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01/23/2025
profile-icon Ben DeBiasio
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I am not an AI skeptic, necessarily. I see artificial intelligence making valuable contributions in the fields of research, the health sciences and towards more accessible design. I love technology and gadgets, and despite my feelings towards the large tech firms, I generally am still optimistic about what technology has and can do for us.

That said, I also see a trend of large (respectable?) organizations cramming AI into their products and services. A few interesting ones have stood out to me recently: Amazon's Rufus, and Reddit's Answers. I thought I would put both to the test and report back: Are these useful tools or more examples of the end of the AI hype cycle?

Disclaimer: Both of these features are currently in BETA so I am sure they will be improved or discontinued or more likely commodified at some point. Let's start with Rufus.


RUFUS

I noticed this a few weeks ago at the top left of Amazon's web page - a prominent place considering how people read the internet. After clicking on “Rufus” the following appeared on my screen:

 

 

About three months ago I searched for new work shirts, so I suppose the “Keep shopping” prompts make some sense. The fact that this is the top result is revealing. The “Compare options” suggestions were tangentially related to my previous searches but I am honestly not to sure why I would be asking Rufus to compare quilts and comforters. The suggestions in the “Learn before you buy” section was even stranger: but let's play along. I clicked “What does cocktail attire mean?” and was given the following LLM-like response:

 

 

And of course, underneath the explanation were links to various things I can buy (now that I know what cocktail attire is, of course…):

 

 

So a relatively boring rabbit hole and not too useful in my opinion, but Lets see how Rufus responds to an actual user prompt: “What is the best laptop”. When I first tried this out last week, I was honestly surprised to see a somewhat useful response about “things to consider” before buying a laptop (operating system, processor, storage, display etc.), and as I scrolled down further I saw advertisements for large laptop manufacturers. This time, it was just the adds for the largest computer brands, with the links to the products underneath. I was quite disappointed by this development.

 

 

Overall Rating: Could be somewhat useful, but in the end I do not trust the intentions or the long term stability of this product. I am also still wondering why I would ever be asking Rufus or Amazon what Cocktail Attire is. Not very fun. Not very useful.


 

Reddit Answers:

As far as I can tell Chat GPT, Claude, Perplexity, Google Overviews, and Deep Seek have all scraped Reddit to some extent to help generate their responses. Reddit obviously noticed this as well and decided to create a LLM (perhaps a medium language model?) that has been trained exclusively on Reddit posts and comments. Or as Reddit puts it, Answers is “a new way to get the information recommendations, discussion, and hot takes people are looking for - on any topic - from real conversations and communities across all of Reddit.” Hmm…

Having spent some time on Reddit, this sounded pretty interesting (and potentially horrifying…) so I wanted to test the guard rails. I started immediately with a rather loaded question: "Is Donald Trump corrupt?" I was surprised to get an actual answer which included a very Perplexity-like response that included a general overview of the topic including sections about: “Allegations of Corruption and Criminal Activity”, “Public Perception and Defense”, and “Concerns about Future Actions”.

It concluded with this: “The debate over whether Donald Trump is corrupt is complex and multifaceted, involving numerous allegations of illegal activities and concerns about his potential future actions. Opinions on Reddit reflect a wide range of perspectives, from staunch criticism to strong defense.” There were also links to reddit posts and conversations about this topic, recommended Subreddits where you can discuss this more, and related follow up questions. I thought that this was a fairly balanced response to an obviously contentious question.

My unrelated follow up (which is equally contentious in some corners) “Is Messi or Ronaldo the GOAT?”. I received an equally balanced and I would argue useful response. I think that this is perhaps a slight improvement over Reddit's current search engine, but it is also limiting the context of the information that users are seeing. 

Overall Rating: Despite my low expectations, I actually found Reddit Answers to by useful and dare I say fun - especially for niche questions or content recommendations. That said, typing your questions directly into the regular OG Reddit search bar would often return many of the same results. Fun. Somewhat Useful.

If any of this is worth destroying the rainforest for - is another question for another day. 

