Why AI Literacy Is Necessary

The first question McNeil posed was why library staffers need AI literacy when so many are against using AI. She maintained that librarians need to be ahead of the curve. Mike Driskell, director of Arlington Heights Memorial Library in Illinois, said that as information brokers, AI offers huge potential. Morgan Hanks, user experience manager at Kent District Library in Michigan, noted that librarians can drive what AI is and what it isn’t by getting involved in its use. Nick Tanzi, assistant director of South Huntington Public Library in New York, cautioned that AI is poorly understood but widely adopted by patrons, which is concerning, so librarians need to educate their community about it. Toby Greenwalt, principal at Flywheel Strategies in Pennsylvania, added that this is librarians’ opportunity to lead by example.

Patrons Getting Curious

The speakers conducted a poll wondering if patrons have asked library staffers about AI at attendees’ libraries. The majority answer was yes.

McNeil said library staffers can support patrons in using AI without using it themselves. Helping patrons understand it doesn’t equal endorsement of it. However, librarians should help them make informed decisions about AI, because the tools that may be on offer change—but why people come to libraries hasn’t changed. Hanks noted that AI can exist alongside human library service, but that’s an issue that needs to be untangled.

Initiatives for AI Literacy

PLA’s recent survey found that the top three things librarians want from the task force are AI training resources, sample AI policies, and information literacy training, noted McNeil. The discussion turned to the ways that the speakers use AI. Driskell suggested treating AI as an intern—they’re intelligent, but someone still needs to check their work.

McNeil introduced the next discussion question, asking how the approach to information literacy should change to incorporate the challenges of AI. Greenwalt spoke about the Super Searchers project he was involved with. It centered on how to get better results faster when it comes to AI. He noted that large language models are people-pleasers by design; they give the user the answer they “think” the person wants. So it’s important to ask them the “right” question. This is where librarians come in: Their core skills have become more valuable than ever, Greenwalt noted. 

Tanzi spoke about the future-ready initiative he’s part of. Children are awash in AI output, he said, so it’s important to teach them about internet safety and how to navigate AI. He noted he’ll be presenting the topic in a session called Future-Ready Youth (at Information Today, Inc.’s Computers in Libraries conference in March).

AI’s Ethical and Environmental Concerns

McNeil introduced the next question about how the ethical and environmental concerns around AI should be addressed. She noted that there’s no one-size-fits-all answer; when it comes to living in the digital world, there are always personal trade-offs. If something is a necessity, we trade off the cost, and maybe that’s what AI is? She talked about the good that AI can do to help people who are disabled, for example. People see headlines demonizing AI and data centers, but it’s not flat-out good or bad, she said. Library staffers have the opportunity to understand AI’s benefits and detriments and make their own decisions.

Hanks agreed that with AI, two things can be true—for example, Netflix also uses a data center to reach viewers. She finds it a complex issue that librarians can’t solve, but they shouldn’t opt out of grappling with it, because they can help patrons see what those trade-offs are. Greenwalt acknowledged that there are legitimate environmental concerns surrounding AI, but the AI companies need to solve those; library staffers should prioritize what actual people are doing with it. Tanzi reminded everyone that sustainability is a core value of librarianship, but it’s difficult to get good data. The ethical problems of AI are part of having an AI education, he said. Driskell noted that AI models are already becoming more efficient, and major AI companies have made environmental pledges. 

Crafting an AI Policy

Another poll asked whether attendees’ library has an AI policy. The majority said it didn’t. McNeil stressed that having guidelines is important for protecting the library; having an AI policy also makes the library look forward-thinking, whether the employees use AI or not. Guidelines should answer three questions, McNeil said: What am I allowed to help with? Where do I draw boundaries? What should I do if I’m unsure?

The town hall closed with a Q&A. McNeil noted that the PLA 2026 Conference will be held April 1–3 in Minneapolis, where talks on this topic will continue. (McNeil assured attendees that safety is being discussed.)