AI AND ACADEMIC LIBRARIES 2nd Annual Online Conference Monday, November 16-Tuesday, November 17, 2026
PROGRAM Monday, November 16, 2026 12:00-12:05 pm ET
Conference Welcome & Resources Overview
12:05-1:00 pm ET
Opening Keynote
1:00-1:10 pm ET
Break
1:10-2:10 pm ET
Session 1: Lovable Library Apps to Enhance Library Instruction and Improve Workflows Session 2: Using AI to Build and Evaluate Collections
2:10-2:20 pm ET
Break
2:20-3:20 pm ET
Session 3: From Navigation to Critical Engagement: Building an AI Literacy Ecosystem in an Academic Library Session 4: AI Tools and Frameworks for Information Literacy Instruction
3:20-3:30 pm ET
Break
3:30-4:30 pm ET
Session 5: Growing AI Skills Across the Library Workforce Session 6: Frame, Elevate, Enable: Building a Library AI Response
PROGRAM Tuesday, November 17, 2026 12:00-12:05 pm ET
Conference Welcome & Resources Overview
12:05-1:05 pm ET
Session 7: On AI Watch: How the Academic Library Supports Literacy, Discovery, and Integrity Session 8: Listening to Staff and Students in AI Adoption
1:05-1:15 pm ET
Break
1:15-2:15 pm ET
Session 9: Deciding Whether, When, and How to Use AI Session 10: AI Literacy Building Blocks
2:15-2:25 pm ET
Break
2:25-3:25 pm ET
Session 11: New Models for AI Literacy Instruction Session 12: Optimizing Library Content and Tools for the AI Era
3:25-3:35 pm ET
Break
3:35-4:25 pm ET
Closing Keynote
4:25-4:30 pm ET
Closing Thoughts & Reminders
OPENING KEYNOTE
Monday, November 16, 2026 | 12:05-1:00 pm ET Trust in the Age of Uncertainty: Why Librarians Are the Antidote to AI Misinformation Ashleigh Faith, Director of AI and Semantic Innovation and Strategy EBSCO Information Services Ashleigh Faith has her MLIS focused on metadata and subject indexing, and her PhD focused on Advanced Semantics. Ashleigh has over 18 years of experience working on search, AI, and knowledge graph solutions across the STEM, government, and finance industries. Outside of her day-job, she is the Founder and host of the IsA DataThing YouTube channel where she tries to demystify the metadata, AI, and knowledge graph space.
Artificial intelligence is changing what information literacy means. From hallucinated research to flattening nuances and AI-generated peer reviews, patrons are unsure how to trust the tools they use daily. Yet this moment isn't a threat to librarians; it helps us shine a light on the darkness of this uncertainty. This keynote explores why information professionals are uniquely positioned to address AI's integrity crisis. Drawing on current challenges in research publishing, academic integrity, and public trust, we will examine how core library principles such as critical evaluation of sources, transparency about authority, authority files, and equitable access to knowledge become essential frameworks for AI literacy. Rather than asking "How do we teach AI?" we explore "How do we teach people to think critically about AI and how we use it?" Through real examples, policy innovations, and emerging best practices, we will walk through how librarians' core competencies are now the critical bridge between chaos and credibility across research, publishing, and public trust.
Session Details Monday, November 16, 2026
Session 1 Monday, November 16, 2026 | 1:10-2:10 pm ET Lovable Library Apps to Enhance Library Instruction and Improve Workflows "Lovable Library Apps to Enhance Library Instruction and Improve Workflows," Olivia Peltier, Tiffany Ellis, and Jennifer Hamilton
Librarians from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette share the design and initial impact of two vibe-coded applications launched as a pilot project in August 2026. Learn how the AI platform Lovable was used to create library web apps to (1) facilitate research notetaking in and beyond one-shots and (2) streamline the process of scheduling instruction sessions and accessing related metrics. What prompts proved most helpful in app design and debugging? What design considerations protect user privacy? Did library services improve? How did users respond? How did use of these apps contribute to understanding user needs and assessment of instruction impact? Were librarians able to spend more time with faculty and students and less at their desks? This practical session will answer these questions, share suggested best practices, and reveal any surprises from early testing of Dupré Library’s two new generatively coded apps.
Session 1 Speakers Olivia Peltier, Instruction Librarian / Instructor Edith Garland Dupre Library, University of Louisiana at Lafayette Olivia Peltier is a librarian and educator with a special interest in gamification and active learning. Through hands-on creation, testing, and iteration, Olivia takes an always-innovating approach to instruction. Olivia is also a doctoral candidate in Educational Leadership; her research focuses on inequities in the academic publishing landscape.
Tiffany Ellis, Head of User Engagement / Instruction Librarian / Senior Instructor Edith Garland Dupre Library, University of Louisiana at Lafayette Tiffany is a librarian whose work centers on connecting students with the resources, services, and opportunities they need to thrive. She specializes in designing, implementing, and evaluating outreach initiatives that foster engagement, belonging, and academic success. She is also a doctoral candidate in Educational Leadership whose research focuses on how Library of Things collections in academic libraries promote holistic student development. Her professional interests include student-centered library services, outreach, and programs that advance student success and wellbeing.
