NEWS
AI makes you lonely
A STUDY published in the Journal of Applied Psychology has found that more frequent interactions with AI at work can lead to feeling socially disconnected. Experiments in Indonesia and Malaysia found groups using more AI endured a rise in loneliness and insomnia. In Taiwan 166 engineers experienced the same but also saw a rise in after-work alcohol con- sumption.
East Cheshire cuts consultation
CHESHIRE East Council is consulting residents on revised proposals to reduce library opening hours and cut funding for new books and newspapers. Councillor Mick Warren, chair of Cheshire East Council’s environment and communities committee, said: “Having listened to the feedback (from an earlier consultation) gathered during that process, the amount of savings to be made from the library service has now been reduced.” But he said: “There is a £20m funding gap we need to fill,” adding that the new proposals “mean that all our libraries can continue to offer the wide range of services they provide… but ensure that we can also make the necessary savings”.
RLUK: proposal writing for librarian
RLUK and AHRC have launch the second round of the Research Catalyst Cohort Programme for academic librarians to make competitive applications to academic funders as research partners and leaders. Delivered by the Association of Research Managers and Administrators (ARMA) the training programme will also build relationships between the academic library and research management communities. The course gives an overview of the academic funding landscape with a pro- gramme of events and mentoring oppor- tunities to guide them through making a funding application and enable them to share this knowledge. For more visit
www.rluk.ac.uk/research-cata- lyst-cohort
6 INFORMATION PROFESSIONAL
LibraryOn’s 27 digital presence grants
TWENTY seven public library pro- jects have been awarded £1.09m in grants from LibraryOn which is the ‘shop window’ for public libraries at a national level.
The grants programme was announced in March last year with £1,080,846 to distribute as grants of between £10k and £70k.
The money is for digital projects at a local library service level that would sup- port LibraryOn’s national level aims. Grants have now been awarded
to 27 public library projects across England, varying from website develop- ments, library apps and virtual tours to artificial intelligence and search engine optimisation to improve user experience. Four projects received the full £70k grant
– two GLL projects, Leeds Libraries and Suffolk Libraries.
In the North of England, 11 projects were funded including a new website for Sun- derland Libraries to revitalise customer experience; a digital advertising campaign in Sefton; an animation and VR project working with young people in North Lin- colnshire; a new library app in Kirklees and upgraded events booking for Gates- head.
The Midlands received funding for a website refresh, virtual floor plan, photog- raphy and library app for Stoke-on-Trent; and a library app for Leicester Libraries. London had five, including a collab- oration between the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) and Camden libraries; an online discoverable
catalogue in Lambeth; and an interactive website project for Newham.
Five project in the South East won grants, including creating online assets such as photography, film and animation for West Sussex; virtual tours and photography in Surrey; and Suffolk reimagining its web- site’s user experience. In the South West of England the proj- ects included online space booking for Libraries Unlimited; a new website in Gloucestershire; and an online history and archive project for Southampton. Liz White, Head of Public Libraries and Community Engagement at the British Library, said: ‘We’re excited to see this grant award for library services in areas across England, balancing investment in core offers with a wide variety of opportunities for digital innovation, user research and shared learning about ways of working.’ Luke Burton, Director, Libraries at Arts Council England said: ‘The team has been progressing the development of the LibraryOn platform at pace over recent months and allowing digital improve- ments and potential future integrations are critical to the next steps of demonstrat- ing the value and uses of a single digital presence for public libraries in England. I look forward to seeing all of these projects progressing.’ LibraryOn is supported by Arts Coun- cil England and facilitated by the British Library. The judging panel included rep- resentatives from Arts Council England, Libraries Connected, CILIP and Good Things Foundation.
Listing bid for iconic library fails
AN iconic south London library will not be listed, despite concerns raised with His- toric England about plans for new plant equipment being installed on its roof. Campaigners from the Twentieth Cen- tury Society had called for Peckham’s Stirling Prize-winning library to be give Grade II* listed status. The Architects’ Journal, AJ, reports that the application was turned down because the library was “not under serious threat of demolition
and major alteration”. Historic England also revealed that it “would not normally be considered for listing as it has yet to stand the test of time”. Campaigners had sought protection for the 2000 Alsop & Störmer designed library, telling AJ that “a building as significant as this one demands a sensitive and consid- ered approach before any interventions are made. Recognising the building with listing at a high grade would have ensured that”.
June 2023
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