he Emergence of AI in Academic Libraries: Transforming Student Research

Exploring AI in Academic Libraries: Insights from Librarians

Presentation by Kate Ganski and Heidi Anzano at UWM Libraries

In a recent session at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM), librarians Kate Ganski and Heidi Anzano discussed the evolving role of artificial intelligence (AI) in academic libraries and its impact on student research and information literacy.

Opening Discussion: AI in Today's World

The session began with an interactive discussion where participants shared their experiences and insights about AI over the past semester. Key points included:

• Environmental Impact: Concerns about the significant server space and energy consumption required for AI technologies.
• Accessibility and Control: Recognition that large companies may dominate AI development due to high costs.
• Student Use of AI: Observations that students are using AI not just for cheating but also as a study aid, such as generating quizzes and summarizing chapters.
• Limitations of AI: Acknowledgment that AI tools can make mistakes and may not be effective in specialized or obscure fields.
• Comparison to Wikipedia: Similarities in how students use AI and Wikipedia as reference tools to support their learning.

Librarians' Expertise and the Role of AI

Kate and Heidi highlighted the expertise that librarians bring to the table, especially in terms of information literacy and ethics. They discussed how AI is changing the landscape of information discovery and the importance of guiding students in this new environment.

Key areas of focus included:

• Information Abundance: With the proliferation of AI-generated content, librarians can help students navigate and critically evaluate the vast amount of information available.
• Information Literacy Framework: They introduced the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Framework for Information Literacy, which includes six core concepts:
• Authority Is Constructed and Contextual
• Information Creation as a Process
• Information Has Value
• Research as Inquiry
• Scholarship as Conversation
• Searching as Strategic Exploration
• AI's Impact on Research Practices: Discussion on how AI tools are changing research methodologies and the need to adapt teaching strategies accordingly.

Interactive Reflection and Exercises

Participants engaged in reflection activities to identify core research practices and skills within their disciplines. They considered how these practices are being disrupted or enhanced by AI and where to focus students' critical thinking in this new context.

Challenges and Considerations

Several challenges associated with AI in academic settings were discussed:

• Bias and Representation: AI tools may amplify existing biases in scholarly literature, underrepresenting marginalized voices.
• Evaluation of AI-generated Content: The importance of teaching students to critically assess the reliability and validity of AI-generated information.
• Ethical Use of AI: Addressing concerns related to privacy, data usage, and intellectual property rights.

Conclusion

The session concluded with a call to reevaluate traditional research models in light of AI advancements. Kate and Heidi emphasized the need to foster curiosity and critical thinking among students, encouraging them to question and analyze the information they encounter.

Lane, the host, wrapped up the session by highlighting additional resources and experiments for attendees to explore AI tools in research.

Note: This summary is based on a presentation by librarians Kate Ganski and Heidi Anzano discussing the intersection of AI and academic libraries.