Jennifer Hamilton, Head of Instructional Services / Associate Professor Edith Garland Dupre Library, University of Louisiana at Lafayette Jennifer Hamilton can’t seem to stop exploring how emerging technology can improve and expand library services. Jen had a first career in nonprofit administration that continues to inform her second career as an academic librarian. Her active programming and research interests include library services for faculty and how best to support the research of students who aren’t library users. Her two current favorite periodicals are The Information and the journal Nature. Her most recommended open web resource is oldmapsonline.org.
Session 2 Monday, November 16, 2026 | 1:10-2:10 pm ET Using AI to Build and Evaluate Collections "AI-Assisted Diversity Auditing in an Academic Library Collection," Claire Drolet "AI for Collections Assessment," Laura DeLancey "Using Generative AI to Support Data-Driven Decisions in STEM Library Collections," Melanie Gainey and Chasz Griego
This panel examines how academic libraries are using AI to assess collections and inform decisions while preserving librarian judgment. The first presentation shares an AI-assisted diversity audit that identifies gaps in representation, using credible sources and ethical coding practices to guide purchasing decisions. The second explores practical applications for collection assessment, including analyzing usage by subject, comparing faculty citations with library holdings, and evaluating journal subscription options, with attention to refining AI outputs and checking for errors. The final presentation describes how generative AI helped translate retention policies into consistent rules for two STEM weeding projects involving approximately 30,000 items, allowing librarians to focus on review and exceptions. The presenters will share the workflow, discuss their experiences using it, and reflect on challenges encountered and lessons learned.
Session 2 Speakers Claire Drolet, Access Services Librarian Delaware Valley University Claire has been the Access Services Librarian at the Krauskopf Memorial Library for 11 years. She runs the circulation desk and manages student staff, interlibrary loan, and course reserves. She also manages the library social media and leisure reading collection's curation and marketing. In the past 2 years, Claire has become the 'AI guru' and has developed several workflows that involve AI. She serves on the university's AI Taskforce and has developed resources for faculty, students and staff on responsible engaging AI use.
Laura DeLancey, Associate Dean for Collections and Discovery Colorado State University Laura DeLancey is Associate Dean for Collections and Discovery at Colorado State University, where she oversees Acquisitions and Metadata Services, Collections Strategies, and Resource Sharing.
Melanie Gainey, STEM Librarian; Director of the Open Science Program Carnegie Mellon University Libraries Dr. Melanie Gainey is a STEM Librarian and the Director of the Open Science Program at the Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) Libraries, supporting the learning, teaching, and research of the Biological Sciences, Computational Biology, Biomedical Engineering departments and the Neuroscience Institute. She also supports and advocates for open science at Carnegie Mellon and the broader research community with dedicated services and community-building events. She holds a PhD in Neuroscience from Brandeis University.
Session 2 Speakers Chasz Griego, STEM Librarian Carnegie Mellon University Libraries Dr. Chasz Griego is a STEM Librarian at the Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) Libraries, where he supports researchers, educators, and students in the Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, and Materials Science and Engineering departments. He also leads and supports Open Science teaching and research initiatives, particularly in the areas of reproducibility in computational research. He holds a PhD in Chemical Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh.
Session 3 Monday, November 16, 2026 | 2:20-3:20 pm ET From Navigation to Critical Engagement: Building an AI Literacy Ecosystem in an Academic Library "From Navigation to Critical Engagement: Building an AI Literacy Ecosystem in an Academic Library," Ariana Baker, Adam Johnson, and Samantha Duncan
Since 2023, our library has been a campus leader in generative AI endeavors, approaching it with caution but also ensuring that librarians, our faculty, and most importantly, our students keep pace with this technology. In 2024, University Libraries led the inaugural university-wide AI Week and infused AI literacy into an existing one-credit information literacy course. This year, we will pilot a three-credit course called AI in the Research Process. We have enabled AI functionality in several databases, subscribed to various AI research platforms, provided extensive training for students and faculty through campus-wide workshops, and collaborated with many departments and colleagues, but now what? The library is at a crossroads, wanting to educate the university community about generative AI but also recognizing that resistance to it creates barriers to both teaching and learning. In this panel, the presenters will discuss previous and ongoing AI initiatives, identify concerns raised by the academic community, and discuss how to move forward in the future.
Session 3 Speakers Ariana Baker, Scholarly Engagement Librarian Coastal Carolina University Ariana Baker is the Scholarly Engagement Librarian at Coastal Carolina University. Her interest in AI began with the library's decision to incorporate AI into a long-running one-credit information literacy course. Having spent several years researching AI and refining her course curriculum, she is now focused on educating students about both the real-world applications of AI and its associated challenges.
