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“One can imagine one’s making a conscious choice” : AI and algorithmic awareness among Swedish public librarians

Hogan, Ben LU (2023) ABMM54 20231
Division of ALM and Digital Cultures
Abstract
In this thesis I provide insight into how librarians at public libraries perceive, understand, and interact with algorithms and AI in relation to their profession. My main focus lies in how librarians’ perceptions of algorithms and AI ultimately shape their actions. To achieve this aim I take my starting point from their privately held views of algorithms and AI. The material for the thesis is gathered by conducting qualitative interviews with seven public librarians in Skåne. I take a sociotechnical approach to my material and analyse my findings with the help of infrastructure theory and the algorithmic imaginary. Infrastructure theory is used to make visible the often hidden digital information infrastructure of algorithms and AI, while... (More)
In this thesis I provide insight into how librarians at public libraries perceive, understand, and interact with algorithms and AI in relation to their profession. My main focus lies in how librarians’ perceptions of algorithms and AI ultimately shape their actions. To achieve this aim I take my starting point from their privately held views of algorithms and AI. The material for the thesis is gathered by conducting qualitative interviews with seven public librarians in Skåne. I take a sociotechnical approach to my material and analyse my findings with the help of infrastructure theory and the algorithmic imaginary. Infrastructure theory is used to make visible the often hidden digital information infrastructure of algorithms and AI, while the algorithmic imaginary is used to draw out and analyse my participants’ views and understandings of the technologies. My participants’ interactions with algorithms through their patrons show that librarians are in a unique position to view the effects of the invisible infrastructure of algorithms, all while being aware of algorithms themselves. In contrast, I identify AI as a mostly invisible infrastructure to the participants in relation to their profession. However, even if the technologies are invisible, my participants still act according to them. What emerges is a view of AI and algorithms that is contextual and depend on where the librarians interact with them, professionally or privately. This view leads to contextual actions dependent on the circumstances the librarians find themselves in. (Less)
Abstract (Swedish)
I denna uppsats ger jag en inblick i hur bibliotekarier på folkbibliotek uppfattar, förstår och interagerar med algoritmer och AI i relation till sitt yrke. Mitt främsta fokus ligger på hur bibliotekariernas uppfattningar av algoritmer och AI i slutändan formar deras handlingar. För att uppnå detta syfte tar jag min utgångspunkt i deras personliga syn på algoritmer och AI. Materialet för denna uppsats har samlats in genom kvalitativa intervjuer med sju folkbibliotekarier i Skåne. Jag tillämpar ett sociotekniskt tillvägagångssätt för att ta mig an mitt material och analyserar mina resultat med hjälp av infrastrukturell teori och the algorithmic imaginary. Infrastrukturell teori används för att synliggöra den ofta gömda digitala... (More)
I denna uppsats ger jag en inblick i hur bibliotekarier på folkbibliotek uppfattar, förstår och interagerar med algoritmer och AI i relation till sitt yrke. Mitt främsta fokus ligger på hur bibliotekariernas uppfattningar av algoritmer och AI i slutändan formar deras handlingar. För att uppnå detta syfte tar jag min utgångspunkt i deras personliga syn på algoritmer och AI. Materialet för denna uppsats har samlats in genom kvalitativa intervjuer med sju folkbibliotekarier i Skåne. Jag tillämpar ett sociotekniskt tillvägagångssätt för att ta mig an mitt material och analyserar mina resultat med hjälp av infrastrukturell teori och the algorithmic imaginary. Infrastrukturell teori används för att synliggöra den ofta gömda digitala informationsinfrastrukturen bakom algoritmer och AI, medan the algorithmic imaginary används för att belysa och analysera mina deltagares syn och förståelse för teknikerna. Mina deltagares interaktioner med algoritmer genom deras låntagare visar på att bibliotekarier är i en unik position för att se effekterna av algoritmers osynliga infrastruktur, allt medan de samtidigt själva förblir medvetna om algoritmer. I motsats till detta identifierar jag AI som en mestadels osynlig infrastruktur för mina intervjuobjekt i relation till deras yrke. Däremot, även om teknikerna är osynliga handlar fortfarande mina deltagare i förhållande till dem. Det som framkommer är en syn på AI och algoritmer som något kontextuellt samt beroende av var bibliotekarierna interagerar med dessa, professionellt eller privat. Denna syn leder till kontextuella handlingar beroende på den situation som bibliotekarierna befinner sig i. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Hogan, Ben LU
supervisor
organization
course
ABMM54 20231
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
Library, Information, Library and Information Studies, algorithms, AI, algorithmic awareness, algorithmic imaginary, infrastructure theory
language
English
id
9119358
date added to LUP
2023-06-20 13:41:01
date last changed
2023-06-20 13:41:01
@misc{9119358,
  abstract     = {{In this thesis I provide insight into how librarians at public libraries perceive, understand, and interact with algorithms and AI in relation to their profession. My main focus lies in how librarians’ perceptions of algorithms and AI ultimately shape their actions. To achieve this aim I take my starting point from their privately held views of algorithms and AI. The material for the thesis is gathered by conducting qualitative interviews with seven public librarians in Skåne. I take a sociotechnical approach to my material and analyse my findings with the help of infrastructure theory and the algorithmic imaginary. Infrastructure theory is used to make visible the often hidden digital information infrastructure of algorithms and AI, while the algorithmic imaginary is used to draw out and analyse my participants’ views and understandings of the technologies. My participants’ interactions with algorithms through their patrons show that librarians are in a unique position to view the effects of the invisible infrastructure of algorithms, all while being aware of algorithms themselves. In contrast, I identify AI as a mostly invisible infrastructure to the participants in relation to their profession. However, even if the technologies are invisible, my participants still act according to them. What emerges is a view of AI and algorithms that is contextual and depend on where the librarians interact with them, professionally or privately. This view leads to contextual actions dependent on the circumstances the librarians find themselves in.}},
  author       = {{Hogan, Ben}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{“One can imagine one’s making a conscious choice” : AI and algorithmic awareness among Swedish public librarians}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}