AI and Academic Libraries

This conference is especially useful for:

• Academic librarians who are being asked about AI by students or faculty and don’t always have clear answers yet
• Library leaders and department heads trying to decide how their library should approach AI, without overcommitting or falling behind
• Instruction and information literacy librarians adapting teaching approaches as AI tools reshape how students research and write
• Scholarly communication, metadata, and technical services staff exploring how AI is starting to affect workflows and systems
• Anyone in an academic library who knows AI is already impacting their work, but isn’t sure what to do with that yet

If that sounds like your role, you will likely recognize a lot of what’s discussed here.

 

You’ll get the most out of this conference if you:

• Are trying to figure out how seriously your library should be taking AI right now
• Have seen AI tools show up in student work, research questions, or faculty conversations
• Feel pressure to respond to AI, but don’t want to rush into the wrong approach
• Are curious what other academic libraries are actually doing, beyond headlines and speculation
• Want practical examples you can bring back to your own institution and discuss with your team

This conference was built for that exact moment you’re in right now.

Opening Keynote:

Ashleigh Faith, Director of AI and Semantic Innovation and Strategy, EBSCO Information Services

Ashleigh Faith has her MLIS focused on metadata and subject indexing, and her PhD focused on Advanced Semantics. Ashleigh has over 18 years of experience working on search, AI, and knowledge graph solutions across the STEM, government, and finance industries. Outside of her day-job, she is the Founder and host of the IsA DataThing YouTube channel where she tries to demystify the metadata, AI, and knowledge graph space.

 

Closing Keynote:

Sarah Zipf, Ph.D, Researcher, The Pennsylvania State University

Sarah Zipf earned her doctoral degree in Higher Education from the Pennsylvania State University. She is currently a researcher with Teaching & Learning with Technology, where she studies the impact and influences of educational technology. Her research interests include online and distance education, educational technology, private/public partnerships, student access and success, and educational equity. Sarah lives in Pittsburgh with her spouse, an unfriendly cat, and a chubby dog. Her boys are off to college, studying, and having the time of their lives. She loves anchovy pizza, knitting, and officiating local swim meets.

DAY 1 — Monday, November 16, 2026

Welcome, Housekeeping | 12:00–12:05 pm ET

 

Opening Keynote (Main Stage) | 12:05–1:00 pm ET

Trust in the Age of Uncertainty: Why Librarians Are the Antidote to AI Misinformation

Speaker:

Ashleigh Faith — Director of AI and Semantic Innovation and Strategy, EBSCO Information Services

 

Break | 1:00–1:10 pm ET

Concurrent Sessions | 1:10–2:10 pm ET

 

Session 1 (Main Stage)

Lovable Library Apps to Enhance Library Instruction and Improve Workflows

Speakers:

Olivia Peltier, Tiffany Ellis, Jennifer Hamilton — Edith Garland Dupré Library, University of Louisiana at Lafayette

 

Session 2 (Stage B) — Using AI to Build and Evaluate Collections

AI-Assisted Diversity Auditing in an Academic Library Collection

Speaker:

Claire Drolet — Delaware Valley University

 

AI for Collections Assessment

Speaker:

Laura DeLancey — Colorado State University

 

Using Generative AI to Support Data-Driven Decisions in STEM Library Collections

Speakers:

Melanie Gainey, Chasz Griego — Carnegie Mellon University Libraries

 

Break | 2:10–2:20 pm ET

Concurrent Sessions | 2:20–3:20 pm ET

 

Session 3 (Main Stage)

From Navigation to Critical Engagement: Building an AI Literacy Ecosystem in an Academic Library

Speakers:

Ariana Baker, Adam Johnson, Samantha Duncan — Coastal Carolina University

 

Session 4 (Stage B) — AI Tools and Frameworks for Information Literacy Instruction

Vibe Coding for Information Literacy: Using AI to Create Custom, On-The-Fly Tools to Enhance Your Instruction

Speaker:

Scott Kaihoi — University of St. Thomas Libraries

 

AI Sycophancy, Hallucinations, and Critical Algorithmic Information Literacy

Speaker:

Daniel DuPont — Delgado Community College

 

One Model, Two Audiences: Applying CARE to Async AI Literacy Modules

Speakers:

Brittany Davis, Kayla Davidson — Eastern Kentucky University Libraries

 

Break | 3:20–3:30 pm ET

Concurrent Sessions | 3:30–4:30 pm ET

 

Session 5 (Main Stage) — Growing AI Skills Across the Library Workforce

Hiring for AI: What Leaders Need to Know (and What They Often Miss)

Speaker:

Mona Ramonetti — Stony Brook University

 

AI Skeptics vs. AI Enthusiasts: Building a Learning Platform to Fill the Gap

Speaker:

Yulia Brusova — St. Louis Community College

 

Creating a Chatbot PD-to-Practice Thinking Partner

Speaker:

Julie Howard — Tennessee Technological University

 

Session 6 (Stage B)

Frame, Elevate, Enable: Building a Library AI Response

Speakers:

Danielle Johnson, Kat Cain, Emeka Anele

 

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DAY 2 — Tuesday, November 17, 2026

Welcome, Housekeeping | 12:00–12:05 pm ET

 