Adam Johnson, Learning Technologies & Data Librarian Coastal Carolina University Adam Johnson is the Learning Technologies & Data Librarian at Coastal Carolina University. He oversees the University’s research data management services portfolio, as well as the data visualization and virtual reality lab. He is a co-instructor of the library’s new AI in the Research Process course and is interested in the role that AI plays both in assisting and complicating student and faculty research.
Samantha Duncan, Instructional Design Librarian Coastal Carolina University Samantha Duncan is the Instructional Design Librarian at Coastal Carolina University. LibGuide maintenance, website redesign and digital accessibility have been her primary focus in recent years. Samantha became interested in AI initiatives and the role of librarians after reading an article encouraging faculty and students to seek assistance about generative artificial intelligence from their institutional librarians.
Session 4 Monday, November 16, 2026 | 2:20-3:20 pm ET AI Tools and Frameworks for Information Literacy Instruction “Vibe Coding for Information Literacy: Using AI to Create Custom, On-The-Fly Tools to Enhance Your Instruction,” Scott Kaihoi “AI Sycophancy, Hallucinations, and Critical Algorithmic Information Literacy,” Daniel DuPont “One Model, Two Audiences: Applying CARE to Async AI Literacy Modules,” Brittany Davis and Kayla Davidson This panel explores how librarians can use AI to create instructional tools and help students critically evaluate AI-generated information. The first presentation introduces “vibe coding,” showing how librarians can use AI to build custom websites and interactive activities for information literacy instruction, with examples from classroom practice. The second introduces Critical Algorithmic Information Literacy, a framework for questioning AI’s apparent authority and evaluating individual claims, alongside practical activities that expose prompt influence, test retrieval limitations, and scrutinize citations. The final presentation shares two asynchronous AI literacy modules built on the CARE model, showing how a shared framework can support undergraduate evaluation of chatbot responses and graduate examination of retrieval-augmented tools. Presenters will share the instructional design process, including module structure and assessment strategies, and attendees will leave with a transferable framework for scaffolding AI literacy instruction across student populations.
Session 4 Speakers Scott Kaihoi, Academic Services Librarian University of St. Thomas Libraries Scott Kaihoi is an Academic Services Librarian at the University of St. Thomas Libraries in St. Paul, Minnesota. He serves as the library liaison to, among other programs, St. Thomas' MA in Artificial Intelligence Leadership program, and is helping to develop several of the university's AI and information literacy training courses.
Daniel DuPont, Librarian & Associate Professor Delgado Community College Daniel DuPont (he/him) is a librarian and associate professor at Delgado Community College in New Orleans. He is the current President of ACRL-LA and the 2026–2027 ACRL Chapters Council Secretary. He has two cat children and one human child, and he reads a frankly unhealthy number of books each month. His current and past presentations and papers can be found at danieldupont.carrd.co.
Brittany Davis, Teaching & Learning Librarian Eastern Kentucky University Libraries Brittany Davis has been a Teaching & Learning Librarian at EKU since 2021. Her focus has been on partnerships with STEM & Psychology faculty that incorporate updated research notions, AI, and research assignment design best practices into both information literacy instruction sessions and individual research appointments. Brittany is also EKU’s first artificial intelligence faculty innovator, a role designed to help teaching faculty across disciplines think about how they ethically incorporate AI into their assignments and classroom discussions.
Session 4 Speakers Kayla Davidson, Associate Director of Online Learning Strategies EKU Libraries Kayla Davidson is the Associate Director of Online Learning Strategies at EKU Libraries.
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Session 5 Monday, November 16, 2026 | 3:30-4:30 pm ET Growing AI Skills Across the Library Workforce "Hiring for AI: What Leaders Need to Know (and What They Often Miss)," Mona Ramonetti "AI Skeptics vs. AI Enthusiasts: Building a Learning Platform to Fill the Gap," Yulia Brusova "Creating a Chatbot PD-to-Practice Thinking Partner," Julie Howard This panel examines how libraries can build AI capacity through hiring and staff learning, then help employees put new skills into practice. The first presentation shares lessons from hiring for AI roles, exploring how leaders can define actual needs, support new hires, and address organizational resistance and cultural differences when candidates come from outside libraries or academia. The second traces the development of a free, self-paced AI learning platform now used by more than 1,000 library workers, showing how library-specific instruction can engage skeptics, enthusiasts, and colleagues still finding their footing. The final presentation demonstrates how a custom chatbot can help librarians turn professional development ideas into realistic next steps, using session materials and personal context to support reflection and planning. Attendees will leave with lessons for defining and supporting AI roles, designing staff training that takes skepticism seriously, and using a chatbot to turn a conference idea into a workable plan.