(Spoilers: It's not)

01/14/2025
profile-icon Vanessa Gonzalez
No Subjects

For this blog post, I drew my inspiration from our very own Technical Services Coordinator, Allison Liesz. Go check out her blog post “Five Books That Got Me Through Grad School”. I myself have been a reader on and off since middle school. It can be hard to read when I am back in school, but when I do, I go for the books that will drive a metaphorical knife through my heart. I personally am a mood reader, so on any given day I can decide to read wherever my heart takes me. Typically, it takes me to sad novels.

This is your official warning: these books are sad…proceed with caution. 

 

(Or don't; I didn’t.)

 

These books are ordered by sadness:

 

If We Were Villains by M. L. Rio

If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio | GoodreadsThis novel is dark academia and is told by Oliver Marks who just spent the last ten years in prison for a murder he may or may not have committed. Oliver recounts the events of his time at Dellecher Shakespeare Conservatory. Pieces of Shakespeare's plays are woven into the lives of the characters, blurring the lines of their lives and a play. Although this group of friends is close, they fight each other for the main roles in the plays. Tensions build, friends are hurt, and someone ends up dead.

 

This book will keep you guessing while you try to decide whether Oliver is actually a murderer. While this book is not entirely sad, readers may be left with an ache in their heart.

 

 

 

Sadness Rating: 1.5/5

 

If He Had Been with Me by Laura Nowlin

If He Had Been with Me by Laura Nowlin ...This novel follows the main character Autumn who is next door neighbors with Finny. Their moms are best friends, Finny and Autumn were raised together, inseparable…until high school. Everything changed in high school. Finny was considered popular while Autumn was considered an outsider and kind of weird. They both avoided each other, their friend groups being enemies. The story moves all throughout high school with flashbacks to their childhoods intertwined. Read to find out if their paths ever really cross over again.

 

I have read this book almost once a year since middle school. It is a quick read and brings me so much comfort. You may cry, I cannot confirm or deny. Bonus! In 2024, Laura Nowlin published a sequel to this book; If I Had Told Her. It is told through the perspective of three different characters recounting the events of the last book from different character's POV, as well as the future. The second book is much sadder than the first in my opinion, but tied together, they are a tragic duo.

 

Sadness Rating: 2.75/5

 

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow: A ...This novel follows two main characters, Sam and Sadie. They met when they were children at a hospital not really thinking they would cross paths in the future. But when Sam is attending Harvard, he bumps into Sadie who is attending MIT. Both have a love of video games, it was originally what they connected over when they were children. But as adults, their love of playing video games has shifted to creating. After their run in, they begin to create a game together. The novel moves through the next couple years of their life. 

 

This was my first read of 2024 and it has stayed with me since then. When I play video games, I wonder what Sadie and Sam would have to say. Even if you personally don’t play video games, this book is a must read. It has a diverse cast and the characters feel real.

 

Sadness Rating: 3.5/5

 

Call Me by Your Name by Andre Aciman

Call Me by Your Name | Rotten TomatoesI first watched the movie a few times before I decided to pick up the book and boy was it worth it. This book is a very quick read, coming in at just about 280 pages. Taking place in Italy during the 1980s, Elio and his family take in PhD student Oliver. Elio and Oliver spend the summer together where Elio is discovering his sexuality. They both know that the summer will end and Oliver has to return to America, but that doesn’t change how they feel towards one another. If you have watched the movie, you may think their story ends when Oliver leaves, the book however chronicles 20 years of their relationship. All the missed chances and longing they both feel. 

 

As I said before, I originally watched it before I read it. The movie does an amazing job at staying close to the book but the book just provides so much feeling and desire. Elio discovers who he is while Oliver has other obligations. There is no avoiding the sadness you will feel at the end of this book.

