Bobbi L. Newman (she/her) is a librarian, author, professor, and consultant with over two decades of experience across public, academic, and special libraries. She has held leadership roles in strategic planning, digital services, community engagement, and national initiatives. She is the author or editor of several books, including the forthcoming The Public Librarian’s Guide to Answering Health Questions (with Carolyn Martin), Fostering Wellness in the Workplace: A Handbook for Libraries, and Well-Being in the Library Workplace: A Handbook for Managers. She is an internationally recognized speaker, she has delivered keynotes, workshops, and invited presentations around the world. Bobbi believes the value and power of libraries comes from the people who work in them. She is passionate about creating library environments where everyone belongs, and about advancing organizational practices that support the people doing the work.
Sam Helmick is a librarian and library leader who believes that a thriving civil society depends on places where people can belong, learn, encounter ideas, and meaningfully participate in their communities. They serve as Community & Access Services Coordinator at Iowa City Public Library and recently completed their term as President of the American Library Association, where they now serve as Immediate Past President. Sam’s work focuses on how libraries build connection, expand access to knowledge, and create opportunities for people to participate fully in civic and community life. They are passionate about the enduring—and evolving—role of libraries in helping us imagine and build a better society together.
Addressing a topic of great concern with both urgency and clarity, this book offers a compelling vision for libraries to claim their central role as trusted stewards of knowledge and architects of a responsible and equitable AI-driven world.
In the form of generative AI, libraries are facing technological transformation of unprecedented speed and scale. Both controversial and disruptive, the sudden ubiquity of AI has already triggered uncertainty as well as the need for rapid adaptation. As AI reshapes how humans learn, work, and interact with information, libraries across the ecosystem—from public to academic, from school to special libraries—must resist the temptation to merely serve as static support and instead claim the center by becoming a dynamic, positive influence. Because, as the authors of this book persuasively argue, libraries are uniquely positioned to lead AI’s ethical and human-centered integration within communities. Blending theory and concepts with an unswervingly pragmatic approach, from this book readers will
be introduced to foundational principles and frameworks for navigating the so-called “Age of Intelligence” that provide useful guiderails no matter how AI technology actively evolves;
delve into the complex ethical considerations of AI, including bias, equity, privacy, misinformation, and the potential impact on human agency and dignity;
receive guidance related to stakeholder engagement, resource allocation, and the need for continuous learning and adaptation;
discover practical models for evaluating and implementing AI tools thoughtfully and effectively in ways that align with libraries’ values and mission;
become familiar with STACKS, an approach for learning, problem solving, and innovation with generative AI;
explore AI literacy as an expression of metaliteracy using seven frames for instruction and learning; and
walk away with a sense of how libraries can actively define their essential role as leaders and shapers of the AI landscape, ensuring their continued value and preventing marginalization.
As this book demonstrates, by embracing their unique position as ethical stewards and trusted guides, libraries have an unprecedented opportunity to shape how AI transforms society—not from the margins, but from the center of a shared future.
Michael Hanegan is the founder and chief research officer of the Center for the Future of Learning and Work. He is an adjunct professor at Rose State College and the University of Central Oklahoma. His research and practice spans K–12 schools, higher education, the library ecosystem, and industry to cultivate and sustain human-centered approaches to the future of learning and work. He lives in Edmond, Oklahoma.
Chris Rosser is First Year and Transfer Experience Librarian at Oklahoma State University. From 2009 to 2024, Chris served as an instructional and Theological Librarian at Oklahoma Christian University. His expertise centers around pedagogy, instructional design, and innovative approaches to learning, including gamification, and AI-empowered learning. His work has been featured at the American Library Association annual conference, American Theological Librarian Association, Oklahoma Association of College and Research Libraries, Transformative Learning Conference, and Christian Scholar’s Conference. He lives in Edmond, Oklahoma.
