On the last Thursday of each month, the Innovation & Technology Round Table (ITRT) of the Texas Library Association (TLA) is hosting a series of FREE half-hour Zoom “Tech Chats” featuring the innovative, award-winning work of Texas libraries and some quick overviews of the latest emerging technologies. All Texas library staff are welcome to attend. Email hstokes@tsl.texas.gov to register.
Here’s what the ITRT Tech Chat schedule looks like for the next few months:
Circulating AI Maker Kits
Thursday, June 30 from 12:00 p.m. to 12:30 p.m (30 minutes)
Artificial intelligence (AI) specialists will be one of the top 10 emerging roles in the jobs landscape. Learn how Frisco Public Library is empowering new AI learners for the future with their approach of circulating Maker Kit boxes, teaching accessible AI classes, and holding outreach events. Winner of the Urban Libraries Council (ULC)’s 2019 Top Innovator Award for Customer Experience.
Guest speaker: Thomas Finley, Adult Services Manager, from Frisco Public Library, Frisco, TX
Read more: ULC Top Innovator Award, Customer Experience: “Making Artificial Intelligence Approachable“
Please contact Henry Stokes (2020-21 ITRT Chair) at hstokes@tsl.texas.gov to receive the TLA Zoom meeting link.
Data Mining Syllabi for Information Literacy
Thursday, July 28 from 12:00 p.m. to 12:30 p.m (30 minutes)
Come meet the brand new winners of the 2022 ALA Library Instruction Round Table Award! A Baylor Libraries’ team of librarians used text-data mining to find information literacy related terms and phrases within syllabi. This innovation helped locate new opportunities to provide support to faculty and instructors through information literacy instruction while also increasing instructional outreach and awareness across campus. Join us in congratulating the team as they take their victory lap back in their home field of Texas after being presented their award in late June at the ALA annual conference in D.C.
Guest speakers: Amy James, director of instruction and information literacy, Joshua Been, director of data and digital scholarship, Beth Farwell, director of arts and special collections research, from Baylor University Libraries, Waco, TX
Read more: ALA News: Baylor University Libraries presented the LIRT 2022 Innovation in Instruction Award
Please contact Henry Stokes (2020-21 ITRT Chair) at hstokes@tsl.texas.gov to receive the TLA Zoom meeting link.
Emerging Tech Innovation Round-Up
Thursday, August 25 from 12:00 p.m. to 12:30 p.m (30 minutes)
Incorporating the latest predictions from futurists, TSLAC’s Library Technology Consultant Henry Stokes will provide a fun and lighthearted whirlwind tour of the latest emerging technology trends soon to be radically transforming our lives – and how libraries may play a role.
Guest speaker: Henry Stokes, Library Technology Consultant, Texas State Library and Archives Commission, Austin, TX
Please contact Henry Stokes (2020-21 ITRT Chair) at hstokes@tsl.texas.gov to receive the TLA Zoom meeting link.
Library Drone Club
Thursday, September 29 from 12:00 p.m. to 12:30 p.m (30 minutes)
Since 2019, University of Texas at Arlington students, faculty and staff can join the library’s Drone Club and learn how to 3D print, assemble, program and pilot quadcopter drones using Raspberry Pi, Navio2 and Ardupilot. Besides lending drones, the library is assisting club members to organize and design a First Person Video (FPV) quadcopter race.
Guest speaker: Martin K. Wallace, Experiential Learning Librarian, and Khoa Nguyen, Drone Lending Coordinator, from The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX
Read more: Drones at UTA Libraries
Please contact Henry Stokes (2020-21 ITRT Chair) at hstokes@tsl.texas.gov to receive the TLA Zoom meeting link.
To attend:
Please contact Henry Stokes (2020-21 ITRT Chair) at hstokes@tsl.texas.gov to receive the TLA Zoom meeting link.
For past ITRT Tech Chat recordings and to learn more about the round table, please visit our ITRT About page.
