AIML Capacity Building Program
Beyond the Algorithm Reading Club
Starting September 2025, the Beyond the Algorithm Reading Club is a professional development series offered by the OCUL Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Initiative. The reading club is hosted every other month, from September 2025 to July 2026.
Hosted by AIML Program Manager, Kari D. Weaver, and AIML Program Director, Catherine Steeves, Beyond the Algorithm examines ethical dimensions of AI through a preselected reading, a recorded conversation with an expert guest, and virtual community discussions.
You can also bring Beyond the Algorithm to your own institution! You're welcome to repurpose the curated readings, recordings and discussion questions to host your own local version of the reading club.
September 2025 - AI and Human Rights
November 2025 - AI Literacy, Values, and Affect
AI Tools for Academic Libraries
Launched in partnership with Choice's LibTech Insights, this openly published article series aims to navigate the evolving and exciting terrain of AI tools. Each bimonthly installment will offer a clear, practical look at a specific category of tools, such as research assistants, time management optimizers, and transcription services.
August 2025 - AI Research Assistants
October 2025 - AI Programming and Coding Tools
December 2025 - AI Task Management Tools
February 2026 - AI Speech-to-Text Models
April 2026 - AI-Assisted Video Creation and Editing
June 2026 - AI Metadata Extraction
OCUL AI Exchange Program
The OCUL AI Exchange is a professional development program designed to foster cross-institutional learning and collaboration around artificial intelligence (AI) in academic libraries. This program invites individuals from member libraries to share locally developed AI-related training and expertise with colleagues across the province with individual program offerings available throughout 2026.
March 2026 - Emerging AI Applications in Digitization and Accessibility Workflows
April 2026 - Developing AI Fluency: A Library-led Workshop Model
June 2026 - Leveraging AI in Video Production/Utilisation de l’IA dans la production de vidéo
August 2026 - Scaling Up Library Workflows with AI-Assisted Coding Solutions
Submit a proposal for the OCUL AI Exchange
AIML Focus Groups 2026
As a recommendation emerging from the AIML Survey (2025), the OCUL AIML Initiative is holding a series of focus groups to explore the thoughts, feelings, and experiences of library workers in Ontario universities with artificial intelligence and machine learning in greater depth. Focus group will take place online and, by invitation, in person at some member libraries in the first half of 2026. Focus group insights will be analysed and used to generate a report to be shared with OCUL membership. A community drop in discussion will be held for the OCUL membership to discuss findings from the focus groups following publication of the report.
Online focus groups concluded in early March 2026. Focus groups in-person at select member libraries will take place in April through June 2026 at the invitation of the OCUL Director or their designee.
AIML Survey 2025
In May 2025, the AIML Initiative conducted a survey to explore the thoughts, feelings, and experiences of library workers in Ontario universities with artificial intelligence and machine learning. Read the for information on these important findings. A community drop in discussion was held to share and discuss findings from the survey in October 2025. Review the for additional information.