iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

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JSTOR @jstor.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

Conversations about #AI in libraries are conversations about responsibility. In College & Research Libraries News (@ala-acrl.bsky.social), Russell Michalak, Trevor A. Dawes, & Ava Wallace consider how librarians can help students approach AI with critical judgment. Read: bit.ly/4vqVuMx

Red JSTOR Digital Stewardship Services graphic with a quote from Ava Wallace: “Literacy does not only mean how to use something; it also means how to think critically about it, how to assess its accuracy, and how to determine when it is or is not an appropriate tool to turn to.” The quote is attributed to Ava Wallace, MLIS student at San José State University.

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Russell Michalak @rsmichalak.bsky.social · 24/04/2026

As AI changes how we assess student learning, podcasting offers something powerful: voice, reflection, research, and authentic expression. We write about faculty–library partnerships, podcasting, and human-centered assessment in the age of AI. Link 🔗👉 www.tandfonline.com/eprint/WQPCG...

tandfonline.com

Sound Learning: Partnering with Faculty to Expand Expression in the Age of AI

As generative artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes academic writing and assessment, library leaders are increasingly called upon to support faculty in rethinking how students demonstrate authentic...

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Reposted by Russell Michalak

NISO @nisoinfo.bsky.social · 11/03/2026

Thank you to @danielayala.com Meredith McFadden, Sharesly Rodriguez, Katie Shilton, & moderator @rsmichalak.bsky.social for today's webinar on using #AI responsibly & ensuring AI policies reflect organizational values! Monthly webinars are free to NISO members! For more info: niso.org/join

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NISO @nisoinfo.bsky.social · 03/03/2026

Explore what responsible #AI adoption looks like in our next webinar, To AI or Not to AI: The Ethics of AI Use (Mar 11)! @rsmichalak.bsky.social will lead the discussion w/ @danielayala.com Merredith McFadden, Katie Shilton & Sharesly Rodriguez. FREE for NISO members: www.niso.org/events/ai-or...

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NISO @nisoinfo.bsky.social · 26/02/2026

What does responsible #AI adoption look like in practice? Join us Wed. March 11 at 11:00 am ET for "To AI or Not to AI: The Ethics of AI use" with @rsmichalak.bsky.social Meredith McFadden (Northeastern Univ) and Katie Shilton (UMd). FREE for NISO members: www.niso.org/events/ai-or...

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Reposted by Russell Michalak

Lauren Pressley @laurenpressley.bsky.social · 25/02/2026

We have differentiated vocabulary for literacy: reading critically, reading for pleasure, reading for research. We don't have that yet for AI. That absence isn't neutral: laurenpressley.com/library/2026...

laurenpressley.com

The Categorical Collapse of AI – What Libraries Are For

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Russell Michalak @rsmichalak.bsky.social · 25/02/2026

Higher ed organizations love to talk about belonging. But belonging doesn’t start there. It starts with inclusion.

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Russell Michalak @rsmichalak.bsky.social · 23/02/2026

We talk about psychological safety in higher ed. But here’s the uncomfortable question: What happens when the leader isn’t psychologically safe in their own head?

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Russell Michalak @rsmichalak.bsky.social · 16/02/2026

Well… it’s finally happening. I’m honored to be a candidate for ACRL vice-president/president-elect. Seeing the C&RL News article makes it feel very real.

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Russell Michalak @rsmichalak.bsky.social · 13/02/2026

🧵 Call for Proposals 1/ 📣 We’re seeking chapter proposals for an edited collection: Cultivating Personal Meaning: Reframing Success and Thriving in Academic Librarianship (ACRL Press) Edited by Russell Michalak & Trevor A. Dawes

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Russell Michalak @rsmichalak.bsky.social · 23/01/2026

Sharing some news: I’m running for ACRL President-Elect. Feeling grateful, excited, and very aware of the responsibility that comes with caring for a professional community like this one.

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Russell Michalak @rsmichalak.bsky.social · 21/01/2026

🧵 Breaking Library Echo Chambers 1/ Academic libraries talk about innovation—but our structures often work against it. Echo chambers don’t form because librarians lack imagination. They form because institutions reward familiarity over connection.

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Russell Michalak @rsmichalak.bsky.social · 15/01/2026

Many librarians—especially those working solo or in very small teams—can end up in echo chambers without realizing it. When you don’t have colleagues to think things through with, isolation can quietly take hold.