Session 5 Speakers Mona Ramonetti, Associate Dean for Library Digital Services Stony Brook University Mona Ramonetti is the Associate Dean for Library Digital Services at Stony Brook University in New York, where she leads the Libraries' digital strategy and oversees technology initiatives that support research, teaching and learning across the university. She manages a team of library technology faculty and staff responsible for developing, implementing and maintaining the technological infrastructure that serves the Stony Brook University Libraries community. In her role, she provides leadership for library systems, IT operations, digital scholarship, data services, digital preservation, institutional repositories, web platforms, makerspaces, innovation and entrepreneurship initiatives and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI).
Yulia Brusova, Library Associate St. Louis Community College Yulia Brusova is a Library Associate at St. Louis Community College with four years of experience in academic libraries and a recent MLIS graduate of Valdosta State University. A former music teacher and Fulbright Scholar, she holds master's degrees in Musicology and Music Education. Her current work focuses on AI literacy for library professionals, with particular interest in curriculum design that serves staff across all roles and experience levels. She is the creator of AI in Academic Libraries (ai-in-academic-libraries.vercel.app), a free learning platform for library workers.
Julie Howard, Associate Professor College of Education and Human Sciences, Tennessee Technological University Bibliophile. Technophile. Egalitarian. Dr. Julie Howard is an Associate Professor in the College of Education and Human Sciences at Tennessee Tech University. She has been the primary instructor for the graduate concentration in School Library Science since starting in the college in 2003. She previously held librarian positions at TTU, Motlow State, and Middle TN State. Dr. Howard continually proves to be an avid book pusher, audiobook fiend, a maker, technology tutor, and a collaboratative lifelong learner.
Session 6 Monday, November 16, 2026 | 3:30-4:30 pm ET Frame, Elevate, Enable: Building a Library AI Response "Frame, Elevate, Enable: Building a Library AI Response," Danielle Johnson, Kat Cain, and Emeka Anele
Academic libraries need more than isolated AI initiatives. They need a joined-up response that connects strategy, capability and practice. This panel brings together three parts of Deakin Library’s evolving approach: framing the Library’s role, enabling action through coordinated structures and staff learning, and extending that work through digital, information and AI literacies. Together, the presentations show how libraries can move from understanding AI’s intersections and impacts to building the relationships, capabilities, and practical mechanisms needed to act. The focus is not a finished solution, but purposeful, connected, and adaptable practice.
Session 6 Speakers Danielle Johnson, Director, Library Services (Outreach & Scholarly Services) Deakin University Library Danielle Johnson is Director, Library Services (Outreach and Scholarly Services) at Deakin University. She has extensive experience in library and IT roles since 2000, including digital literacy, web, service & project management, experience design, digital platforms and emerging technologies. Throughout her work life, Danielle has emphasised practical, continuous improvement to deliver exceptional experiences for university communities, and fosters collaboration, codesign, evidence-based decision making, and outcome-driven achievement.
Kat Cain, Lead Outreach & Experience and Co-Lead Library AI Lab Deakin University Library Kat Cain works in the sometimes-nebulous space where people, practice, and possibility meet. A creative strategist, capability builder and tech-curious connector, she helps academic libraries make technology useful and people-centred. Her work brings together experimentation, digital and information literacies, facilitation, conversations and cross-boundary collaboration, with a particular focus on turning AI principles into practical ways of working. Kat is part of the leadership crew behind Deakin Library’s AI Lab and in their Outreach directorate. Part of VALA Committee, she also co-convenes the CAUL AI in Academic Libraries Community of Practice. Kat is powered by curiosity, provocations, and caffeine.
Emeka Anele, Learning Designer Deakin University Library Emeka Anele is a Learning Designer at Deakin University Library, working where learning, technology and library practice meet. With more than a decade in academic libraries, he designs practical, accessible experiences that build capability for staff, students and researchers. Emeka leads Deakin Library’s AI Learning Group and has contributed to its AI Lab, GenAI activation work and Indigenous Knowledges Attribution Toolkit. His work spans AI and digital literacies, usercentred design, emerging technologies and professional learning. He has presented for ALIA, VALA and Kummargii Yulendji, and is interested in how libraries help people navigate changing technologies and different knowledge systems.
Session Details Tuesday, November 17, 2026
Session 7 Tuesday, November 17, 2026 | 12:05-1:05 pm ET On AI Watch: How the Academic Library Supports Literacy, Discovery, and Integrity "On AI Watch: How the Academic Library Supports Literacy, Discovery, and Integrity," Rebecca Penrose, Rachelle Ehteshami, and Kristine Holloway
As colleges and universities respond to generative AI, academic libraries are positioned to provide practical, immediate support where faculty and students encounter these technologies in their everyday work. This panel presents a coordinated picture of one library’s response through information literacy instruction, discovery tools, faculty development, and academic integrity education. Panelists will discuss brief faculty demonstrations of AI-enabled library databases, AI literacy materials developed through faculty learning communities, a Canvas course created with the Dean of Students Office for students involved in AI-related academic integrity violations, and instructional tools that help students critically evaluate generative AI output. Together, these initiatives illustrate how the library can serve as a visible, boots-on-the-ground partner in helping a campus navigate the changing AI environment.
