AI in Libraries: Professional development opportunities

Upcoming Sessions from Minitex

1/22/2026
AI + Accessibility: Why Keeping Humans in the Loop Matters
In an era where artificial intelligence is reshaping communication, access, and our daily lives, it’s crucial that we don’t lose sight of the people at the center. This talk explores the intersection of AI and accessibility, and why human judgment, empathy, and oversight are more important than ever.

2/19/2026
AI for Transcription in Digital Collections
This session will highlight the challenges of traditional OCR and manual transcription, demonstrate how TranscribeAI addresses them, and share best practices for integrating AI-generated transcripts into library workflows.

Upcoming Sessions from the Professional Development Alliance

1/14/2026
Libraries and AI Futures (LibraryLinkNJ)
With a focus on the four AI future scenarios developed by the ARL/CNI Task Force for AI and Machine Learning Futures, this program will help library professionals gain a better perspective on the rapidly developing AI technology and a set of issues related to AI and libraries

1/29/2026
AI, Copyright, and Creative Commons (LibraryLinkNJ)
Hear the latest thoughts about the relationship between AI, copyright, and the existing CC licenses and legal tools. Then, learn about the latest developments on a project we are currently calling CC signals: a proposed framework to help content stewards express how they want their works used in AI training—emphasizing reciprocity, recognition, and sustainability in machine reuse.

2/4/2026
Stop Waiting to Be Laid Off: Do These 5 Things Before Your Organization Cuts Jobs  (ASERL)
Over 1.2 million people were laid off last year, and projections suggest that number could double in 2026, especially as AI and automation accelerate cuts to routine, duplicated, and low-impact roles. In response, Elaina Norlin partnered with our friend “Perplexity” to research the top 5 things employees must do to become more layoff-proof. The session walks participants through that exact research and prompt process, showing how the right questions and AI prompts can turn overwhelming layoff headlines into a clear, personal action plan. 

2/10/2026
Hope in the Library: How Libraries Can Help Shape Our Future with Artificial Intelligence  (ASERL)
In an era where our information environments are increasingly redesigned for artificial intelligence, Hope in the Library (published February 2026) poses a vital question: What is the role of the library in an age of automated systems? Dr. Michael J. Paulus, Jr. argues that far from being obsolete, libraries are the essential counterbalance we need—serving as human-scaled sanctuaries for reflection, imagination, and agency. By reframing the library as a site of “hope,” this talk will explore how these institutions function as archives of the past and catalysts for a better future, ensuring that we do not just survive the rise of AI, but thrive alongside it.

Recordings of Past Sessions

There have been several offerings over the last few months as well that may be of interest.

Recordings from Minitex

Minitex's AI Lunch and Learn Recordings can all be found on the event landing page.

Recordings from the Professional Development Alliance

Hallucination Check - Verifying Sources in the Age of AI (SCELC)
This webinar will equip attendees with the knowledge and tools to navigate the challenges of AI-generated text, specifically focusing on the risk of hallucinated citations. We will delve into the nature of hallucinated citations, where AI models confidently cite nonexistent or fabricated sources. This phenomenon poses significant threats to research integrity, as it can lead to flawed conclusions and undermine the credibility of academic work.

Libraries and AI, and the Future of Learning and Work (ATLA)
In this session, Michael Hanegan explores the transformative impact of generative AI on learning and work—and the critical role libraries play in shaping this future. Hanegan discusses how librarians can leverage their expertise, ethics, and leadership to help guide innovation in this rapidly evolving landscape. Michael Hanegan is co-author with Chris Rosser of Generative AI and Libraries: Claiming Our Place in the Center of a Shared Future published by ALA.

Advocating For Our Work in the Age of AI (SEFLIN)
Participants will examine how AI can assist but not replace human decision-making in areas such as reconciling complex and conflicting policies, making local cataloging and metadata decisions, and upholding ethical standards in data management. We’ll explore real-world scenarios where AI lacks the contextual awareness required for critical judgment and emphasize the human role in media literacy and combating disinformation.

AI and Metadata: Opportunities & Challenges – the ChatGPT vision: How can ChatGPT and other AI content creators help us in our data creation, management, and maintenance? (SEFLIN)
Does AI have a place in our cataloger’s “toolbox”? Can AI replace us? Join Robin Fay in dissecting what ChatGPT can do with our data and how it can help our work, where there are opportunities, where we should proceed with extreme caution, and what is just beyond its current ability. Bring your questions, as we explore the promises and pitfalls of AI generated metadata for textual works and images.

Interactive tutorials, slides and recordings (Library Link NJ)
LLNJ offers several interactive tutorials that are accessible to PDA partners in their Niche Academy Learning Space. The ever-growing catalog includes options such as: AI and Information Literacy, AI Aware and Patron Ready, AI Ethics in a Digital World, AI Ethics: A Library Perspective, AI in the Archives, AI-Driven Community Engagement, Environmental and Social Impact of Artificial Intelligence, GenAI in the Research and Publication Process, and Public Libraries and AI.

Developing an A.I. Chatbot for the Library: The Rebecca Crown Library Experience (CARLI)
Zach Claybaugh, Dominican University, walks through the process of developing an AI chatbot as a tool for library patrons. Zach discusses the origin of the project, cross-departmental collaboration, student involvement, and AI anxiety. By the end of the presentation, participants will have an understanding of some of the challenges of developing an AI chatbot, as well as finding ways to address the concerns of library personnel and students who are anxious about the impact of AI technology.

Librarianship at a Crossroads: Using AI as a Catalyst for Cross-Campus Collaboration (CARLI)
Atticus Garrison, Black Hawk College, introduces the fundamentals of AI and shares strategies for using it as a springboard to move beyond the traditional “one shot” instruction model. Drawing from real-world experience, Atticus shows how AI became an entry point for new collaborations with instructors and departments across campus.