Overview

Though it's challenging to set policies for a technology that is so young and still in flux, the need is urgent. Because usage of AI presents both opportunities and risks, libraries must be proactive. The WEF (World Economic Forum) predicts that while there may be a loss of 92 million jobs to various AI tools, they see 170 million new jobs and roles emerging from the use of this new technology. Whether or not this proves correct, there are already digital literacy skills, including a basic understanding of the technology around AI, that libraries can help their patrons master; and because of data privacy, security, and ethics issues, library workers require clear AI policies too. Technology expert Hastings highlights the first attempts of libraries across the country to set up policies for the use of AI in their organizations, as well as policies created by cities and other similar institutions, to guide stakeholders in creating their own smart, forward-thinking course of action. Succinct and pragmatic, this timely resource provides a short overview of Generative AI history, basic technical knowledge, and the key arguments put forth by those in favor and those opposed to this technology; offers advice on discovering how library staff encounter AI in their day-to-day work, both in their own usage and by patrons, to inform what policies the library needs and which policies to consider adjusting for particular use cases; includes separate chapters focusing on staff-side policy and patron/public-facing policy, delving into essential considerations like staff training, privacy and data protection, security, AI usage for reference, patron education and AI literacy, and setting limits and boundaries on patron AI use; suggests useful approaches to ensure that AI policies are easy to follow and understand by library workers, patrons, and the wider community; discusses how to craft flexible procedures that can be updated as AI continues to change, drawing on technology management best practices; and offers links to additional resources like sample policy documents and a curated reading list for understanding the environment around AI.

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Author Information

Robin Hastings is the Library Services Consultant for the Northeast Kansas Library System in the lovely town of Lawrence, KS. She has a Bachelor's Degree in IT with a Master's Degree in Library Science. She's been working in libraries with technology since the last millennium and has written four books, a Library Technology Report, several articles and a couple of contributed chapters on library technology. She's also presented around the world on a variety of library technology and general library management topics. She served as the Mountain Plains Library Association president for 2024-2025 and as the Koha Users Group President in 2015-2016.

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