Session 7 Speakers Rebecca Penrose, Library Instruction Coordinator Walter W. Stiern Library, California State University, Bakersfield Rebecca Penrose is the Library Instruction Coordinator at CSU Bakersfield, where she leads information literacy initiatives and serves as subject librarian for the College of Business and Public Administration. A former English faculty member, she holds an MA in English and an MLIS and is completing a PhD in Library and Information Management at Manchester Metropolitan University. Her research focuses on academic libraries, faculty collaboration, student success, equity, accessibility, and educational technology.
Rachelle Ehteshami, Reference and Instruction Librarian Walter W. Stiern Library, California State University, Bakersfield Rachelle Ehteshami earned her MLIS from San Jose State University. She is currently a Lecturer and Instruction Librarian at California State University, Bakersfield, as well as a Reference Librarian at Bakersfield College.
Kristine Holloway, Distance Services Coordinator Walter W. Stiern Library, California State University, Bakersfield Kristine Holloway is the Distance Services Coordinator at California State University, Bakersfield’s Antelope Valley campus. She develops instructional resources and provides library support for distance learners, with a particular focus on helping students critically evaluate and responsibly incorporate generative AI output into their academic work.
Session 8 Tuesday, November 17, 2026 | 12:05-1:05 pm ET Listening to Staff and Students in AI Adoption "Prototyping at the Front Desk: How AI Rebuilt Our Student Scheduling Process," William Judd "Learning Your Audience: Gathering Staff Feedback to Guide Your AI Implementation," Kirsten Clark, Lisa McGuire, Angie Ohler, and Keri Youngstrand "On the Front Line of AI Adoption: Student Learning Assistants' Perspectives of AI Use Among Middlesex University Students," Ioana Mitea and Simbo Ajayi
This panel examines how staff experience and student perspectives can shape AI adoption in academic libraries. The first presentation shares how one library used Claude to rebuild student-worker scheduling, working through failed attempts to develop a process that accounts for availability, hour limits, and funding constraints while saving a full day or more each scheduling cycle. The second explores how a five-campus library system used anonymous staff surveys and focus groups to guide AI implementation and identify staff learning needs. The final presentation shares findings from a two-year study of Student Learning Assistants, whose experiences as both students and peer helpers reveal tensions around AI use, including its role in reducing stress and the stigma surrounding disclosure. These findings informed changes to AI literacy support and discipline-specific guidance, with a subsequent audit prompting revisions to institutional AI policy.
Session 8 Speakers William Judd, Instruction & Research Librarian for Business McLeod Business Library at William & Mary William Judd is the Instruction & Research Librarian for Business at McLeod Business Library. In addition to teaching twenty-five or more information literacy and AI ethics classes and workshops, he supervises the front desk of his library, which is embedded in the Mason School of Business. Prior to coming to William & Mary, William was at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where he was a Public Services Librarian for Outreach and Engagement. He received his librarian degree from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He also holds degrees from Vanderbilt University and Lipscomb University.
Kirsten Clark, Director, Library Enterprise Systems University of Minnesota Twin Cities Kirsten is the Director of the Library Enterprise Systems (LES) Department at the University of Minnesota. She manages seven library staff who oversee the Ex Libris library enterprise systems for the five campuses (Crookston, Duluth, Morris, Rochester, Twin Cities).
Lisa McGuire, Associate Director for Education & Research Services Health Sciences Library, University of Minnesota Twin Cities Lisa McGuire is the Associate Director for Education & Research Services in the Health Sciences Library at the University of Minnesota (Twin Cities). She manages a team of nine librarians who provide expertise to the six health sciences colleges/schools.
Angie Ohler, Associate University Librarian for Collections & Content Strategy University of Minnesota Twin Cities Angie Ohler is the Associate University Librarian for Collections & Content Strategy at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities.
Session 8 Speakers Keri Youngstrand, Director Roger D. Moe Library, University of Minnesota Crookston Keri Youngstrand is the Director of the Roger D. Moe Library and leads the library team to support the faculty, staff and students on the University of Minnesota Crookston campus.
Ioana Mitea, Lecturer Middlesex University London Ioana Mitea’s academic background combines social research methodologies, information science, and business and management, enabling her to bring interdisciplinary perspectives to teaching and research. She is passionate about transformative education that enables all students to develop the critical thinking, ethical judgement, and professional capabilities essential for contemporary business practice.
Simbo Ajayi, Doctoral Candidate; former Head of Peer Assisted Learning Middlesex University Simbo Ajayi has extensive experience in learning enhancement and in the strategic development and delivery of an award-winning peer learning and academic assistance scheme. Their work focuses on developing student leadership and partnerships in teaching and learning. They are passionate about inclusive pedagogy and creating student-centred approaches that empower all learners and transform their learning experiences.
