Join the AI Community of Practice (AI COP) for Academic Librarians
As artificial intelligence rapidly transforms the landscape of academic libraries, many of us are seeking to understand and harness its potential. Enter AI COP (Community of Practice), a new group for academic librarians interested in AI organized by librarians at Carnegie Mellon University, The Ohio State University, and the Information Literacy Institute at Purdue.
Our goal is simple: to create a communal space where we can learn together, share ideas, develop resources, and collaborate on AI projects. Through fostering relationships and facilitating open dialogue, we aim to empower our community to collectively shape the future of AI in academic libraries. Whether you are brand new to recent AI developments or have years of experience, AI COP is for you.
How We Operate
For Fall 2024, we will have 10 synchronous meetings from Sept 24th through December 18th. Each meeting will focus on a theme and be capped at 100 attendees to ensure meaningful small group breakout discussions. One month, you might find yourself exploring AI-powered research tools; the next, discussing the impact of large language models on information literacy instruction.
Between these gatherings, our Discord server provides an asynchronous online space for ongoing conversations, resource sharing, and impromptu collaborations. Here, you can share your latest AI research, seek advice on implementing a new tool, or join a working group on AI ethics in libraries.
More Than Just Discussion
AI COP aims to be more than just a forum for discussion. It’s a launchpad for innovation, a support network for those venturing into new AI territories, and a collective hoping to push dialogue about AI forward in academic libraries. By leveraging new relationships and the collective wisdom of our community—now 900+ strong across at least 13 countries and 350+ unique institutions—we’re poised to make a significant impact.
Join Us
The world of AI is vast, dynamic, and overwhelming. With AI COP, you don’t have to navigate it alone.
Here’s how to participate:
1. Join AI COP by filling out this Google form.
2. Connect with us on Discord to be part of the conversation and learn about resources, research, and collaboration opportunities here.
3. Questions? Email me directly at flierl.1@osu.edu.
Let’s explore AI together in alignment with our values as information professionals. Your voice and perspective are crucial as we shape the future of AI in academic libraries.
Michael Flierl flierl.1@osu.edu
Fellow at The Institute for Information Literacy at Purdue
Associate Professor and Student Learning Librarian, Ohio State University Libraries
Rebecca Fordon fordon.4@osu.edu;
Reference Librarian & Adjunct Professor
The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law
Emma Slayton, PhD. eslayton@andrew.cmu.edu
Data Education Librarian
Carnegie Mellon University Libraries
-Stephanie Founds, ALAO Board Member at Large, The Ohio State University
ALAO Newsletter 