Christian Schmidt, M.A. LIS
Librarian Research Associate | Kula: Library Futures Academy University of Victoria Libraries | Victoria, BC
I am a librarian, researcher, and educator driven by a single conviction: knowledge is a common good. Libraries are among the most powerful institutions we have for making that belief real — spaces where access to information is not a privilege but a right, regardless of who you are or where you come from.
My work spans open scholarship, AI literacy, and digital innovation in libraries. What connects it all is a commitment to removing barriers — whether they are paywalls, technological divides, or social exclusion — so that knowledge can serve everyone.
Open Scholarship & Access
Breaking down barriers to research and information. I have led open access transformation initiatives, managed acquisitions consortia, and published on how libraries can resist predatory publishing and fight misinformation. Open access is not just a policy — it is a question of justice.
AI Literacy & Education
Emerging technologies should empower, not exclude. I teach AI literacy, prompt engineering, and citizen science skills at two German universities, and I co-chair a Community of Practice on AI application for librarians at UVic. My goal is to make sure that understanding AI is not reserved for technologists but available to researchers, students, and the public.
Libraries as Public Infrastructure
Libraries are more than collections — they are the infrastructure of an informed society. My research on homeless people as library patrons examined what it means to truly keep knowledge unconditionally accessible. At Kula: Library Futures Academy, I work on building the future of libraries as inclusive public institutions.
Digital Preservation & Innovation
Knowledge only remains a common good if it endures. I teach digitalization and long-term preservation, and my work in digital library innovation focuses on ensuring that today’s scholarship remains accessible for future generations.
Selected Publications
- Schmidt, C. (2019). Homeless People as Library Patrons. In Public Library 2030.
- Schmidt, C. (2023). UVic Libraries, AI & Student Success. CIRCULATION, Fall 2023.
- Schmidt, C. (2019). Fake Science … and how libraries can intervene. BuB, 71(4).
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