The Urban Libraries Council (ULC) has released a report outlining five ways libraries can leverage AI technology in their operations.
In recent years, the role of public libraries has shifted to technology lending, playing a key role in digital equity operations and providing rental opportunities for emerging technologies.
With the rise of AI technology, the role of libraries seems to be changing once again. The ULC report is intended to serve as a leadership brief for libraries and other stakeholders to advance the responsible use of AI and generated AI.
We offer five recommendations for how libraries can integrate generative AI. Leverage your agile engineering skills. Increase information literacy. Build an AI-focused digital inclusion network. and advocate the responsible use of AI.
First, libraries can move from information provision to practical use. This means libraries will be able to implement AI in their branches with tools for performance improvement and program design. The report cites the San Jose Public Library's efforts to improve data accuracy using machine learning.
Second, AI can be used to leverage the nimble engineering skills of library professionals who are trained to search for information by keywords and phrases. Although AI capabilities are changing, AI models still require some form of human input. For language models, the quality of the prompt input can affect the quality of the output.
Third, the practical use of AI can improve the information literacy of both library staff and patrons through educational workshops. Just as libraries play an important role in increasing digital literacy, they can also play a role in increasing AI literacy. At the Palo Alto, California Public Library, an AI storytelling event helped improve community understanding and awareness of this technology.
Fourth, an AI-focused digital inclusion network can help ensure equitable access to this type of technology. While these already exist in the digital equity space for some libraries, the report suggests that AI literacy, or lack thereof, can be a barrier to economic opportunity as well.
And finally, libraries can help advocate for the responsible use of AI to advance community interests while maintaining basic library standards for access to information. The path toward comprehensive federal regulation of AI is not yet determined, but as advocates for the ethical use of emerging technologies, libraries can help shape this path.
“While there are persistent concerns that need to be addressed about AI being used for misinformation, our “The opportunities in front of us are wide-ranging.” “This includes responsible applications that improve efficiency, speed communication, and serve as useful tools to showcase and validate library services and resources.”
The report highlights the potential for AI to widen the digital divide and the role of libraries in mitigating that risk.
This report was created with insights and contributions from public library stakeholders, including the New York Public Library, San Jose Public Library, and Boston Public Library.
