Shining a Light on the 50th IAMSLIC Conference, Alexandria, Egypt

The 50th Annual IAMSLIC conference, held from October 27-31, 2024, in Alexandria, Egypt, was a remarkable event that truly lived up to its theme, "Shining a Light." Warmly hosted by the National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries (NIOF) and the AFRIAMSLIC Regional Group, this hybrid conference brought together experts and enthusiasts from around the globe, both in-person and virtually.

Conference Highlights

The conference kicked off with a warm reception at NIOF, where Dr. Abeer Elsahrity, President of NIOF, set the tone for the event with a welcoming address, followed by greetings from the conference committee, sponsors and invited dignitaries. Our hosts lavished us with a celebration cake and a local delicacies seafood meal on the gorgeous NIOF terrace, overlooking the site of the Lighthouse of Alexandria, with the evening culminating in a spectacular Egyptian Whirling Dervish dance. Geoff Timms, Tamsin Vicary and Alice Endra were all coaxed to the stage to try this meditative practice to amusing results! The following days were packed with insightful sessions, keynote speeches, engaging workshops and networking opportunities.  

Keynote Speakers and Sessions

One of the standout moments was the keynote address by Prof. Amreu Hamouda on strengthening the resilience of Egypt's Mediterranean coastal region to tsunamis and other sea level-related hazards. We saw physical evidence of this on-going effort along the Alexandrian promenade on our drive to NIOF each day. Dr. Suzan El-Gharabawy's talk on uncovering sunken treasures in Egyptian waters was also particularly captivating. 

Another highlight was Dr. Marwa Elwaki and her colleagues’ session on the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, which included an enthralling field trip to this iconic library. As librarians, visiting the place of the Great Library of Alexandria and its modern equivalent was spectacular for us. The library architecture is breath-taking, and its contents are of such vast historical significance, that it is almost impossible to comprehend the breath of history they include. The library has a fascinating museum and exhibition area. We could have easily spent the whole conference investigating the contents of the shelves! 

Main Themes and Innovative Presentations

The conference featured a diverse range of presentations that can be categorised into the following:

1. Ethics and Academic Integrity in the Age of AI, noting the work completed by Teresa de Jesús Barriga Ramírez, where she discussed the challenges posed by AI in academic and research activities, and promoting ethical practices and academic integrity. This theme and the challenges of emerging AI was address by many of the speakers through the conference, promoting lively exchanges on the topic. See more on Daryl’s talk below.

2. Sustainability and Accessibility. Helen Brown, Sally Taylor, and Matthew Vis-Dunbar spoke on reimagining our IAMSLIC Conferences and have proposed a new model to enhance sustainability and accessibility. We have successfully hosted hybrid and wholly online conferences and we need to implement the learnings to make a new conference model workable and sustainable. James Thull echoed the sustainability message in his talk, leading to a group discussion on the potential positive impact IAMSLIC could have to improve communities in the event of an in-person meeting, especially ones taking place in developing nations. 

3. Scientific Visibility and Information Management. In answer to our conference theme and in general to our role as information professionals, many of our talks addressed scientific visibility and information management. Yuriem Lezcano López highlighted the role of the library in managing the high-impact journal, Revista de Investigaciones Marinas. While Saida Messauodi introduced the new English version of the INSTM Bulletin aimed at enhancing international visibility. Michael Mogato Mosoti focused on the importance of capturing and indexing aquatic science literature in Kenya. I spoke on aligning institutional repository metadata at an all-Ireland level, and Amanda Whitmire discussed the digitisation and accessibility of historical marine data.

4. STEM Information Literacy was a distinct topic at the conference, with Geoff Timms describing courses designed to enhance information literacy among STEM students, going beyond the ‘one shot’ approach. Kristen LaBonte discussed the importance of librarians in designing rigorous literature searches and guiding systematic reviews. Staying on topic, James Thull took us to Belize and demonstrated the effectiveness of a study abroad class that teaches critical thinking and information literacy through hands-on experiences.

5. Citizen Science and Community Outreach. Sylvina Perez discussed the role of libraries in supporting citizen science initiatives in Uruguay,, and Alice Endra highlighted the library's role in disseminating information to local communities in Uganda.

6. Historical and Cultural Insights: Mohammed Deabes and Samar Sharif gave us two wonderful talks on exploring Egypt's historical contributions to knowledge and information, as well as the historical significance of maritime navigation in Egypt. We heard more from Mohammed on a lovely tour of the NIOF library and a perusal through the historical stacks. 

7. Research and Data Management is a significant topic for any librarian or educational conference. Daryl L. Superio gave us a virtual presentation on AI Indexer: Evaluating ChatGPT’s Efficiency in Indexing Aquatic Science Literature with AGROVOC Multilingual Thesaurus," evaluating the use of AI in indexing aquatic science literature. Finally, Tamsin Vicary presented an update on the OpenASFA system for managing and sharing research data.

Workshops and Field Trips

Workshops like Tamsin Vicary's OpenASFA and Jaime Fogel's Digital Asset Management provided practical insights and we could have spent a day on each if time permitted. As mentioned, the field trip to the Bibliotheca Alexandrina was a unique opportunity to explore one of the world's most renowned libraries.

Networking and Social Events

The conference also offered opportunities for networking and socialising. The AFRIAMSLIC meeting and the banquet were perfect settings for attendees to connect and share ideas. NIOF hosted a grand banquet at the Montazah Palace with an exquisite meal and an evening of musical entertainment and dancing not to be forgotten. The final day included a memorable field trip to Cairo, visiting the Great Pyramids, National Museum and night market, adding a cultural dimension to the scientific discussions.

Conclusion

Overall, the 50th IAMSLIC Conference was a resounding success, shining a light on the critical role of libraries and information centres in the aquatic and marine sciences. The blend of in-person and virtual participation ensured a wide reach, making it a truly global event. Kudos to the organising committee for putting together such a comprehensive and engaging program. Special thanks to our local librarians and hosts Mohammed Deabes and Samar Sharif who made the conference so special and looked after us so well. We will never forget your hospitality and warm welcome to your institution and to Egypt. We hope to meet again. 

Woods Hole have big shoes to fill next year!