TikTok! Used regularly by over half the US population, why do so many either love or loathe TikTok? Is it simply a fun and terrific platform for creating, sharing, and consuming content? Is it an addictive, mental health hazard destroying America’s youth? Is it a major national security threat of Chinese infiltration? Is it all of the above…and more?

 We first discussed TikTok two years ago in Episode 15 (Feb 2022): Life, the Universe and Everything Social Media. But now it demands a closer look as use continues to skyrocket, its impact on US culture is undeniable, and federal and state governments seek to control or ban its use. So, hickory dickory dock. Join us as we run up (and down) the TikTok clock. 

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In this episode, we return to one of our favorite topics– the new AI. But rather than focus on the latest “gee whiz” or OMG capabilities, we turn to the societal implications and impact side of the topic. Dave raised this topic wondering if it’s another case of, “this is why we can't have nice things anymore.” Why is it that for world-changing technologies over the past half-century that held great promise for the betterment of humanity (e.g., personal computers, the Internet, the World Wide Web, search, mobile devices, social media) instead wound up adding stress to personal and professional lives, widening economic and social inequality, and became new tools for scams and crime. Is Dave right or is it possible that we can be realistic but optimistic about AI, that is, to be good information people with a necessary critical view - not a tech bro nor a Luddite.

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What could be less controversial than school libraries? School libraries - dedicated to children and American values. School libraries- keeping school information collections & technology up-to-date and secure. School librarians - seeking to  promoting literacy and ensuring that students gain essential information & technology skills. Mom, apple pie, and school libraries, right?

 Wrong. School libraries are being challenged across the country with politically-motivated, organized book bans in the thousands along with efforts to demonize libraries and librarians (including the American Library Association). At the same time, we see significant declines in the number of schools that have professional school librarians and libraries. But, school librarians are one of the the only group of educators directly charged with addressing the serious information & technology issues facing children and their parents and teachers; issues like social media use, mis/dis-information, information access & use, AI, and critical information & technology skills. What gives? As Scooby would say, “Ruh roh!!”

In this episode we take a look at the current and future situation of school library programs and school librarians. Beth and Mike both come from a school library background, and Dave has been involved with K-12 education for much of his professional career. Listen in as we seek to better understand what’s going on, why, and what can be done about it.

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Information and technology are a ubiquitous part of our lives. We cannot escape. Many of us walk around with multiple devices, receiving hundreds of notifications, emails, alerts, texts each day. Much like the 2022 film Everything Everywhere All at Once  we are all navigating a multiverse of devices and information sources. We used to talk about and experience the world in real life (IRL) through our digital presences. But is it now the opposite? Do we experience our lives digitally more than in the real world? Does real life exist without the digital nowadays? 

 According to Truelist, in 2023, the average US smartphone user receives 46 app push notifications per day.* Collectively, an estimated 333 billion emails and 34 billion texts are sent and received today the average person is spending 2 hours and 24 minutes on social media while for teens in the US, the average is double that - 4.8 hours. 

 iExhausted? iOverwhelmed and scared as hell? We are too. So, In this episode we are going to take a deep breath, reflect on the situation and share our own practices and strategies, life hacks if you will, for developing healthier habits around our technology use. And of course, we emphasize how libraries can help too.

 *NOTE: The sources for any statistics, facts, or quotes offered are listed on the Libraries Lead Resources Website.

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ContentWarning: This episode includes discussions about mental health, addiction, and suicide. Listener discretion is advised. If you or someone you know is struggling with these issues, please seek professional help. It is important to prioritize your well-being and the well-being of those around you.

In this episode, we get serious about a serious problem: despondency and despair across all age groups – middle age, young adults and seniors too. For example, going against all the statistical norms, people in their middle ages are increasingly dying from suicide, drug overdoses and alcohol related illnesses. First observed in middle aged white men, the trend is now seen across gender and racial boundaries. The one predictive factor? The deaths are rising in those without 4 year college degrees. For older adults, social isolation or loneliness is associated with a 50% increased risk of developing dementia. And among youth, post-pandemic statistics point to a decrease in loneliness, but overall levels of depression have not fallen as much as one would hope. What’s the possible connection to our information-overloaded and increasingly online and technologically-mediated world? And most importantly, what can library and information professionals and institutions do to help?

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In recent weeks, Dave's gone down the AI rabbit hole and, in this episode, we’re following him. Besides using AI for creating graphics, Dave’s is using an AI app called Poe to create “answer bots” – AI chats based on one's own content. This differs from ChatGPT and others which are based on large language models of massive amounts of general content from the web. With Poe, Dave used transcripts of this podcast (Libraries Lead) to create a Libraries Lead "bot" - Lib_Leader bot - https://poe.com/Lib_Leader.  In this episode ask Beth to take Lib_Leader for a test drive, look under the hood, and consider the short- and long-term implications of this and other customizable AI tools. Riffing off of the intelligent computer HAL 9000 quote from the film 2001 – A Space Odyssey ("I afraid I can do that, Dave"), what are the implications of computer that might be able to do just about everything, that is, “I’m Afraid I CAN do that, Dave.”

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We - Beth, Mike, & Dave - are educators, so naturally we all believe deeply in the value of learning at all stages of life. We advocate for “education” as an answer to many if not most questions, problems, concerns, and issues that people face individually and collectively. But, let’s get more specific about what this really means today and tomorrow specifically in library and information science education, in formal school settings, and even more broadly in society. In this episode we delve into the nature of education as well as the various means to gaining desired knowledge and skills.

This episode also includes, in addition to our Main Topic,  our other regular features: 

• Wazzup?
• AI Watch
• Awesome Library Thingy

Enjoy!

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We’re back and where do we begin? Beth, Dave and Mike return to the podcast microphones after a summer break from recording, but certainly not a break from incredible developments in the library, information, and technology worlds. Headlines include: Not just censor, but actually close libraries! Invasion of the AIs, aka large language models (LLM). Dis-information – the new normal? Teaching – forget social media, smart phones, Zoom, and the pandemic. Is it real or is it ChatGPT? In this episode, Beth, Dave, and Mike push back - but in a positive way. How can libraries and supporters generate more and better responses to censorship and book banning? And how can we prepare communities and individuals for living in this “new AI’ world?

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Enough of the downer, doom, the sky is falling mentality that seems to pervade our lives and media. Let’s celebrate! Join us as we highlight libraries and librarians and their role in our lives. Libraries are great. Libraries are thriving. Libraries are cool. Beth, Mike, & Dave talk about why we love them and give specific examples of unique and innovative services, programs, and resources, across all types of libraries and communities. We’ll also discuss how they are actively and successfully fighting back against efforts to censor, restrict, or limit libraries and their use. 

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In this podcast episode, Beth, Mike, and Dave dive into the latest advancements in AI, including ChatGPT, Bing, Dall-E, and others. They acknowledge that the new AI technologies are complex and not simply good or bad, black or white. Instead, they explore the nuanced capabilities of these tools and their potential impact on society. The hosts discuss how these AI advancements can be used to improve various industries, such as healthcare and education, while also acknowledging the potential risks and challenges that come with these new technologies.  

Note: The above description was written by ChatGPT! Here's the prompt from Mike:

“Write a paragraph description of a podcast episode by Beth, Mike, and Dave about the new AI and capabilities including ChatGPT, Bing, Dall-E, and others. They recognize that the new AI is complicated,  not simply good or bad, black or white.”

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