BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
PRODID:-//BCLA - ECPv6.18.1//NONSGML v1.0//EN
CALSCALE:GREGORIAN
METHOD:PUBLISH
X-WR-CALNAME:BCLA
X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://stg-httpsbclaconnectca-staging.kinsta.cloud
X-WR-CALDESC:Events for BCLA
REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H
X-Robots-Tag:noindex
X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H
BEGIN:VTIMEZONE
TZID:America/Vancouver
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0800
TZOFFSETTO:-0700
TZNAME:PDT
DTSTART:20250309T100000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0700
TZOFFSETTO:-0800
TZNAME:PST
DTSTART:20251102T090000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0800
TZOFFSETTO:-0700
TZNAME:PDT
DTSTART:20260308T100000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0700
TZOFFSETTO:-0700
TZNAME:MST
DTSTART:20261101T090000
END:STANDARD
END:VTIMEZONE
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Vancouver:20261125T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Vancouver:20261125T110000
DTSTAMP:20261005T155427Z
CREATED:20260917T200544Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261005T155427Z
UID:10000021-1795600800-1795604400@stg-httpsbclaconnectca-staging.kinsta.cloud
SUMMARY:Critical AI Programming in Libraries - Q&A with Hannah Cyrus
DESCRIPTION:Hannah Cyrus\, Digital Media Librarian at Bangor Public Library in Maine\, will give a brief presentation about the creation and implementation of her popular “Avoiding AI” programs\, which teach patrons what generative AI is\, how it works\, what the major concerns are with it\, and how to disable AI functions on different devices and platforms. \nAfter sharing information about the ethos and logistics of running critical AI programs\, such as having Management on board\, Hannah will take questions from attendees\, both submitted in advance and asked live\, and host a discussion among participants about issues related to critical AI literacy in libraries of all sizes and types. \nConsider viewing Hannah’s free webinars from Niche Academy in advance including “Refusal as Instruction: Breaking Up with Big Tech” and “Refusal as Instruction: Talking to Patrons about AI” (live on September 30th) or reading her article from Information Technology and Libraries\, “Refusal as Instruction.” \nRegister Today!\nPresenter: Hannah Cyrus (she/her) is a reference librarian with a focus on technology instruction and digital privacy. Her work often centers around patrons concerned about their accounts or devices being compromised\, overwhelmed with junk email and spam phone calls\, and concerned by the ubiquitous creepiness of online surveillance capitalism. She is a member of the Library Freedom Project\, and recipient of the 2026 Jim Campbell Intellectual Freedom Award from the Maine Library Association. \n 
URL:https://stg-httpsbclaconnectca-staging.kinsta.cloud/event/critical-ai-programming-in-libraries/
LOCATION:Virtual
CATEGORIES:Artificial Intelligence,Public Library Training
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://stg-httpsbclaconnectca-staging.kinsta.cloud/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/HannahCyrus-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Vancouver:20261209T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Vancouver:20261209T111500
DTSTAMP:20261007T172338Z
CREATED:20260811T195204Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20261007T172338Z
UID:10000012-1796810400-1796814900@stg-httpsbclaconnectca-staging.kinsta.cloud
SUMMARY:What's Ahead in AI: Signal\, Noise and the Coming Year for Libraries
DESCRIPTION:Every few months brings a new wave of AI announcements\, and it can feel like the ground shifts before you’ve had a chance to stand on it. This keynote takes a breath. Avery Swartz looks back at how AI has changed libraries over the past few years\, separates the developments that mattered from the ones that didn’t\, and offers her read on what’s coming in the year ahead. Expect a candid look at the hype cycle\, a few predictions to keep an eye on\, and a reminder that a library’s judgement about what serves its community is still the most valuable thing in the room. \nOutcomes: \n\nLearn to tell the difference between a capability shift in AI and marketing noise\nLeave with a short list of things to watch in the year ahead\, and the reasoning behind each\nBuild confidence in evaluating your library’s AI use\n\nRegister Today!\nCost: We gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Province of British Columbia through the Ministry of Housing & Municipal Affairs\, which enables us to offer our BCLA Year-End Keynote speaker free of charge. \nWho should attend: Library workers at any comfort level with AI\, including skeptics \nPresenter bio: Avery Swartz is an acclaimed tech educator and best-selling author. She is the founder and CEO of Camp Tech\, which has been delivering practical tech and AI skills training since 2012. She is also co-lead of AI Skills Lab Canada\, a national program bridging the AI gender adoption gap for women and non-binary entrepreneurs. Avery works with arts and culture organizations\, public libraries\, museums\, and nonprofits across Canada\, including the National Arts Centre and the Stratford Festival\, to adopt AI with confidence. Avery is the resident tech contributor on CTV Your Morning and is regularly heard on CBC Radio. She also hosted the AI Meets World podcast from Microsoft and The Globe and Mail Content Studio. \nBCLA events are all Pacific Time\, hosted online via Zoom\, which includes closed captioning. If you have any accessibility needs to attend these sessions\, please contact Natalie Porter\, BCLA Professional Development Coordinator in advance and BCLA will do our best to support you. \nBCLA expects anyone attending to honour the Online Community Guidelines\, to help create a positive environment that values accountability\, respect\, and a willingness to learn from each other.
URL:https://stg-httpsbclaconnectca-staging.kinsta.cloud/event/whats-ahead-in-ai-signal-noise-and-the-coming-year-for-libraries/
LOCATION:Virtual
CATEGORIES:Artificial Intelligence
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://stg-httpsbclaconnectca-staging.kinsta.cloud/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Avery-Swartz-1.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="BC Library Association":MAILTO:prodev@bcla.bc.ca
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR