Librarians and AI

Erin Wandler

Librarians, AI and Data Deluge

Summary: Librarianship in the 2020s and beyond is gearing up for some serious changes, thanks to societal shifts and the growing specialization within professions. Foundational knowledge is key here, advocating for well-rounded skills that let librarians seamlessly switch between different library types and keep up with changing client needs and tech advancements. Different types of specializations are popping up like reference wizards and e-resource gurus, to meet specific demands and tech trends. Librarians need to stay sharp with ongoing learning and adapting, especially since managing e-resources is becoming a must-have skill for all librarians. Sure, it might throw some folks off at first, but these contextual specializations are all about evolving to meet new needs, with a little help from library leaders. Soon, librarians might find themselves lending a hand in training AI or giving feedback on its info. With all of the new technology, ethics is a huge piece, librarians are the ones stepping up to tackle those tricky moral questions machines can’t handle. So, while the landscape of librarianship might be changing faster than ever, one thing’s for sure: it’s all about staying agile and collaborating to keep libraries relevant in our info-packed world.

Evaluation: The idea of librarians working alongside artificial intelligence (AI) presents both exciting opportunities and potential challenges. On one hand, AI technologies have the potential to revolutionize information management, data analysis, and user services within libraries. Librarians can leverage AI tools to enhance cataloging, automate routine tasks, and provide personalized recommendations to patrons. This collaboration could lead to more efficient workflows, improved access to information, and enhanced user experiences.

However, there are also concerns surrounding the integration of AI in libraries. One primary concern is the potential impact on the role of human librarians. While AI can handle certain tasks more efficiently, it lacks the nuanced understanding, empathy, and contextual knowledge that human librarians bring to their roles. There’s a risk of oversimplifying the complexities of information management and user interactions if AI systems are relied upon too heavily.

Moreover, there are ethical considerations regarding data privacy, algorithmic biases, and the implications of AI-driven decision-making. Librarians must ensure that AI technologies are implemented ethically and transparently, with safeguards in place to protect patron privacy and prevent discrimination.

Frederick, D.E. (2020). Librarians in the era of artificial intelligence and the data deluge. Library Hi Tech News, 37(7), 1-7. https://doi.org/10.1108/LHTN-03-2020-0029

What Educators Think About Using AI in Schools

Ready, Graham

TE

Langreo, L. (April 14 2023). What Educators Think About Using AI in Schools. Education Weekly. Retrieved December 4 2023 from https://www.edweek.org/technology/what-educators-think-about-using-ai-in-schools/2023/04 

Summary

This article aims to present an impartial analysis of the potential benefits and drawbacks inherent to the use of “AI” technologies like ChatGPT in the field of education. It does this by polling educators for their professional opinions on the issue, both in the form of a simple survey involving 863 educators across the country and in the form of anonymous quotes from two dozen surveyed administrators and teachers who volunteered their opinions on the issue. When it comes to the survey results, 47% of those 863 educators who were surveyed believe that “AI” technologies will have a “somewhat negative” (31%) or “very negative” (16%) impact on the field of education, a stark contrast to the 27% who believe that “AI” will have a “somewhat positive” (21%) or “very positive” (6%) impact, whereas the remainder either believe that “AI” will have “no impact” (13%) on education, or were simply not well informed enough to offer an opinion (14%). When it comes to the opinions of those who volunteered to explain their positions in greater depth, however, the results were more nuanced. Some respondents argue that “AI” could be beneficial, but must be carefully integrated into the educational pedagogy in order to avoid making them the easy out which others fear in an educational environment that already contends with readily-available technological resources which make plagiarism and other shortcuts easier to manage than ever before. Others believe that “AI” will only make things worse for educators, arguing that students won’t feel the need to truly engage with the material they are being asked to learn if they believe that “AI” can just do the work for them. Still others believe that, however dubious it may be, “AI” is here to stay and will impact the educational landscape whether educators want it to or not, so the only recourse available is to try and adapt to its presence as best they can. In any event, the article demonstrates that the issue is contentious to say the least, and surprisingly more nuanced than one might assume at first glance.

