AI Tools for the Overworked School Librarian

AFTER COMPLETING THIS COURSE, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO:

• Use AI tools to support core areas of school library work, including student research support, programming, collection development, instruction, outreach, and marketing.
• Evaluate and implement free and low-cost AI tools that fit your school’s needs, policies, and real-world constraints.
• Teach and model ethical, inclusive, and transparent AI use with students and staff, including how to explain and cite AI support appropriately.
• Draft or adapt an AI use policy or agreement for your school or library that is clear, realistic, and student-friendly.
• Create ready-to-use resources you can share with teachers and students to support instruction and schoolwide collaboration.
• Understand common pricing models, data privacy implications, and district technology requirements that affect which tools you can actually use.

WHO THIS COURSE IS FOR

If you are someone who:

• Hasn't had time to sort out what is useful, what is risky, and what is just noise when it comes to AI.
• Wants to save time on the repetitive parts of the job (without sacrificing quality or creating extra cleanup later).
• Is getting questions from teachers, students, or administrators about “what the library thinks about AI.”
• Needs a simple, school-friendly way to talk about ethical use, transparency, and when AI is not appropriate.
• Wants concrete examples and ready-to-use resources you can bring back to your school right away.

This course was made for you.

This course is especially helpful for:

• School librarians and library media specialists who support student research, instruction, and digital literacy.
• Solo librarians who are doing everything and need time-saving workflows that actually work in a school setting.
• Library staff who are expected to set guidance for students and staff, even if you are still learning the tools yourself.
• District or system library leaders who want consistent, responsible AI practices across multiple schools.
• School library teams who want shared language, shared resources, and clear guardrails for ethical use.

If you want practical, school-appropriate AI tools and guidance you can defend with confidence, you will see yourself in this course.

THIS COURSE CONSISTS OF 4 ON-DEMAND MODULES:

Module 1: Automate & Organize — Streamlining Library Operations with AI

This module focuses on using AI to eliminate routine bottlenecks and streamline daily library operations. You’ll explore tools that support cataloging, inventory, transcription, translation, and 24/7 FAQ coverage. The module also examines how AI can assist with collection development by analyzing usage patterns and suggesting diverse, high-interest titles to address gaps.

Module 2: Promote & Connect — Using AI to Support Research

In this module, you’ll explore how AI can support student research from start to finish. Learn how tools can help students define topics, generate keywords, locate high-quality sources, organize information, and synthesize research into meaningful outcomes. You’ll also examine ways AI can break down complex academic texts to make research more accessible and manageable for all learners.

Module 3: Teach & Program — Co-Creating Instruction and Engagement with AI

Librarians are educators, and AI can serve as a powerful planning partner. This module covers how to design lessons, interactive programs, makerspace activities, and AI-supported research experiences that promote inquiry and engagement. You’ll also learn how to guide students in using AI ethically and responsibly in their academic work.

Module 4: Lead & Evaluate — Ethical AI Use and Future-Ready Librarianship

This final module prepares librarians to lead AI integration with clarity and confidence. You’ll examine data privacy, algorithmic bias, and policy development, while also learning how AI can support impact reporting and advocacy. The focus is on positioning librarians as ethical, future-ready leaders in their schools and districts.

COURSE ADVISOR & INSTRUCTOR

Elissa Malespina, B.C.A.S.E., Teacher Librarian in New Jersey and Author of The AI School Librarians Newsletter

Elissa Malespina is an award-winning school librarian, educational consultant, former school board member, and author who specializes in helping educators and librarians integrate artificial intelligence into teaching and learning. She is the author of AI in the Library: Strategies, Tools and Ethics for Today’s Schools and writes The AI School Librarians Newsletter, a Substack publication focused on practical AI tools, ethical guidance, and instructional strategies.

Outside of her professional work, Elissa is a proud mom and wife, and a fierce advocate for intellectual freedom and educational equity.

WHO SHOULD TAKE THIS COURSE

This course is designed for K–12 school librarians at any level of AI familiarity who want practical, school-appropriate strategies for integrating artificial intelligence into daily library work, instruction, and leadership.

SESSIONS AND PRICING

Choose the session that works best for your schedule. Early bird pricing ends one month before the session deadline. Course materials unlock on the session deadline date.

GROUP OPTIONS

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

Group course enrollment: Enroll 3+ staff in this course and save.

Bulk course credits: Prepay once, get the highest per-seat discount on every course, 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.

COURSE FORMAT

This is a fully self-paced, asynchronous online course consisting of 4 modules. Each module includes video instruction, slides, practical examples, and reflective exercises designed to connect AI concepts directly to your daily school library work.

EXPECTED TIME COMMITMENT

Each module is designed to take approximately 4 hours to complete, for a total of 16 professional development hours. You may move through the course at your own pace and on your own schedule.

ALL THE DETAILS

Artificial intelligence is reshaping how students research, write, and learn. School librarians are uniquely positioned to lead thoughtful, ethical, and practical AI integration.

In this course, you will explore time-saving operational workflows, AI-supported research strategies, instructional co-design approaches, and responsible-use frameworks tailored specifically for K–12 school libraries. You will evaluate tools through the lens of privacy, bias, district requirements, and real-world classroom use.

By the end of the course, you will have practical workflows, policy language, instructional ideas, and communication strategies that help you lead AI conversations with clarity and confidence.

ON-DEMAND ACCESS

You will have access to all course materials for six months from the material unlock date.

CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION

Complete all modules to earn 16 professional development credit hours and a School Library Journal certificate of completion. Certificates are emailed upon completion.

If you complete all three courses in The AI-Ready School Library: 3-Course Certification Series, you will earn your AI Literacy in Schools certification from School Library Journal.

ACCESSIBILITY

All video recordings feature 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.