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Session 9 Tuesday, November 17, 2026 | 1:15-2:15 pm ET Deciding Whether, When, and How to Use AI "F(AI)r Use: A Model for Guiding the Choice to Use AI," Sarah Teichman "Assessing the Environmental Ethics of Artificial Intelligence: Applying the SDSU Ethical AI Assessment Tool in Academic Contexts," Michelle Mussuto and Sarah Tribelhorn "What Does My Gut Tell Me? Rejecting Human Disempowerment in the Rollout of Artificial Intelligence in My Library," Pete McDonnell
This panel explores how librarians can make deliberate decisions about AI use, weighing a task’s demands against environmental costs and professional concerns. The first presentation introduces a question-based framework inspired by fair use analysis, helping users assess the purpose, value, and consequences of using AI for a particular task. The second applies San Diego State University’s Ethical AI Assessment Tool to library services and university research infrastructure, examining environmental costs that can go unaccounted for, including energy and water consumption and hardware lifecycles. It considers how these assessments can inform purchasing decisions and AI literacy instruction. The final presentation shares a reflective practice that helps library workers examine their excitement and anxiety about AI, exercise professional judgment, and decide where these tools belong in their work.
Session 9 Speakers Sarah Teichman, Instruction & Reference Librarian Hudson County Community College Sarah Teichman is an instruction and reference librarian at Hudson County Community College in New Jersey. She holds master’s degrees in library and information science and educational technology. Sarah’s professional interests lie in information literacy, instruction, educational technologies, accessibility, and combinations of the above. Her curiosity about the applications of and approaches to AI in academic libraries grew out of these overlapping interests.
Michelle Mussuto, Sustainability Librarian; Head of Collections and Acquisitions California State University Chico Michelle is the Sustainability Librarian and the head of Collections and Acquisitions at California State University Chico. She has been the Member-at-Large for ALA’s SustainRT for several years and is a member of ALA’s Sustainability Committee. She teaches workshops on the ethics of AI use and incorporates this work into her one-shot instruction.
Sarah Tribelhorn, Sciences and Sustainability Librarian San Diego State University Sarah Tribelhorn (MS, MMLIS) is the Sciences and Sustainability Librarian at San Diego State University. Sarah has been instrumental in leading sustainability initiatives in the University Library, and increased campus and community engagement in sustainability projects, AI literacy, and citizen science programming.
Session 9 Speakers Pete McDonnell, Systems and Circulation Librarian Bemidji State University, A. C. Clark Library Pete McDonnell (MLIS, MS) is Systems and Circulation Librarian at Bemidji State University’s A. C. Clark Library, and is the editor of the book The Experiential Library: Transforming Academic and Research Libraries Through the Power of Experiential Learning (Chandos/Elsevier Publishing), published in 2016. In addition to researching and using experiential learning methods in libraries for more than fifteen years, he is exploring the human element of the rollout of Artificial Intelligence in academic libraries as part of a sabbatical award for the 2026-2027 academic year.
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Session 10 Tuesday, November 17, 2026 | 1:15-2:15 pm ET AI Literacy Building Blocks "Algorithms Speak: Grounding AI Literacy in Ethical Information Literacy Practices," Kay Coates and Vivian Bynoe "No Magic, Just Math: Teaching LLM Basics for True AI Literacy," Kara Schleck "From Guidelines to Practice: Rebuilding an Information Literacy Curriculum for the AI Era," Sibongiseni Mrwashu This panel examines the foundations students need to understand AI and use it critically, connecting ethical communication with an accessible understanding of how the technology works. The first presentation applies the HAIL principles of Honesty, Authenticity, Integrity, and Love to AI-assisted communication, asking creators to take responsibility for how they select sources, frame information, and engage audiences. The second offers nontechnical ways to explain how large language models work, helping students understand why a fluent response is not necessarily a reliable one and make more informed choices about AI use. The final presentation shares the University of Fort Hare Library’s experience embedding AI literacy throughout its information literacy curriculum, linking institutional guidelines with teaching activities and learning outcomes that address AI within research and scholarly communication.
Session 10 Speakers Kay Coates, Associate Professor & Information Studies Librarian Georgia Southern University Kay Coates is an Associate Professor & Information Studies Librarian at Georgia Southern University Libraries, with extensive experience in Reference and Research Services. Her scholarship is grounded in trauma-informed practices, supporting learners across higher education and local communities through culturally responsive approaches to reference, research, instruction, and digital scholarship. She advances information literacy for lifelong learning and informed civic engagement as an active member of the American Library Association (ALA) and the Black Caucus of the American Library Association (BCALA).
Vivian Bynoe, Associate Professor & Department Head of Information Studies Georgia Southern University Libraries Vivian Bynoe, MLIS, is an Associate Professor and Department Head of Information Studies at Georgia Southern University Libraries. Her scholarship centers on critical librarianship, critical pedagogy, and trauma-informed practices, with a steadfast commitment to social justice and inclusion. An active member of the American Library Association (ALA) and the Black Caucus of the American Library Association (BCALA), Vivian is also an Ed.D. candidate (ABD) in Curriculum Studies.
