Learning Journey Through The Hyperlinked Library

How will new and established technologies further impact library service?

AI tools have started popping up more frequently since ChatGPT launched in 2022. This AI “boom” has shown up in a number of different industries and has been incorporated into a myriad of daily applications and software (ChatGTP, 2024). I think that libraries are positioned to lead the conversation about AI and other established technologies and provide information that can empower the general public or students as these tools will ultimately be incorporated into our routines– the “new normal.” Libraries can ensure equitable access to AI applications and provide workshops for adults who want to expand their knowledge of technology. Libraries already provide a variety of different services related to tech assistance. For example, LA County library system offers Digital Assistants at several of their branches. Why not throw in AI? AS is mentioned in Anderson et al (2021), new technologies create  a deeper divide between low income and poor communities and affluent communities. 

And, as Papini (2023) points out, there are still several gray areas that are created by the existence of AI and other new technologies related to AI, that it is difficult to navigate how to best utilize these new tools. If scholars are struggling to navigate AI, then the general public certainly has hesitations, as I mentioned in my last reflection blog post.  

What should librarians make of virtual assistants, smart homes, artificial intelligence, and more?

I think that these technologies should be embraced! Librarians have a lot on their plate, especially those who develop and plan programming. There are so many moving parts to keep track of.  AI applications can be used in practical ways that allow librarians to have more time to spend on their community. AI tools and applications can assist with assessments and environmental scans by interpreting statistics. AI can be used to punch up a social media post or flyers (I personally like Canva). It can be used to create library policies and procedures. I see AI tools as a stand in for a personal assistant at this time, but the possibilities are endless. 

We have seen throughout the last two modules that technology is a powerful tool for creating connection through stories. Stories can be told, shared, and archived in ways that have never been done in the past.

References

ChatGPT. (2024, November 1). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=ChatGPT&oldid=1254662595

Anderson, J., Rainie, L., & Vogels, E. (2021, February 16).  Experts Say the ‘New Normal’ in 2025 Will Be Far More Tech-Driven, Presenting More Big Challenges. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2021/02/18/experts-say-the-new-normal-in-2025-will-be-far-more-tech-driven-presenting-more-big-challenges/

Fister, B. and Head, A.J.. (2023, May 4). Getting a grip on ChatGPT. Inside Higher Ed. https://www.insidehighered.com/opinion/views/2023/05/04/getting-grip-chatgpt

Papini, A.. (2023, January 27). ChatGPT: A library perspective [Blog]. Bryant University. https://library.bryant.edu/chatgpt-library-perspective \

INFO 827 Assignment x by Celinna Miranda

This project is not yet complete, but I wanted to share my idea. Based on the observations I’ve made on libraries that I have worked for at different points in time, I noticed that teen participation is extremely low.  What I would like to do is create a space for teens to exercise their creativity and level up their social media content. I’d like to advocate for a space that has all the bells and whistles of a studio for creating media/content for TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, etc.. This will include but is not limited to: lighting, cameras, green screen, editing applications. Workshops can be held that cover different aspects of content creation/planning, like lighting, editing video transitions, responsible social media practices, recording, etc.. Social media platforms, Especially TikTok and Twitch, are very influential and are used by teens for so many different reasons (entertainment, connection, news, creative outlet, etc.) that I wanted to embrace it and bring it to a library setting. 

Implementation of a creative space such as this checks off many of the boxes of the Four Space Model, which is something I am always keeping in mind when I am thinking about projects such as this. This will inspire creation and exploration and can be used to encourage participation, which would lead to excitement. 

This is a space that can be used in a manner of different ways, too. For example, teens can be tasked with creating content for the library’s IG account. BookTok became a popular movement in TikTok, teens can be asked to create their own book reviews to post. Teens could create helpful tutorials for navigating the library’s services or use it to educate other teens and patrons about the types of services that can be accessed at the library. 

My focus is on gaining more teen participation however, these tools can most definitely be used for adult programming. Adults who are looking to become content creators can utilize this space as a workshop or a jumping off point. 

How does AI fit into the participatory model? How is AI currently showing up in libraries? Exploring the use of AI in libraries can help us make decisions as to whether or not– or– to what degree librarians should be incorporating it in their service model. Pew Research Center’s report on Public awareness if artificial intelligence in everyday activities (Kennedy, 2023) is where I started. This article provides statistics on Americans’ awareness of the use of AI and also provides some insight into how Americans are using AI and how they feel about it. 

“…[O]nly three-in-ten U.S. adults are able to correctly identify all six uses of AI asked about in the survey, underscoring the developing nature of public understanding.”  (Kennedy, 2023)

From this survey, it was apparent that AI literacy, or awareness, is not being mastered by a majority of Americans. This is problematic because AI is a tool that can be used for nefarious purposes. It is important that people be able to identify the use of AI in order to determine when it is being used appropriately or misused. This was alarming to me, but I definitely understood why. I personally only know what I know about AI from readings and projects I have performed throughout my MLIS program or through what my colleagues, who are MLIS professionals, have shared with me. Which makes sense as this report also revealed that people with higher levels of education are more likely to be able to identify when AI is being used. It should be noted that income was also tied to education. This revealed to me that AI literacy can be seen as an access issue. Could librarians and libraries lead the way towards AI literacy? 

