My sincerest apologies for the error in the subject of the original messages related to this post! The appropriate subject is: "Outside the Black Box: AI Shedding Light for AV Cataloging."
Descriptive Notes is pleased to share the first post in our AI & Description Series, on the topic of using AI as a tool to assist in processing audiovisual materials by Owen King, Caroline Mango, Raananah Sarid-Segal, and Miranda Villesvik, entitled "Outside the Black Box: AI Shedding Light for AV Cataloging." You can find the blogpost here: https://saadescription.wordpress.com/2026/04/21/outside-the-black-box-ai-shedding-light-for-av-cataloging/
In the post, the authors describe a human-led, AI-assisted video cataloging workflow they have developed to process the 150,000 tapes digitized as part of a Mellon Foundation grant for the American Archive of Public Broadcasting. Their workflow seeks to use AI to remove "the mechanical friction of locating information," rather than devaluing the skills of the archivists working on the project. Please see the full post, "Outside the Black Box: AI Shedding Light for AV Cataloging."
Descriptive Notes is soliciting additional submissions for our series on AI and archival description. Our hope is to provide space for conversation and multiple perspectives on the topic of AI and description. We welcome case studies, editorial or perspective pieces, situated around questions such as: Are you using AI as a tool for archival description? If so, what specific work are you attempting/accomplishing with it? What have you found to be the benefits and challenges? If you've chosen not to use AI in your descriptive practice, what factors or concerns have influenced that decision, and what challenges or pressures are you encountering as a result? Descriptive Notes is looking for articles, case studies, and other posts related to the how, what, and why (or why not) of AI and description to share with our readership. Posts may consider themes such as: the descriptive workflows or projects into which you've integrated generative AI, the challenges of implementing AI, guidelines or guardrails for using generative AI in description, how you've advocated for or against the use of AI in your descriptive practice … and more!
Submit your pitches or interest in contributing to the policy post to saadescription@gmail.com.
You can read more on our submission guidelines here: https://saadescription.wordpress.com/guidelines/.
We are also still interested in receiving submissions for any of our existing series, as well as any announcements or updates, conference dispatches, history and heritage month-related posts, as well as our longtime favorite finding aids pieces.
Best,
Betts Coup
Blog Editor, Descriptive Notes
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Betts Coup
Head of Archival Operations
Technical Services for Archives & Special Collections
Harvard University
Cambridge, MA
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