Bridging Research and Instruction in an AI-Driven Educational Landscape: The Evolving Role of Academic Librarians

Type of Presentation

Individual paper/presentation

Conference Strand

Critical Literacy

Target Audience

Higher Education

Second Target Audience

Higher Education

Location

Ballroom A

Relevance

This topic addresses the importance of information literacy and critical thinking skills as AI continues to be integrated into more and more parts of the information landscape.

Proposal

As artificial intelligence (AI) tools continue to shape the ways students and faculty engage with information, academic librarians are uniquely positioned to serve as a bridge in this rapidly shifting educational landscape. This presentation identifies the librarian’s role in facilitating responsible AI use for research, integrating traditional scholarly practices with emerging technologies, and supporting campus communities through instruction and collaboration.

We will explore approaches to guiding students through the process of navigating and evaluating web and library database sources that are often supplemented by AI summaries. It will address the risks of over-reliance on automated summaries and demonstrate how research tools such as scite.ai and Research Rabbit can be used effectively to support the research process. The session will highlight library-led initiatives for teaching AI literacy, such as the design of student-centered instruction on ethical and effective AI use, and the development of more engaging and unconventional research and writing assignments.

We will present strategies for librarians to lead workshops to a hesitant faculty audience that encourages shared understanding of AI’s implications for pedagogy, research integrity, and academic policy through cross campus collaboration efforts. By collaborating across departments, librarians can help institutions address important questions about information literacy, critical thinking, and student agency in an age of AI-assisted knowledge creation.

Participants will leave this session with tools to support AI literacy instruction, ideas for ways to incorporate AI literacy into research assignments, and an overview of how librarians can help support the use of AI effectively in research and instruction activities.

Short Description

As AI reshapes research and learning, academic librarians are uniquely positioned to guide students and faculty through this evolving landscape. This session explores how librarians can foster AI literacy, support responsible research practices, and design instruction that balances traditional scholarship with emerging technologies. Highlighting collaborations with faculty and administrators, the presentation offers practical strategies for teaching ethical AI use, evaluating sources, rethinking assignments, and navigating tools like scite.ai and Research Rabbit. Participants will gain adaptable models and resources to strengthen research integrity and innovation across their institutions.

Keywords

AI Literacy, Information Literacy, Librarian–Faculty Collaboration, AI research tools, Educational technology

Publication Type and Release Option

Presentation (Open Access)

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Feb 6th, 3:15 PM Feb 6th, 4:00 PM

Bridging Research and Instruction in an AI-Driven Educational Landscape: The Evolving Role of Academic Librarians

Ballroom A

As artificial intelligence (AI) tools continue to shape the ways students and faculty engage with information, academic librarians are uniquely positioned to serve as a bridge in this rapidly shifting educational landscape. This presentation identifies the librarian’s role in facilitating responsible AI use for research, integrating traditional scholarly practices with emerging technologies, and supporting campus communities through instruction and collaboration.

We will explore approaches to guiding students through the process of navigating and evaluating web and library database sources that are often supplemented by AI summaries. It will address the risks of over-reliance on automated summaries and demonstrate how research tools such as scite.ai and Research Rabbit can be used effectively to support the research process. The session will highlight library-led initiatives for teaching AI literacy, such as the design of student-centered instruction on ethical and effective AI use, and the development of more engaging and unconventional research and writing assignments.

We will present strategies for librarians to lead workshops to a hesitant faculty audience that encourages shared understanding of AI’s implications for pedagogy, research integrity, and academic policy through cross campus collaboration efforts. By collaborating across departments, librarians can help institutions address important questions about information literacy, critical thinking, and student agency in an age of AI-assisted knowledge creation.

Participants will leave this session with tools to support AI literacy instruction, ideas for ways to incorporate AI literacy into research assignments, and an overview of how librarians can help support the use of AI effectively in research and instruction activities.