 

 

Sadness Rating: 4/5

 

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

A Little Life Audiobook | Free with trialI will start off by saying that you must check Trigger Warnings before picking up this book. A Little Life follows four college friends: Jude, JB, Willem, and Malcolm. They started off as roommates but quickly became lifelong friends. Although they all hail from various backgrounds, cultures, economic statuses, and family upbringings, they always have time for each other. Jude, who hides his past but is truly the glue to the group, is a lawyer. JB is an artist who likes to play with all different mediums and chronicles the group's friendship through his art. Malcolm is an architect who makes a career for himself and is constantly trying to accommodate for Jude. And Willem is the actor of the group who is kind and compassionate. Hanya Yanagihara beautifully writes these characters and while you read, you will feel like an invisible fifth friend. Watching all four men grow and each individually face hardships is gut-wrenching but real. 

 

Not a week goes by where I do not think about Jude. He really is the main focal point that brings all the other characters together. His slowly unraveled past will keep you holding a box of tissues at your side. All the tears will be shed throughout this book.

 

Sadness Rating: 5/5

 

I know these books are sad but that is what makes me love them. I constantly say to myself and those around me that it is good to feel things and I believe that to be true. Without a doubt, these books will make you feel things. Fret not, I will provide a happy list for those of you who do not want to be sad. 

01/08/2025
profile-icon Rebecca Crown Library
No Subjects
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This blog post was written by Allison Liesz, Technical Services Coordinator at Rebecca Crown Library. 

Going through graduate school in the middle of a worldwide pandemic is something I never thought I would have to deal with, but here we are. 

Having decided to go to graduate school right after graduating with my undergraduate degree was already something I knew would be a challenge. But never did I think that I would have to also deal with the world seemingly collapsing in on itself. So, to cope with this, and the ever-looming threat of being an adult in uncertain times, I got back into reading. I was never the biggest reader growing up, but with theaters closed, video games delayed, and being a terrible binge watcher, reading was really my only consistent source of entertainment during this time. Thankfully, it not only got me through the pandemic, but also helped me find a piece of solace in between finishing my assignments and graduating with my master’s degree! Below you will find five books that I read during this time that continue to have a big impact on me today. 

Something you might notice if you are even a little bit into reading is that many of these books are very popular, in part due to things like TikTok. Because I was just getting back into reading, I found it to be a good resource for recommendations. And if you find yourself in a similar situation, I highly recommend it as a starting point! However, it is rather flawed in the sense that many books that are pushed aren’t incredibly diverse, either in the book itself or in its authors. Because of this, while TikTok is good to know what’s popular, I would look to other avenues to make your reading experience more diverse. A great resource for this, available through the library, is Novelist. Not only can you use it to search for whatever genre you are currently into, but you can also use it to filter books by specific identities, ranging from gender identity to cultural identity. You can also get some recommendations from the library’s Rebecca’s Reads shelves or ask a librarian! 

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller 

Growing up, I was really into Greek Mythology. I realize now that that isn’t exactly an uncommon phase to go through during middle school, but it felt individualistic to me at the time, alright? Just before starting grad school, I had just reread the entire Percy Jackson series--which had tripled in size since I first read them in grade school. And after the reread, I was craving more Greek Mythology inspired stories. This book provided just that. 

The Song of Achilles is a retelling of the Iliad, which follows the hero, Achilles, before and during the Trojan War. This book is told from the perspective of his closest companion, Patroclus, and chronicles their relationship evolving from childhood resentment to lovers. If you know the myth, you know how this one ends, and trust me, it is just as beautifully tragic as you would expect. 

Something you’ll notice with these five books is that I really like sad stories. Well, this just so happens to be my favorite of the bunch. I think I realized after reading this book that sad stories really resonated with me, that is as long as they had at least a hopeful ending. The stories that take you through hell and back while providing a happy ending made my struggles of turning in a discussion board before the 11:59PM deadline seem trivial. And I think that the conflict between myself and Canvas is really what made me love these books during this time, and even after my graduation. 

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo 

Set in a fantasy world attempting to recover from a Civil War, the city of Ketterdam is rife with criminals and gangs, with none so ambitious as the Crow Club. The leader of this club is Kaz Brekker, a young man with a taste for revenge, and he has just heard of a job that is sure to allow him to rule Ketterdam with riches. In an attempt to make the heist go his way, he assembles a group of outcasts: his most trusted spy, a charismatic sharpshooter, a skilled demolitionist, a magic user that can control a person’s body, and a disgraced soldier. Together they are willing to risk death or worse to get the reward for the job, in the hopes of accomplishing their own dreams and aspirations with the winnings. 

