The University Library and AI

Guiding ethical, innovative, and accessible use of artificial intelligence
By Heather Murphy, Chief Communications Officer, and Marisa Modugno, Marketing Associate

Even before the first versions of generative artificial intelligence programs were released to the general public at the end of 2022, society has been grappling with how this technology has the potential to change our lives. I, Robot (1950), 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), and The Terminator (1984) are just a few examples of media that depict the human ideas of this once-fantastical technology as everything from a helpful assistant to a world-ending destructive force.

In 2026, AI technology is not confined to our imaginations or a movie screen. It pops up on every app from Facebook to Google, and even when you’re browsing an online shop. Of course, it is also present in our classrooms and research labs, which also comes with unique ethical concerns, legal issues, and technological challenges.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a way to train computers to carry out a range of complex tasks and to learn from these tasks. It uses a process called machine learning to identify patterns in images, texts, and other materials. This process can involve human input or be fully automated. Generative Artificial Intelligence (genAI) is a specific kind of AI that is designed to generate new text, images, video, or audio based on the content that it has studied.

Establishing frameworks

Just as librarians at Illinois were leaders in the emergence of online search tools and digital libraries, our faculty and staff have played an early role in helping the campus and wider community understand how generative AI works and provide basic frameworks for considering how and when to use it. These efforts have included numerous workshops related to how chatbots predict and generate text, copyright implications, recognition of “deep fakes”, and other topics. These have been recorded and made available online for continued use, along with two library guides, one on generative AI basics (guides.library.illinois.edu/generativeAI) and another newer research guide (guides.library.illinois.edu/researchwithai) that helps library users understand how AI tools appear in library resources, and how to make the best use of them or turn them off when they get in the way.

Leaders in discovery and exploration

A number of library faculty are engaged in research investigating how generative AI might impact library services and technical processes as well as the ethical implications of AI in the current information environment.

Last year, the Library commissioned its own task force to assess possible directions for library services that engage with AI. It ranked the following as areas of highest and most immediate priority:

1. Pursuing the library’s role in training students, faculty, staff, and colleagues in AI use
2. Developing policies for ethical and unbiased practices and protection of privacy and intellectual property in the AI lifecycle
3. Preparing for AI’s impact on student learning and connected needs for library teaching and learning

“Faculty across the Library have been engaging with AI in their scholarship and practice,” said Claire Stewart, Dean of Libraries and University Librarian. “They are not only studying its implications but also leading national and international efforts to define best practices, develop new applications, and ensure that AI technologies are used ethically and effectively in academic communities.”

Many others throughout the Library are actively engaging with AI through innovation, instruction, and stewardship of knowledge. The Library’s extensive digital collections of unique materials have the potential to serve as source data for large language models that can be used to further research. Last fall, through an internal AI Literacy Summit, Library staff identified emerging topics and instructional needs across disciplines, including identifying AI’s presence in research tools, offering practical guidance for (and alternatives to) AI use, and accommodating preferences for specific instructional formats. AI literacy—encompassing technical understanding, ethical and societal considerations, and practical application— is now embedded in the Library’s teaching and research support, including more than 100 Composition I instruction sessions offered last semester alone.

Dean Stewart was part of a group of academic deans who commissioned a campus-wide AI in the Curriculum task force that is more deeply engaging library information literacy and subject expertise in planning for scaled transformations around teaching and learning at Illinois. Their work focuses on developing frameworks that enable all students to achieve AI fluency and provide accessible pathways to becoming AI innovators.

The Library is helping the university community navigate AI with curiosity, care, and critical insight. The important work of its faculty and staff positions the Library not just as a participant in technological change, but as a leader in shaping its impact.

Digital Humanities Librarian Mary Ton and eLearning Librarian Evie Cordell collaborated on an “AI in this Course” module, which provides an adaptable template for campus instructors to create and communicate AI usage policies for their courses. This resource has become the most downloaded module in the university’s learning management system.

Behavioral Sciences Research and Data Services Librarian Yali Feng conducted a study comparing the research capabilities of a human librarian and different AI models. Her research found that AI could assist in automating the more repetitive and formulaic aspects of the systematic-review process, while human expertise remains crucial in refining search terms and ensuring methodological rigor.

Chinese Studies Librarian Bing Wang has contributed important scholarship and professional leadership at the intersection of AI, academic libraries, and Chinese studies. Wang examines how generative AI tools are reshaping information literacy, with particular attention to ethical implications for specialized research communities. This work helps scholars better understand and responsibly engage with AI-driven academic resources.

Clara M. Chu, Director of the Mortenson Center for International Library Programs, is a national and international leader in advancing AI literacy training for libraries and information professionals. Her work includes leading and advising multiple international initiatives on artificial intelligence, founding a professional AI special interest group, and contributing research that shapes how AI is taught in library and information science programs.

International Reference Librarian Joe Lenkart is advancing the use of AI applications in academic research through direct engagement with students and scholarly groups. He is introducing tools that help students track scholarly literature and is piloting a new consultation service supporting doctoral students in dissertation research. His work also explores the role libraries can play in shaping more human-centered AI systems, investigating how diverse knowledge traditions are represented in AI training and use.

Mathematics Librarian Sarah G. Park and Metadata Librarian M.J. Han are exploring the use of generative AI to streamline the Library’s gift book processing workflows. They developed an AI-driven application that extracts bibliographic information, generates metadata, and assists with collection decision-making. Park and Han are investigating how generative AI can enhance the discovery and accessibility of library resources and assist in collection management.

Middle East and North African Studies Librarian Laila Hussein Moustafa consulted with language instructors on how to use ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot to create course materials. Her work supports instructors in effectively integrating emerging AI tools into course development, helping them create instructional materials more efficiently, while fostering innovation in teaching.

Digital Humanities Librarian Mary Ton led workshops for the university (i.e., “A Gentle Introduction to ChatGPT”) and the community (i.e., “Community Conversations: Artificial Intelligence” at the local public library). Ton educated campus and community audiences on a rapidly evolving topic, bridging the gap between emerging technology and public understanding, and continues to position the Library as a leader in conversations about the opportunities and implications of AI.

Copyright Librarian Sara Benson led consultations and workshops on AI and copyright, and has served as an advisor to the U.S. Copyright Office. She guides Library colleagues and the campus community on responsible AI use in research and teaching and builds AI and copyright literacy, while contributing to national conversations.