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Reposted by Russell Michalak

Charleston Hub @chashub.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

Goldey-Beacom College is a teaching college. Want to teach our students between freemium and paid for #AI tools — if you’re not paying, you’re giving data away for free. And that AI is a choice — they don’t have to use it. @rsmichalak.bsky.social #chsconf2025

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Charleston Hub @chashub.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

One of the biggest worries students have is putting their own IP into an AI that can train the model on their own data. @rsmichalak.bsky.social #chsconf2025

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Charleston Hub @chashub.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

Some takeaways from @rsmichalak.bsky.social: -Library-licensed adoption -Student-centered, faculty-flexible approach -Ethics embedded -Democratization of access for equitable AI access #chsconf2025

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Reposted by Russell Michalak

NISO @nisoinfo.bsky.social · 22/08/2025

How are academic libraries helping students & researchers use #AI responsibly? Find out at #NISOPlus25 in the session Generative AI in Higher Ed: Libraries Leading Ethical Adoption w/Denice Lewis (@zsrlibrary.bsky.social) @rsmichalak.bsky.social & Elias Tzoc (Clemson Univ). niso.plus/niso-plus-20...

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Russell Michalak @rsmichalak.bsky.social · 07/08/2025

🎉 Some big news to share! I’ve been announced as a candidate for ACRL Vice-President/President-Elect for 2026! It’s an incredible honor to be considered for this leadership role with an organization that’s shaped so many of our careers in academic librarianship.

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Russell Michalak @rsmichalak.bsky.social · 11/04/2025

1/ Gossip gets a bad rap—but what if it isn’t always toxic? In our newest blog at Inclusive Knowledge Solutions, we explore how academic librarians can use informal talk to build trust and spark collaboration. 🧵

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NISO @nisoinfo.bsky.social · 09/04/2025

Thank you speakers @davidmellor.bsky.social @rouhiroo.bsky.social & @aarontay.bsky.social for a lively discussion of the future of #OpenAccess! Special shoutout to moderator @rsmichalak.bsky.social for coordinating the program. See niso.org/events for upcoming webinars in our monthly series!

Screen capture of a Zoom call with images of four speakers: Rusty Michalak, David Mellor, COS, Aaron Tay, and Sara Rouhi

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Reposted by Russell Michalak

EveryLibrary @everylibrary.bsky.social · 09/04/2025

Maya Angelou's "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" was among the 381 books that were recently removed from the U.S. Naval Academy's Nimitz Library, according to a list released by the Navy Friday. www.axios.com/2025/04/06/n...

axios.com

381 books removed from the Naval Academy Library

Maya Angelou's "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" was among the 381 books that were removed.

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Reposted by Russell Michalak

Chronicle of Higher Education @chronicle.com · 07/04/2025

With CIA help, writers were enlisted to battle both Communism and eggheaded abstraction. The damage to writing lingers. chroni.cl/4iTCUaw

chroni.cl

How Iowa Flattened Literature

With help from the CIA, Paul Engle’s writing students battled Communism and eggheaded abstraction. The damage to writing still lingers.

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Reposted by Russell Michalak

NISO @nisoinfo.bsky.social · 07/04/2025

Join us Wednesday, April 9 (11:00 am EDT) to explore where #OpenAccess is headed post-Nelson memo! Featuring moderator @rsmichalak.bsky.social & speakers @davidmellor.bsky.social @rouhiroo.bsky.social & @aarontay.bsky.social FREE to NISO members: niso.org/events/futur...

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Russell Michalak @rsmichalak.bsky.social · 03/04/2025

If you are at ACRL, my poster on From Ethics to Execution: the role of Academic Librarians in AI policy making is up in the exhibit hall.

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Reposted by Russell Michalak

NISO @nisoinfo.bsky.social · 24/03/2025

What initiatives are driving #OpenAccess in a post-Nelson Memo world? Join our next webinar (Wed April 9 @11 am EDT) to explore with @rsmichalak.bsky.social @davidmellor.bsky.social @rouhiroo.bsky.social & @aarontay.bsky.social! Monthly webinars are free to NISO members: niso.org/events/futur...