Kara Schleck, Learning and Research Librarian College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University Kara Schleck (she/they) is an early career Learning and Research Librarian at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University. She works as a liaison to Science and Health Science disciplines and is a function expert in Data Literacy. She completed her Masters of Information Studies at McGill University, focusing on Academic Libraries and Data Science. Her research interests are in data literacy, science communication, critical pedagogy, and library assessment.
Sibongiseni Mrwashu, Senior Librarian, Research Support & Digital Scholarship University of Fort Hare Ms. Sibongiseni Mrwashu is heading the Research Support and Digital Scholarship (RSDS) Unit at the University of Fort Hare Libraries as a Senior Librarian, specializing in research services and digital scholarship. She holds a BSc in Environmental and Atmospheric Sciences, a Postgraduate Diploma in Library and Information Science, an LLB and is currently pursuing her MIT ICT Information Science at the University of Pretoria. She is the 2024–2025 LIASA & UKS Librarian of the Year, an honour that recognizes her outstanding leadership, innovation, and advocacy in the library and information science field.
Session 11 Tuesday, November 17, 2026 | 2:25-3:25 pm ET New Models for AI Literacy Instruction "Hidden Labor: Teaching AI Infrastructure as Information Literacy," Alexis Pavenick "Beyond the Prompt: Teaching AI Literacy Through Metaliteracy and the Gravitational Model," Julie Durci "Structuring a Scaffolded AI Literacy Framework for Diverse Student Needs," Jen Pesek This panel explores approaches to AI literacy instruction that account for the systems behind the tools, changing technologies, and different levels of student experience. The first presentation introduces a “hidden labor and infrastructure inventory,” an activity in which students trace an AI product’s material and human costs, examining who benefits and who bears the consequences. The second connects metaliteracy with the Gravitational Model for AI Literacy, offering a flexible instructional framework and classroom examples that can adapt as AI tools change. The final presentation proposes a scaffolded approach that distinguishes foundational instruction from advanced research applications, helping beginning students question misconceptions and evaluate AI outputs before progressing to more complex work with algorithmic bias, literature reviews, and datasets.
Session 11 Speakers Alexis Pavenick, Director of Digital Literacy and Ethics; Associate Librarian for Literatures & Languages California State University, Long Beach Alexis Pavenick is an academic librarian at California State University, Long Beach, where she teaches information literacy, supports humanities research, and develops programming on artificial intelligence in higher education. She has seventeen years of experience in academic librarianship and fifteen years of prior teaching experience in English and composition. Her recent work examines AI literacy, ethics, research practices, and the hidden material infrastructures of emerging technologies, including labor, mineral extraction, energy use, and commercial development. She creates workshops, instructional resources, and public programs that help students and faculty investigate technology through social, environmental, and information-literacy perspectives.
Julie Durci, Electronic Resources & Interlibrary Loan Librarian Gannon University Nash Library A recent graduate of Pennsylvania Western University—Clarion, Julie Durci is the Electronic Resource and Interlibrary Loan Librarian at Gannon University in Erie, Pennsylvania. She is passionate about helping faculty and students develop strong information literacy skills and understand their importance in today's AI-driven world.
Jen Pesek, Undergraduate Learning Librarian Santa Clara University Jen Pesek serves as the Undergraduate Learning Librarian at Santa Clara University, where she designs curriculum and provides information literacy instruction tailored for first-year students and her liaison areas. A leader in developing new AI literacy methods, she has developed specialized AI literacy modules for students across all undergraduate levels. Beyond the classroom, Jen partners with faculty in AI working groups to navigate diverse pedagogical needs regarding AI integration. Her regional impact includes developing rubrics and evaluation frameworks that empower libraries to assess database-embedded AI tools while establishing crucial vendor negotiation strategies.
Session 12 Tuesday, November 17, 2026 | 2:25-3:25 pm ET Optimizing Library Content and Tools for the AI Era "Is Your Library Readable? Optimizing Webpages for AI Consumption," Evan Fruehauf "AI for Inclusion: Making Accessibility a Reality," John Gage and Melissa Emo "Applied Information Literacy: Sourcer AI Browser Extension and Online Source Evaluation," David Dettman and Alex Suscha This panel examines how libraries can adapt web content and research tools as AI changes how students find and evaluate information. The first presentation introduces Generative Engine Optimization, exploring how libraries can structure webpages so their content is more usable as evidence in AI-generated answers, with examples from an R1 university library responding to changing patron search behavior. The second shares how a library used AI to support an accessibility review and redesign of its LibGuides, addressing barriers and aligning guides with WCAG 2.1 AA guidelines. The final presentation introduces the Sourcer AI browser extension and findings from a classroom pilot, examining how the tool can help students assess credibility and recognize bias while keeping source evaluation in their hands.
