Greetings, ACRL AI Discussion Group folks! Ginny and I will be posting the results of our May DG meetup poll later today, but first, we have an exciting proposal that we'd like to share with you, along with Amanda Makula of the University of San Diego: we'd like to propose that our ACRL AI Discussion Group (DG) pursue a transition from a DG to an Interest Group, or IG.
Why make this transition?
Elevating our DG to an IG will help expand our reach and impact, putting us on the path toward becoming a Section. There are several distinctions between DGs, IGs, and Sections, and you can see them in this chart. One of the notable differences is that IGs require a membership of at least 75 persons, and a leadership team of three conveners in place each year: a Past Convener, Convener, and Incoming Convener. IGs can also create informal working groups, sponsor onsite annual conference programs, and receive a small budget ($150) each year.
What is needed for this transition?
We need at least 75 ACRL members to sign this e-petition to create the AI-IG, so we are asking for your help! Please take a moment to sign so that we can reach the necessary threshold – we want to collect at least 100 signatures by June 2 to ensure that we reach the 75 ACRL member requirement. Then, ACRL requires that we file a "Board of Directors Action Form Request to Establish an ACRL Interest Group." Finally, the request will be placed on the next ACRL Board of Directors' meeting agenda for consideration at the upcoming ALA 2025 Annual Conference.
Who will lead the new IG?
To build on the foundation of the DG and continue its momentum, Heather Sardis will step into the role of Past Convener, and Ginny Pannabecker will serve as the Convener. The Incoming Convener, Amanda Makula, initiated the idea of transitioning the DG into an IG, did the legwork with the ACRL leadership team, and is excited to work with Heather and Ginny on this growth process. Amanda is the Digital Initiatives Librarian at the University of San Diego and is especially interested in the intersection of AI with scholarly publishing, digital collections, and institutional repositories.
At the end of each ACRL year, the Past Convener will roll off the leadership team, and we will issue an open call for a new Incoming Convener who will begin their term July 1 of that year. That person will serve for three years: first as Incoming Convener, then Convener, then Past Convener. We encourage you to consider whether you might be interested in applying for Incoming Convener in Spring 2026!
How can you get involved?
First, sign the e-petition, and share it widely! Think about how you want to participate in or contribute to the IG next year (for example, applying to be the incoming convener in the coming year). There may be opportunities for subgroup leaders in the future as well. We welcome your ideas and input as we strive to build an active, engaged AI-IG. Almost no area of academic libraries is untouched by AI, and together we can identify and address the many new challenges and opportunities transforming our work.
What will happen to our Discussion Group?
Well, we hope that this transition would be an opportunity for our discussion group to expand and grow! Ginny and Heather have taken the feedback you shared to heart, and we believe that transitioning into an Interest Group will give us the ACRL organizational framework needed to meaningfully address the complexities of AI and libraries, as well as create more opportunities for leadership and discussion. We are committed to continuing to host a forum for AI discussion, whether that's in the context of our current Discussion Group, or in the context of a new Interest Group, and the feedback you shared with Ginny and Heather will play a role in shaping our path forward regardless of our administrative structure.
If you feel supportive of this transition, we invite you to sign the e-petition, and if you have any questions, we invite you to reach out, either here on the forum, through ALA Connect messages, or directly via email.
Thank you for your support! Please reach out to us if you have any questions.
Your proposed IG leadership team,
Heather Sardis, Past Convener (sardis@mit.edu)
Ginny Pannabecker, Convener
Amanda Makula, Incoming Convener
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Heather Sardis
Associate Director for Technology and Strategic Planning
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
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