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Russell Michalak @rsmichalak.bsky.social · 20/03/2025

1/ Exciting news! Our latest article, Fostering Ethical AI Integration in First-Year Writing, is now out in the Journal of Library Administration! 🎉 We explored how AI tools can enhance student learning while preserving academic integrity. 🧵👇

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Reposted by Russell Michalak

Electronic Frontier Foundation @eff.org · 17/03/2025

“You don’t know what information a data broker has on you, who they’re selling it to, and what the people who buy your data are doing with it,” EFF’s Lena Cohen told @gizmodo.com. “There’s a real power/knowledge asymmetry.”

gizmodo.com

Data Broker Brags About Having Highly Detailed Personal Information on Nearly All Internet Users

The advertising industry is immensely powerful, and disturbingly opaque.

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Russell Michalak @rsmichalak.bsky.social · 16/03/2025

1️⃣ New post! How can academic libraries create inclusive spaces that reflect and support all students? While DEI policies may shift, equitable access to information remains fundamental. 🧵 A thread on best practices for inclusive library design. 🏛📚 #Libraries #Accessibility

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Russell Michalak @rsmichalak.bsky.social · 14/03/2025

💡We talk a lot about self-improvement, but what if healing isn’t a solo journey? Our latest blog on Inclusive Knowledge Solutions dives into the power of connection, repair, and navigating anger in relationships. Because sometimes, the best way forward is together. 🔗 Read more: 👇

inclusiveknowledgesolutions.com

You Can’t Fix Yourself Alone: Anger, Repair, and the Power of Connection | Inclusive Knowledge Solutions

You tell yourself you can handle it. That if you just keep your head down, do your work, and stay professional, the tension will pass. But it doesn’t. Every day in your toxic academic library feels li...

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Reposted by Russell Michalak

NISO @nisoinfo.bsky.social · 11/03/2025

What's the future of open access post-Nelson Memo? Join us for our next webinar (April 19 at 11:00 am ET), when @rsmichalak.bsky.social @rouhiroo.bsky.social et al. explore what lies ahead. Monthly webinars are FREE for NISO members: niso.org/events/futur... #OpenAccess #OpenData #ScholComm

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NISO @nisoinfo.bsky.social · 18/02/2025

**Tomorrow Feb 19 at 11am EDT** Join @varnum.bsky.social Elisenda Aguilera-Cora ( @upf.edu ) Karim Boughida & Borui Zhang for the first of four webinars on how #AI is transforming the research cycle. (This one covers environmental scan & #discovery) FREE for NISO members: niso.org/events/ai-re...

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Russell Michalak @rsmichalak.bsky.social · 18/02/2025

1️⃣ When Process Fails: The Human Impact of Abrupt Layoffs 🚨 The latest wave of federal layoffs has exposed a troubling reality: employees dismissed without notice, without cause, and without due process. These decisions don’t just impact budgets—they devastate lives. 🧵

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Russell Michalak @rsmichalak.bsky.social · 12/02/2025

Honored to speak at @nisoinfo.bsky.social today on metadata, discoverability and AI in Baltimore.

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Russell Michalak @rsmichalak.bsky.social · 05/02/2025

1️⃣ Can libraries teach AI literacy and ethics, even in toxic work environments? Some say no. But that’s a fundamental misunderstanding of what librarians do. Let’s break it down. 🧵

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Russell Michalak @rsmichalak.bsky.social · 30/01/2025

The rollback of DEI programs in higher ed has left many librarians and educators asking: How do we sustain equity & inclusion in libraries without formal support? 🏛📚

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Russell Michalak @rsmichalak.bsky.social · 29/01/2025

Honored to have @rerbelding.bsky.social speak for the Americans and the Holocaust traveling exhibit at Goldey Beacom College. She did amazing job tying the college’s history into Holocaust education.

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Russell Michalak @rsmichalak.bsky.social · 23/01/2025

Culture eats strategy for breakfast. 🍳 Drucker was right—strategy can only succeed if the culture supports it. Culture is the engine, strategy the roadmap. Without the right culture, even the best plans will fail. 🚫 🧵👇

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Russell Michalak @rsmichalak.bsky.social · 15/01/2025

Did you know? In academic librarianship, pairing competence with kindness builds trust and collaboration. Alison Fragale calls it Friendly Strength, the sweet spot where leadership thrives! 💡 #AcademicLibraries #Leadership #LikeableBadass

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Russell Michalak @rsmichalak.bsky.social · 09/01/2025

🚀 Join us. On 2/26/25, I’ll be presenting Extending the Reach of OpenAthens—a session on how libraries can manage tools like Zoom, Panopto, and Grammarly within OA, transforming workflows and solidifying their role as institutional tech hubs at @openathens.bsky.social Access Lab.

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