“Among Americans who say they are on the internet “almost constantly,” 38% got all six questions correct, as did 31% of those who say they use the internet several times a day. By comparison, just 6% of infrequent internet users (those who go online about once a day or less) correctly answered all six questions on the survey.”

Although there are a myriad of reasons why a person may not be a frequent internet user, I’m curious to know if access is one of those reasons. This is something that I would like to explore in more detail, perhaps for another blog. Has AI reached a point, much like with the internet, that it is a necessary utility? I cannot say for certain that it is currently at that point, but I feel as though it will arrive there. 

 

“On balance, a greater share of Americans say they are more concerned than excited about the increased use of artificial intelligence in daily life (38%) than say they are more excited than concerned (15%).”

I am interested in how public libraries are utilizing AI. I had a difficult time locating articles that featured AI and public libraries, but it was easy to find the use of AI in academic libraries. This is an anecdotal example, but it supports the findings that were mentioned above; there is a direct correlation between AI literacy and education. AI appears to be used by librarians and library administrators to use as a tool to make assessments and analysis much easier. AI is here to stay. It has been incorporated into many daily practices. AI is now more accessible and becoming a regularly used tool, especially with the popularization of ChatGPT and use of AI in popular applications like Adobe and Canva. I’d like to see librarians empowering citizens to be more AI savvy and instill confidence in citizens who are wary of AI. There are endless possibilities for connection through the use of technology. 

References

Kennedy, B., Tyson, A., Saks, E.. (2023, February 15). Public awareness of artificial intelligence in everyday activities. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/science/2023/02/15/public-awareness-of-artificial-intelligence-in-everyday-activities/

There are several insights that I arrived at throughout the readings and media that were provided in this module. Altogether they enforced my understanding of the #hyperlinkedlibrary. I write this blog as someone who’s career path is destined for public librarianship. I currently work part time for a public library system as an assistant and plan on joining the same public library system as a librarian. In this blog post, I will be sharing some of the quotes that resonated with me followed by my interpretation or understanding of how they fit into this course and public librarianship. 

“Search, for example, tells us what we want to know, but can’t help if we don’t already know what we want. Far from disappearing, human curation and sensibilities have a new value in the age of algorithms.” (Bhaskar, 2016) 

This quote created one of a few “ah-ha” moments that I have had so far in this Hyperlinked Library learning journey. I came into this course with the mindset that we would be highly focused on technology, and although technology is included, we have been focused on the human aspect of librarianship. I shifted my perspective to technology being used as a tool, but I am starting to see that technology is an extension of human interaction and we have a complex relationship with it. Ultimately, I am learning that human connection is powerful and invaluable and should be encouraged whenever possible through whichever channels are most appropriate. 

“Reaching everyone means using technology to offer new ways to interact with the library, yes, but it also encompasses a wide array of channels for interaction across virtual and physical planes.” (Stephens, 2016)

Doubling down on the symbiotic relationship between human connection and technology in the hyperlinked library. This quote comes from a section titled, Reaching all users, in Dr. Stephens’ book, The Heart of Librarianship: Attentive, Positive, and Purposeful Change. This section emphasizes the ways in which librarians– and all library staff– can and should find balance in providing services for the community. The answer is not always whatever the newest technology is, it may be something as simple as talking to patrons and asking them questions about what they would like to see happen in their local library. Certainly though, technology can and should be used whenever it is appropriate. 

“Libraries, at their best, enable social mobility.” (TEDx Talks, 2019, 2:37) 

Ciara Eastell speaks on the topic of citizenship, providing access and reliable information, and libraries as multidimensional spaces for everyone. It was short and sweet and I thoroughly enjoyed listening to it. Eastell championed libraries and emphasized how truly invaluable public libraries are to their community. She brought it back around to human connection when she shared an interaction she had with a patron at her library who was grieving the loss of his wife and needed literature on grief; it was so touching. This TEDx Talk evoked many feelings in me. 

References 

Bhaskar, M. (2016, September 30). In the age of the algorithm, the human gatekeeper is back. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/sep/30/age-of-algorithm-human-gatekeeper

TEDx Talks.  (2019. June 19). How libraries change lives [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/Tvt-lHZBUwU?si=iWNnUAq2plLmrNmF

Stephens, M. T. (2016). The heart of librarianship : attentive, positive, and purposeful change. ALA Editions, an imprint of the American Library Association.

Hello everyone!

I’m Celinna and I am from Southern California. I spent all of last week on a trip to El Salvador and Guatemala and it was absolutely wonderful! I did a lot of sight-seeing; here is a photo from my trip of the view from a cafe in Alegría, El Salvador.

I also visited the National Library of El Salvador and it was magnificent!

Currently, I am employed part time as a library associate for a public library that is a part of LA County Public Library system. I have over 15 years of combined library experience in public libraries and a public elementary school library. I am just about done with the program and will be graduating in the Spring of ’25. I am planning on becoming a Children’s services librarian, as I have ample experience working with children in a library setting from my years as a media assistant at a public elementary school; and most importantly, I enjoy working with children and serving children and families with young children.  I’m looking forward to this course, as I think this is an extremely valuable to be adaptable an tech savvy as those are tools one should have in their toolkit for outreach and overall best practice.

Here is a word cloud about myself that I created for an introduction discussion in another class.