Concurrent Sessions | 12:05–1:05 pm ET

 

Session 7 (Main Stage)

On AI Watch: How the Academic Library Supports Literacy, Discovery, and Integrity

Speakers:

Rebecca Penrose, Rachelle Ehteshami, Kristine Holloway

 

Session 8 (Stage B) — Listening to Staff and Students in AI Adoption

Prototyping at the Front Desk: How AI Rebuilt Our Student Scheduling Process

Speaker:

William Judd — McLeod Business Library at William & Mary

 

Learning Your Audience: Gathering Staff Feedback to Guide Your AI Implementation

Speakers:

Kirsten Clark, Lisa McGuide, Angie Ohler, Keri Youngstrand — University of Minnesota Twin Cities

 

On the Front Line of AI Adoption: Student Learning Assistants' Perspectives of AI Use Among Middlesex University Students

Speakers:

Ioana Mitea, Simbo Ajayi — Middlesex University London

 

Break | 1:05–1:15 pm ET

Concurrent Sessions | 1:15–2:15 pm ET

 

Session 9 (Main Stage) — Deciding Whether, When, and How to Use AI

F(AI)r Use: A Model for Guiding the Choice to Use AI

Speaker:

Sarah Teichman — Hudson County Community College

 

Assessing the Environmental Ethics of Artificial Intelligence: Applying the SDSU Ethical AI Assessment Tool in Academic Contexts

Speakers:

Michelle Mussuto, Sarah Tribelhorn — California State University Chico

 

What Does My Gut Tell Me? Rejecting Human Disempowerment in the Rollout of Artificial Intelligence in My Library

Speaker:

Pete McDonnell — Bemidji State University, A. C. Clark Library

 

Session 10 (Stage B) — AI Literacy Building Blocks

Algorithms Speak: Grounding AI Literacy in Ethical Information Literacy Practices

Speakers:

Kay Coates, Vivan Bynoe — Georgia Southern University

 

No Magic, Just Math: Teaching LLM Basics for True AI Literacy

Speaker:

Kara Schleck — College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University

 

From Guidelines to Practice: Rebuilding an Information Literacy Curriculum for the AI Era

Speaker:

Sibongiseni Mrwashu — University of Fort Hare

 

Break | 2:15–2:25 pm ET

Concurrent Sessions | 2:25–3:25 pm ET

 

Session 11 (Main Stage) — New Models for AI Literacy Instruction

Hidden Labor: Teaching AI Infrastructure as Information Literacy

Speaker:

Alexis Pavenick — California State University, Long Beach

 

Beyond the Prompt: Teaching AI Literacy Through Metaliteracy and the Gravitational Model

Speaker:

Julie Durci — Gannon University Nash Library

 

Structuring a Scaffolded AI Literacy Framework for Diverse Student Needs

Speaker:

Jen Pesek — Santa Clara University

 

Session 12 (Stage B) — Optimizing Library Content and Tools for the AI Era

Is Your Library Readable? Optimizing Webpages for AI Consumption

Speaker:

Evan Fruehauf — University of South Florida Libraries

 

AI for Inclusion: Making Accessibility a Reality

Speakers:

John Gage, Melissa Emo — Emporia State University

 

Applied Information Literacy: Sourcer AI Browser Extension and Online Source Evaluation

Speakers:

David Dettman, Alex Suscha — University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point

 

Break | 3:25–3:35 pm ET

Closing Keynote (Main Stage) | 3:35–4:25 pm ET

Title to come

Speaker:

Sarah Zipf, Ph.D — Researcher, The Pennsylvania State University

 

Wrap-Up, Reminders, Closing Thoughts | 4:25–4:30 pm ET

ALL THE DETAILS

This two-day online conference brings together academic library professionals to share how AI is actually showing up in their work, including real examples, current challenges, and practical approaches being tested right now.

 

SESSIONS AND PRICING

This is a live online conference. If you can’t attend in real time, you will receive access to the recordings.

Rate + deadline	Fall Session
Early bird deadline	October 16, 2026
Early bird price	$232
Standard deadline	November 16, 2026
Standard price	$282
Conference dates	November 16–17, 2026 12:00–4:30 pm ET

 

GROUP OPTIONS

Training a team? Choose the setup that matches how you want to plan and pay:

Group course enrollment: Enroll 3+ staff and save.

Bulk course credits: Prepay once, get the highest per-seat discount, and assign seats later.

Unlimited annual licensing: System-wide access for a year with no per-course approvals.

Request Discounted Group Pricing

Questions? Email groupsales@libraryjournal.com.

CONFERENCE FORMAT

This is a two-day live online conference with a mix of presentations, panels, and keynote sessions.

 

EXPECTED TIME COMMITMENT

Each day will be 4.5 hours of live sessions.

 

COURSE ACCESS

You will have access to all session recordings for six months after the conference.

 

CREDIT & CERTIFICATE

You will receive 10 professional development credit hours and a Library Journal certificate of completion.

 

ACCESSIBILITY

All sessions include auto-captioning. If you require accommodations, please email course-support@libraryjournal.com upon registration and we will make our best efforts to support your needs.

 

SUPPORT

For technical or course-related support, please contact course-support@libraryjournal.com.