Evaluation

When I was tracking down articles and research papers to use as sources for my first project, I was pleasantly surprised that, in an environment which seemed flooded with articles viewing “AI” as a positive force in the educational space, there was indeed an article which sought to examine the issue in a more nuanced manner. Nothing in the design of EdWeek’s survey or Langreo’s article leads me to suspect that one side or another is being favored in the debate, and the inclusion of survey results alongside more detailed depositions from all sides goes a long way towards placing this article as a more objective source on the subject than many of the others I found. I therefore take no issue with how the article’s data was collected, but I have always held a considerable amount of skepticism towards the implementation of “AI” technologies in the field of education, particularly when it is treated as some inevitable force which will change the way things are done whether educators like it or not. Such an analysis is not strictly wrong, per se: students will no doubt gravitate towards these tools regardless of whether or not they are deemed suitable for educational use, in the same way that they gravitate towards Quizlets and scantrons and any other means by which they might take shortcuts through their own education. However, it strikes me as a somewhat defeatist philosophy set at odds with the optimism and resourcefulness that is so common in this field, particularly when set against what I would agree are very reasonable concerns being brought forth by others in the educational space. Of course, such a perspective is only one of several brought forth by this article, which nonetheless does an excellent job of giving each perspective on this issue its own fair shake in what strikes me as a very all-or-nothing climate regarding the use of “AI” technologies, and for that, this article remains a valuable resource for the optimist and the skeptic alike.

AI in Libraries

By: Mindy Chesla

Verma, M. (2023). Novel Study on AI-Based Chatbot (ChatGPT) Impacts on the Traditional Library Management. International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (IJTSRD), 7(1), 961-964.

Summary

This article gives you a quick overview of how AI developed from its early stage to NLP and now to deep learning chatbots such as ChatGPT. ChatGPT can be used for several applications such as personal recommendations for books, navigation assistance in libraries, user engagement to encourage participation in library events, and enhanced reference systems to answer general questions. The impact of AI in libraries can free up time for librarians to complete other tasks. Also, it allows users to maneuver around the library without personal assistance.

Evaluation

I found this article to be very interesting but wish it gave more examples of how libraries are utilizing AI right now. That may be due to the technology being so new that most of this is hypothetical at the moment. I would be interested in how chatbots could access the collection, current patron checkouts and how that could impact book selections for patrons or potential books the library would purchase in the future.

Application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) In Libraries and Its Impact on Library Operations Review

Martinez, Robert

ID

Technology that boosts teaching and learning

A, Subaveerapandiyan. (2023). Application of artificial intelligence (AI) In libraries and its impact on library operations review. Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal). Retrieved 9/10/2023 from
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/libphilprac/7828

This research paper explores the benefits and problems with incorporating AI technology into libraries both for librarian use in building out their information architecture and for the library patron to use for their own personal needs. The author explores current literature on the subject of AI in libraries from the perspective of accessibility, linguistics, digital cataloging, software, and library service. The author explores the implications of AI on the role librarians play in serving their community, their job security, ethical legal and IP complications. However the author also highlights the value of AI for managing the exponentially increasing amount of data which librarians find themselves responsible for organizing, exploring, and maintaining.

I found this article useful for learning about the potential disadvantages of AI and exploring what specific roles AI can fill in the data management ecosystem by categorizing the different impacts and disruptions to the traditional library system and reviewing the associated literature. This article is well- sourced and provides many references. However as far as using AI for teacher librarians, his use cases for AI are somewhat lacking.

ChatGPT as an Example Machine

Name: Bolanos, Erin

Topic: Technology (TE)

Citation: Mah, C. (2023, February 19). How to Use ChatGPT as an Example Machine. Cult of Pedagogy. https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/chatgpt-example-machine/

Summary: The article, “How to Use ChatGPT as an Example Machine” Chris Ma highlights the importance of multiple examples in education and explains how teachers can effectively prompt ChatGPT to create examples for different learning goals. It showcases how ChatGPT can generate contrasting examples in science, social studies, math, English, and other subjects. The examples range from explaining processes and concepts to exploring arguments and perspectives. 

Evaluation: As a high school teacher, I appreciate articles that explain how to use technology in the classroom. This article helps teachers understand what ChatGPT can do while guiding them in critically evaluating and using the examples effectively. This article provides clear examples of how ChatGPT can be used in all subjects.

Open AI in Education

post by Sally Soberanes

Reference

Mhlanga, David. (2023). Open AI in Education, the Responsible and Ethical Use of ChatGPT Towards Lifelong Learning. SSRN. https://ssrn.com/abstract=4354422

Summary

This article goes over the development of media and technology over time and how it has been integrated into everyday society. They then transition the conversation to be specifically about ChatGPT and the ethical issues that can arise from its use by students. The writers make some excellent points about user privacy, fairness and non-discrimination, and how ChatGPT is not a replacement for human teachers. Overall, the research is very in-depth and broad. Offering readers an understanding of the fundamentals and giving people a place to start when it comes to implementing this new technology.

Reflection

In reading this article I deeply appreciated the depth the author went into. It not only examined some very essential issues, like privacy, but also discussed how future educators should not shy away from utilizing this technology. I also appreciated that in their closing statement, they say that there is still a lot of work and research to be done in this field, and we must be cautious in moving forward with our integration of open language model AIs. Overall, I think this article sets a good foundation for those looking to be prepared for a conversation about AI in the classroom.