This was the longest book I tried to read since getting back into reading, so it took me, quite literally, my entire first semester of grad school to finish it. While also trying to get back into reading, I was also trying to find a balance between school and hobbies. But don’t let this long reading time fool you! This book is so much fun, and it is the characters that really make it so. They are all incredibly diverse, all with their own goals, conflicts, and relationships that they have to work through. Keep in mind this is the first in a duology, however, so be prepared for some loose ends! 

This series, along with one of Bardugo’s other works, was also adapted into a Netflix series. Unfortunately, the series was cancelled before this book was adapted, but it is still a lot of fun to watch! 

Anger is a Gift by Mark Oshiro 

It’s difficult to find the words to describe why this book was so important to me, so I will let the book speak for itself. 

“Stop killing us,” is the final line of this book, as well as the final thing said by the main lead, Moss, a gay, black, teenager living in Oakland, California. Moss suffers from major panic attacks after the killing of his father by a police officer and, even though it has been years since then, he and his community are still facing oppression from society. After he and his classmates decided to protest the harsh treatment their school has been subjected to, tragedy strikes, and Moss is forced to face the cruel reality of the world even further. 

2020 was a difficult year for just about everyone. In addition to the pandemic, the world suffered horrifically from the effects of climate change, was left reeling from a dramatic election, and the unnecessary and terrible murders of innocent African Americans. This book, believe it or not, came out before these events took place which, not only shows Oshiro’s grasp of this issue, but also shows that this is something that has never gone away in this country. Books like this one are as important today as they ever have been to make people aware of the issues of systemic racism and police brutality. 

Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston 

This book is perfect if you never quite moved on from your Disney Channel Original Movie phase but want a more adult version that is just as ridiculous. 

This book follows Alex Clarmont-Diaz, first son to the President of the United States, after he causes a scandal with his arch nemesis: Prince Henry of Wales. With his mother’s reelection campaign hanging in the balance, Alex agrees to do damage control by pretending to be Henry’s friend. Only problem is, the longer the two are forced to hang out with each other, Henry and Alex actually begin to like each other, even evolving into something that goes beyond just friends. It has romance, it has political intrigue, and it is just about as ridiculous as it sounds.  

Much like the thousand-dollar cake that caused this debacle in the first place, this story is just so sweet. I read it in my last semester of grad school, and it would have been the perfect thing to sneak away to in-between final projects... If I didn’t inhale it in two days. It is one of my favorite books to escape to; taking place in a world that is just a little bit kinder, a little more understanding, and full of more love that I wish our real world could take notes from.  

Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune 

Sometimes, you just need a good cry, and oh, does this book provide. After his untimely death, an ill-mannered lawyer named Wallace finds himself at his own funeral as a ghost. After being accosted by a reaper named Mei, he is taken to a cozy tea shop in the hopes that he will adjust to being, well, dead. There, he meets Hugo, a ferryman who hopes to help Wallace cross over, Nelson, Hugo’s dead grandfather, and their ghost dog, Apollo. It is up to them to help Wallace venture into the next life, but as Wallace begins to reflect on his life and change for the better, goodbyes are going to be difficult. 

This book has everything I could ever want in a story. Found family! An adorable romance! A dog! But what really makes a book, sometimes, is what is going on in your life when you read it. I read this book at the end of my MLIS program which, despite all the struggles that come with grad school, was a bittersweet time. That, paired with grief I was going through in my personal life, I was left in a sorrowful mood. I started reading this book in the midst of that, and let me tell you, by the final few pages, I found myself sobbing. I am not typically one to cry reading books, but there I was, sobbing in the back seat of my parents’ car, crying over a ghost dog and the small, paranormal family that surrounded him.  

If this book has taught me anything, it is that books can really make you reflect on what is currently going on in your life. And Under the Whispering Door did that for me in spades. 

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