MLA 2024 Conference

According to the American Library Association (ALA), “Privacy is essential to free inquiry in the library because it enables library users to select, access, and consider information and ideas without fear of embarrassment, judgment, punishment, or ostracism.” Additionally, in Minnesota, library users have specific privacy protections through MN Statues 13.40, Sub.2.

The Rochester Public Library (RPL) Privacy Committee--a cross divisional team of 6 formed in November 2022--utilizes the ALA Privacy Audit Guide during their evaluation process, which consists of a set of core questions including what type of data is collected, why the data is collected, who has access to the data, whether the data needs to be collected, retention/storage implications etc. with the goal of determining if changes are needed to ensure the privacy and security of customer data.

Connect with the RPL Privacy Committee as we share the framework that has been instrumental in successfully working with divisions to audit data privacy in our library. This session is intended for public libraries that are interested in learning more about data privacy and the role that libraries have in protecting private data.

Concerned about the rise of book challenges in libraries across the country? Join a group of like minded librarians to learn more about how to address these types of challenges and advocate for the right to read in your community. The American Library Association Office of Intellectual Freedom works hard to ensure that Intellectual Freedom resources, advocacy, and training are available to all. As a partner organization to ALA, the MLA Intellectual Freedom Committee and ALA-trained advocacy partners Molly Huber and Andi Bodeau have supports in place to assist any school, public, or academic library facing IF questions and challenges. Speaker Ann Kaste will share information about online resources available, such as Unite Against Book Bans, and the website the MLA IF committee is developing. Molly Huber and Andi Bodeau will discuss the training opportunities they can facilitate for anyone facing censorship, book or other intellectual freedom challenges or just wanting to learn more about how to be ready to handle them should they arise. Attendees will leave this session with a wide range of intellectual freedom supports they can use and share.

Streaming media services are increasing prices and incorporating ads. Patrons are looking for other options and your library can help! Learn about Kanopy’s wide selection of films, TV shows, documentaries and children’s content. Connect with your community by hosting movie nights or book-to-screen discussion groups using public performance rights included with a Kanopy subscription. Join Kanopy as they share strategies and experiences using a multi-model approach to increase access and alleviate challenges in the streaming media industry.

The goal of this panel is to address the impacts and implications of AI use by both users and systems/ product vendors with the focus on their effects on the libraries. We will discuss the social and ethical concerns associated with AI and initiate a conversation about how libraries can respond collectively.
The panel will start by providing the overall challenges and concerns of the generative AI use and related problems observed in libraries, highlighting specific examples and issues when users are using generative AIs for information search and vendors increasingly embedding AI functionality into products. We will discuss their impacts and implications to libraries such as the growing need for user education and the resulting growth in librarian’s workload. In exploring issues with the vendor relations and system’s transparency, we will introduce XAI (explainable AI), a recent trend in the AI field, to emphasize the importance of requiring or requesting AI products to embed explainable mechanisms so that they enable the internal process of the product can be traceable and understandable for transparency and trust.
At the end of the session, we will open up a further discussion on the role of libraries in advocating for transparency of system technology, particularly exploring ways for librarians to collectively work,to respond to the industry’s invisible utilization of AI tools as well as promote further understanding of the public.