2024 JULAC Libraries Forum (6 December 2024)

Dr MOORHOUSE has extensive experience as a teacher educator and primary school English-language teacher in Hong Kong. He is the recipient of the President’s Award for Outstanding Performance in Individual Teaching 2023 from Hong Kong Baptist University, the Early Career Teaching Award 2019 from the University of Hong Kong, and a Senior Fellow of Advance HE. His research focuses on pre-service and in-service teachers’ experiences, beliefs, and professional learning. Benjamin’s research has appeared in international journals, including System, TESOL Quarterly, RELC Journal, and ELT Journal. Benjamin was in the top 2% of cited scholars in the world in 2022, 2023, and 2024, according to Stanford.
[ presentation ]

Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) development offers huge potential to facilitate knowledge production and dissemination. Capabilities such as accurate, contextualized, and coherent instant translations enable writers to present knowledge in the languages and modalities of their choice. This could reduce the stranglehold English (and its standard forms common to academic publishing) has on knowledge production and dissemination. At the same time, these same tools have the potential to dilute and contaminate knowledge.

GenAI is shifting the current knowledge production landscape and challenging preexisting notions of integrity. In the present environment, deception seems to be preferred to the transparent use of GenAI tools. The risk of being judged as deficient or lacking integrity that an author could receive by declaring their ‘assistance’ or ‘partnership’ from GenAI outweighs the desire to be transparent. Some high-profile cases have fed these concerns.

In this talk, I argue that this current way of thinking about GenAI and knowledge production needs to change. We need to normalise the use of GenAI tools in knowledge production processes and create methodological models and frameworks that emphasis the ethical, transparent and legitimate uses of these tools in supporting researchers in their knowledge production.

Ms. Becky WU
Resource Management Librarian, Hong Kong Baptist University Library
[ presentation ]

This presentation will provide an overview of AI initiatives at HKBU Library, emphasising the innovative role that academic libraries can play in the critical adoption of these technologies. The use of library spaces for AI-related events will be explored, including an AI Playground organised in collaboration with faculty. Details will also be given on our provision of AI-powered research tools and instructional support, as well as the use of AI in various digitisation projects. Finally, efforts to invest in AI capacity building for all Library staff to enhance daily workflows will be described.

Mr. Lewis LI
Head of Instruction and Reference Services, Run Run Shaw Library, City University of Hong Kong
[ presentation ]

Recently, CityU Library has introduced various initiatives aimed at enhancing student engagement and participation. These efforts included digital services, strong branding, orientation exhibitions, learning strategies, and creative space transformations. This presentation will share our stories, highlighting the opportunities we seized, the challenges we faced, and the satisfaction we derived from cultivating a vibrant learning environment that connects with students.

This presentation showcases HKUST Library’s innovative approach to teaching AI literacy through tailored workshops. We will explore three key offerings: A course-embedded workshop on AI-assisted literature reviews for Year 3 undergraduates, a web scraping workshop using Python and AI for postgraduates, and an online workshop on emerging AI tools for literature reviews. These workshops aim to equip students with practical skills in leveraging AI for research while emphasizing ethical considerations and responsible use of AI. The presentation will highlight the design process and tools, offering replicable models for integrating AI literacy into library instructions.

Mr. Teddy LEE
Assistant Manager (Systems & Digital Services), Pao Yue-kong Library, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
[ presentation ]

As libraries undergo digital transformation, innovative technologies like AI chatbots employing natural language processing (NLP) and AI training are revolutionizing user engagement and service delivery.

The PolyU Library launched its AI chatbot with integration to Library webpage in September 2024. The chatbot is intended to serve as a useful tool for providing 24/7 enhanced self-service support to an expanding online user community. This presentation will explore the development process, challenges encountered, and lessons learnt. Observations during the implementation offering insights to improve the accuracy of responses and user experience will also be discussed.

This presentation explores the significant transformation of the Music Library and the Ko Wong Wai Ching Wendy Fine Arts Digital Library, two branches of The University of Hong Kong Libraries. The Music Library has been renovated to enhance its capacity and extend its operating hours. This initiative blended advanced digital technologies with traditional musical artifacts, resulting in a versatile learning space that caters to both music and non-music students, promoting quiet study, digital engagement, and artistic activities. Moreover, the Ko Wong Wai Ching Wendy Fine Arts Digital Library presents an eclectic array of artworks, integrating digital innovations such as holographic ballerina performances and immersive marine life art. It also showcases paintings and sculptures, offering students a distinctive platform to explore and broaden their artistic interests. The emphasis on music and fine arts within these digital library environments signifies a substantial advancement in developing comprehensive digital spaces at the University of Hong Kong Libraries.

This presentation will introduce emerging technologies adopted by EdUHK Library in supporting learning and teaching. Two CAVEs (Cave Virtual Reality Environment) have been set up in the Library’s Extended Reality Room for students and staff of the University, as well as students and teachers from local schools, to experience innovative pedagogy and teaching methods. Collaborations with academic departments further enable students to learn and play with educational game content created by themselves in the two CAVEs to obtain a new way of learning experience. Other digital services provided by the Library, including a new map navigation app and an AI Chatbot using GPT-4, will also be presented.

Ms. Race KU
Learning Support and Access Services Manager, Lingnan University Library
[ presentation ]

This presentation explores the digital transformation journey of Lingnan University (LU) Library, focusing on its strategic efforts to align with evolving user expectations. By maximising limited manpower and leveraging their expertise, LU Library has enhanced both physical and virtual spaces, encompassing access services, space management, user engagement, self-help services, integration of database guides, and optimisation of staff workflow, achieving greater user satisfaction. Attendees will gain insights into the challenges encountered, solutions implemented, and the impact on library operations and user perception.

Ms. Sue FUNG
Outreach and Engagement Librarian & Faculty Liaison Librarian (Arts & General Education), The Chinese University of Hong Kong Library
[ presentation ]

At the heart of CUHK’s mission lies a steadfast commitment to disseminate knowledge through research in a comprehensive range of disciplines, thereby serving the citizens of Hong Kong, China as a whole, and the wider world community. The CUHK Library plays a crucial role in creating a research environment that is open, inclusive, and fair. This approach is central to CUHK’s culture and aligns with the values of the academic community. Promoting Open Scholarship is a key part of the CUHK Library’s Strategic Plan, highlighting our commitment to this important movement. Starting from 2023, CUHK Library launched several open science initiatives, including Open Science webinar with SKS and UCL, Open Books Hong Kong, The libraries and university presses of The Chinese University of Hong Kong, City University of Hong Kong, and The University of Hong Kong have teamed up to launch Open Books Hong Kong, the first open access books program in Hong Kong. This initiative aims to provide more Chinese-language open access resources and promote global knowledge sharing. Diamond Open Access Megajournal Project is currently in the planning stage. This innovative project stems from strategic discussions between CUHK Library and CNKI (China National Knowledge Infrastructure). Inspired by successful models like UCL Open: Environment, our goal is to create a bilingual platform for sharing research in the Social Sciences, Arts, and Humanities.

Since the launch of ChatGPT in November 2022, there has been an explosion in the number of research tools that leverage generative and other forms of AI. Building on our traditional role as providers of research tools, academic libraries have moved to support these types of tools as well. However, their rapid proliferation and evolution makes it challenging to assess them adequately. This presentation reports on an effort by the Learning Strategies Committee to collaborate on AI-powered research tool assessment by creating a shared framework, distributing the assessment load, and sharing our findings.