuscripts to aid authors whose native language isn’t English. Harmen also chats about tools developed by Springer that support the editing process, including a reference checker and an AI detection tool, Geppetto, which Springer donated to the STM Association this year for wider use. Missed an episode? Subscribe to our monthly newsletter, Choice Podcast Updates, and check out the Authority File Round-Up on our blog, Open Stacks!

This past June we looked at innovation in Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS) publishing. This month, we turn our attention to advancements in book publishing in the Sciences. Joining us for the next four episodes is Harmen van Paradijs, Vice President STM Books Publishing & Books Business Optimization at Springer Nature, who shares Springer’s publishing strategies in the evolving landscape. Examining AI’s impact on scholarly communication workflows, Harmen reflects on authors’ adoption of AI tools, potential standardization of AI policies, and concerns from libraries on research integrity and AI. In this first episode, Harmen provides a broad look at Springer’s approach to innovative publishing in the Sciences, including examples of the publisher updating its manuscript submission process and procedure for alt text creation to better meet author needs. In addition, Harmen talks open access, advocating for frequent communication with authors on available OA pathways and funding opportunities. Last, Harmen chats about digital book publishing in STEM; although Springer makes all books available as an ebook and in print no matter the discipline, he acknowledges that STEM authors tend to be more comfortable working in digital formats. Missed an episode? Subscribe to our monthly newsletter, Choice Podcast Updates, and check out the Authority File Round-Up on our blog, Open Stacks!

In the final episode of this series, our guests reflect on why today’s political, economic, and social context necessitates the need for libraries to effectively communicate their value on campus. First, Hilary Craiglow, Library Consulting Practice Lead at Attain Partners, Emily McElroy, Vice President of Academic Relations at Taylor & Francis, and Jeffrey Gold, President of the University of Nebraska System, highlight what libraries are currently up against and what they can do to demonstrate their contributions to an institution’s mission, instructional aims, and research enterprise. Next, Emily shares her experience leading library workers, underscoring why all staff need to be able to explain the library’s strengths and solutions. Last, Hilary and Jeff expand on this point, exploring the benefits of strong narratives attached to metrics and a campus culture aligned by shared values and goals. Missed an episode? Subscribe to our monthly newsletter, Choice Podcast Updates, and check out the Authority File Round-Up on our blog, Open Stacks!

In the third episode of this four-part series, our guests dig into the task of communicating the library’s value across campus. First, Hilary Craiglow, Library Consulting Practice Lead at Attain Partners, and Emily McElroy, Vice President of Academic Relations at Taylor & Francis, chat about the need to “lift the curtain” on library work; rather than making invisible the time, effort, and coordination required to secure resources and provide services, librarians should demonstrate how detailed and essential their work truly is. Further, Emily, Hilary, and Jeffrey Gold, President of the University of Nebraska System, continue on that thread by sharing why librarians must know how to tell their library’s story, signaling their position as a strategic partner and leader at the institution. Finally, Emily and Jeff explore the importance of library donors. Discussing how to maintain these crucial relationships, Emily and Jeff highlight tips for engagement and campus initiatives made possible through philanthropy. Missed an episode? Subscribe to our monthly newsletter, Choice Podcast Updates, and check out the Authority File Round-Up on our blog, Open Stacks!