Session 12 Speakers
Evan Fruehauf, Academic Librarian & Researcher University of South Florida Libraries Evan Fruehauf is an academic librarian and researcher at the University of South Florida with a passion for how people learn, create, and share knowledge. His interests span artificial intelligence, open access, and the evolving role of information in everyday life. Outside academia, he’s an avid cook, Dungeons & Dragons game master, and outdoors enthusiast exploring Florida’s trails and coasts.
John Gage, Information Technologies Librarian Emporia State University John Gage is the Information Technologies Librarian at Emporia State University, specializing in library IT, software, and AI. He earned his MLIS from the University of Oklahoma. He teaches UL100 - Research Skills, Information, and Technology, LI 815 Information Technology, and LI 862 – AI in Libraries. He is a CRAIG Grant recipient for the OER textbook An Introduction to AI for Librarians. He is passionate about teaching science literacy and technology literacy.
Melissa Emo, Digital Scholarship and OER Librarian Emporia State University Melissa Emo is the Digital Scholarship and OER Librarian at Emporia State University, where she champions accessibility, open educational practices, and equitable access to information. She earned her MLS from Emporia State University’s School of Library and Information Management. In addition to supporting digital scholarship initiatives, she teaches UL100: Research Skills, Information, and Technology; LI 855: Collection Development and Management; and other courses. Melissa is a CRAIG grant recipient for the open educational resource textbook, An Introduction to AI for Librarians. Her professional interests include artificial intelligence, information literacy, scholarly communication, and expanding access to educational resources for all learners.
Session 12 Speakers David Dettman, Professor / Information Literacy Coordinator University of Wisconsin -- Stevens Point Dave Dettman is a professor / Information Literacy Coordinator at the University of Wisconsin— Stevens Point. Dave has over 25 years of experience as an academic teaching librarian and teaches over 100 course integrated sessions each academic year along with multiple sections of a 3-credit information literacy course.
Alex Suscha, Founder and CEO Sourcer AI Alex Suscha is the founder and CEO of Sourcer AI. Alex is a recent graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, earning a bachelor's degree in business administration.
CALL FOR PROPOSALS LEARNING, RELEARNING, AND UNLEARNING IN ACADEMIC LIBRARIES An Online Conference June 7-8, 12:00-4:30 pm ET
What have you had to learn, relearn, or let go of to do your work well? This online conference is built around the idea that growth in this profession looks as much like releasing old assumptions as it does acquiring new skills. Building on the conversations started at the 2026 conference "Sustaining the Future of Academic Libraries," this conference invites proposals from academic library workers about what you've learned, what you've had to rethink, and what you've deliberately left behind—and what all of it means for how we serve our students, faculty, and institutions. Library Journal invites individual presentations and fully formed panels on any topic related to the conference themes, including topics such as: Learning Competencies and mindsets library workers need now, and how they are building them New tools and technologies, including implementation lessons and tools abandoned Relearning Applying foundational principles and long-standing practices to current problems Adapting workflows, services, and collections to new conditions Revisiting earlier decisions or abandoned practices Unlearning Ending services, collections, or initiatives, and how those decisions were made and communicated Things you were taught or believed about library work that you have since let go
All presentations will take place via Zoom on Monday, June 7 and Tuesday, June 8 and will be recorded for accessibility. Recordings will be available to conference participants, but they will not be downloadable or available publicly. All accepted presenters will receive free access to the full conference.
SUBMIT YOUR PROPOSAL
We welcome individual presentations and fully formed panels.
courses@libraryjournal.com course.libraryjournal.com
SUBMISSION DEADLINE: FEBRUARY 5, 2027 Acceptances will be sent out by February 26, 2027.
CLOSING KEYNOTE
Tuesday, November 17, 2026 | 3:35-4:25 pm ET The Price of Productivity: Rethinking Technology's Human Cost in Academic Libraries Sarah Zipf, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Medicine University of Pittsburgh Sarah Zipf earned her doctoral degree in Higher Education from the Pennsylvania State University. She studies the impact and influences of educational technology. Her research interests include online and distance education, educational technology, private/public partnerships, student access and success, and educational equity. Sarah lives in Pittsburgh with her spouse, an unfriendly cat, and a chubby dog. Her boys are off to college, studying, and having the time of their lives. She loves anchovy pizza, knitting, and officiating local swim meets.
We keep adding new tools to make library work easier, so why does it so often feel harder? New technology promises productivity, but for academic library workers, that promise comes at a cost. It is the exhaustion that comes with constantly adapting to new technology or technostress. Drawing on recent studies of academic library workers, this presentation explores a surprising paradox: we feel more productive and connected than ever, yet burnout is everywhere. And looking ahead, the real fear isn't that AI will take our jobs; it's that our expertise will quietly stop being valued. The good news is that none of this is inevitable. This talk offers a candid, hopeful look at what's really going on beneath the surface, and some practical ideas for how we, and our leadership, can build a healthier, more human-centered relationship with technology.