Tag: libraries

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The AI Trust Crisis

A Strategic Opportunity for Libraries

Society is at a crossroads. Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping (or going to reshape) virtually every industry. Yet, in the latest poll by You.gov, the public trust in AI is Plummeting like circulation stats during the pandemic closures. This isn’t just another tech wave— it’s a defining moment for libraries to step up as trusted guides in an era of digital uncertainty.

The Big Picture

After three decades in library tech, I’ve seen plenty of trends come and go. The March 2025 survey results from You.Gov paints a striking picture:

Public skepticism of AI has jumped from 36% to 44% in just three months.
58% of Americans fear deep-fakes; 53% worry about privacy.
41% want stricter AI regulations.

Here’s the paradox: trust is declining, but AI adoption is accelerating. People voice concerns but they’re already using AI tools for resumes, research, and creative projects—whether our institutions acknowledge it or not. And the more often people use AI, the more positive their outlook about it’s effect on society.

If this feels familiar, you may have been around for the early days of services like Wikipedia. Internet users embraced it long before traditional institutions did and oddly enough it wasn’t the end of more scholarly, authoritative services. In fact, it significantly enhanced their status.

Why This Matters for Libraries

Libraries have always been champions of knowledge, privacy, and digital literacy. Here in this moment is the opportunity for us to lead again—not just as information stewards, but as AI literacy centers. Our communities need reliable voices to cut through the hype, fear, and misinformation surrounding AI. In an era where libraries are increasingly under fire, this specific pivot would seem obvious, important and maybe essential.

What Library Leaders Can Do

For directors and senior managers navigating this shift:

  • Position libraries as AI literacy hubs
  • Train staff on AI tools
  • Develop AI education initiatives
  • Form AI local advisory committees

For technology teams, the shift to AI requires thoughtful planning:

  • Assess AI integration standards
  • Strengthen data governance
  • Build AI-ready frameworks

The Workforce Evolution

Let’s also address the giant pink elephant in the room: job displacement fears. A full 48% of workers worry AI will replace them. Some will be correct. Knowledge workers in the library are not immune. But history and my own life experience suggests other options are possible and even more probable. Libraries didn’t disappear when we moved from card catalogs to online catalogs, when services like Google or digital downloads came along.

We adapted.

AI won’t replace libraries; but it can transform them. Our goal should be to harness the leverage AI offers to boost our efficiency, enhance services, and expand our impact.

“Quick Start” Action Steps

For Directors & Managers:

  • Audit your library’s AI readiness.
  • Develop an AI integration roadmap.
  • Invest in staff AI training.

For Technology Teams:

  • Evaluate infrastructure needs.
  • Review AI capabilities in vendor services.
  • Establish AI governance frameworks.

For Front-Line Staff:

  • Begin AI literacy training.
  • Gather patron feedback on AI use.
  • Share real-world AI applications and concerns.

The Path Forward

Libraries have always been more than a collection of books. We are community anchors, advocates for privacy, and champions of access and inclusion. From offering internet services to leading digital literacy programs, we’ve guided our patrons through every major technology shift.

AI is the next chapter and it’s time to turn the page.

What is the AI strategy in your library?

Are you leading the way or waiting on the sidelines?

Share your thoughts below and let’s shape the future together.

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“AI-generated GARBAGE has flooded our digital collection!”

When AI Comes Knocking

An email like this made me spit coffee all over my carefully cluttered desk.

My first thought?

“Great, another tech apocalypse to add to my to-do list, right between ‘crippling AI privacy leaks in Adobe and Windows’ and ‘reminding patrons that headphones exist’.

I get it. Library professionals —and everyone who values knowledge and creativity— has a visceral reaction to “AI Slop”. AI stirs the dystopian cauldron, conjuring images of demonic robots drowning out the human voices and making everything feel a lot less human. Feelings we have long before we talk about ethical landmines like plagiarism, copyright, bias, misinformation and job displacement.

If that makes you uneasy— you’re not alone.

For those just tuning in, I’m currently a public library technologist. Over the years, I’ve worn many hats: broadcaster, IT wrangler for the media and publishing industries. I’ve modernized more than one library system. One memorable day I was summarily drafted as an unofficial bat rescuer (THAT story involves a giant Tupperware bowl and a children’s librarian with nerves of steel, so I’ll save it for another post.)

My point is that I’ve seen technology spark both wonder and fear. And I’ve learned after decades of technology panic cycles that the very things we fear most, often become the tools we can’t live without.

What if AI is less “evil book-burning robot” and more “that eager & clueless new hire” who:

– Shows up with bizarre ideas that occasionally lead to brilliant opportunities
– Needs constant supervision and persistent ethical guidance
– Makes ridiculous mistakes we can laugh at and very often, learn from

AI tools aren’t just about automation—they’re about leverage for human labor and inspiration for our educational and creative endeavors.

Question:  What was the technology that terrified you most when it first appeared? How do you feel about it now?

For me, it was free, public WiFi. I was convinced we’d be returning endless calls to fraud investigators and spam hunters.

Spoiler Alert: I was wrong.

Libraries have been here before. From the vanishing card catalogs to automation systems and from Wi-Fi to Chatbots, libraries adapt and continue to thrive with every change.

– Rising cost for hardware, software and massive increases in power consumption (Sound familiar?)
– Internet terminals, Wi-Fi hotspots, and digital collections that changed the profession entirely. (All risking Piracy, Privacy & Plagiarism.)
– Wikipedia (Definitely going to destroy research forever.)

Yet, with each innovation, libraries adapted because we stayed true to our mission:

Providing a coveted “third place”, connecting people with knowledge and each other.  If we don’t engage with AI, others will shape it without our values, we’ll leave our communities vulnerable to:

– Commercial interests over public good
– Digital divides becoming even wider chasms
– Information access determined by who can pay

Sitting on the virtuous sideline isn’t advocacy or even neutrality— it is the very definition of surrender.

I’m NOT suggesting generative AI is perfect for library uses.
It’s clearly not.

It’s messy, problematic, and evolving too fast for comfort. But the pace of change is different now. Television took 30 years to reach mass adoption; smartphones did it in five. Considering where AI is in 2025, our world may be unrecognizable by 2030.

I am simply suggesting we bring our public service superpowers to the table, to “Use Our Magic”, so to speak. We lead with our values, our commitment to privacy and intellectual freedom:

– Our passion for equal access
– Our discernment between quality information and, well, garbage
– Our habit of asking annoyingly good questions

Here’s what’s actually happening with AI in libraries around the world right now:

– – In a small [rural] Library, a solo librarian uses AI to create personalized reading lists for patrons, doubling the quantity and quality of their outreach without working overtime.
– – In an [Urban] High School, educators use AI tools to build highly personalized lesson plans flipping student comments from “I hate this assignment” into “can I stay late to finish this?”
– – University Libraries train AI chatbots to help students when reference librarians are unavailable.

Our fate is what we make from the work we do today. The future isn’t humans OR machines. It’s humans AND machines in libraries, creating communities where everyone has the tools, knowledge, and support to thrive— even when the world changes faster than we can update our policies.

Has your library tried any AI tools yet?
~ Please drop a comment—success stories AND horror stories welcome!

Oh, and about that bat rescue,  compared to the Microfiche Crisis of ’87, it was simply a no brainer.