🛸Join Us for the Hybrid AIRUS Lightning Round Presentations at ALA Annual 2026 & Free Online!
Exploring the Frontiers of AI in Reference and User Services
The Artificial Intelligence in Reference & User Services (AIRUS) Interest Group invites you to a high-impact, hybrid session at the 2026 ALA Annual Conference. This event features a series of 5-minute lightning presentations from practitioners at the forefront of AI integration in libraries.
Event Details
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Category
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Information
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Session Title
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AIRUS Interest Group Meetup & Discussion: Lightning Rounds
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Date
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Monday, June 29, 2026
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Time
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10:30 AM – 11:30 AM CST
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In-Person Location
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McCormick Place, W 192 B (Chicago, IL)
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Virtual Access
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Online via Jennifer Goodland's Zoom: https://sanjuancollege-edu.zoom.us/j/94903019387
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Why Attend?
This session is a cornerstone of the AIRUS meeting, focusing on the dynamic intersections of artificial intelligence within reference and user services. Whether you are attending in person in Chicago or joining us virtually, you will gain actionable value through brief, high-impact presentations followed by community discussion.
Presentations:
Building hyperlocal library expertise in AI applications and issues
Jodi Jacques, University of Alaska Anchorage (In-Person)
Following a successful March 2026 preconference, this talk describes strategies for building AI competency through local, trusted institutions. Attendees will gain a framework for initiating hyperlocal AI expertise efforts.
Developing an AI and Disability LibGuide and Workshop
Brian Quinn, Texas Tech University (Online)
Help users discover AI tools empowering people with movement, speech, hearing, vision, and neurodivergence needs. Learn to create successful LibGuides and workshops addressing accessibility and AI.
Play, Evaluate, Reflect: Two Learning Objects for Teaching Critical AI Literacy in Library Instruction
Victoria Antwi, Stetson University (In-Person)
This presentation features classroom-tested tools for library instruction: an Interactive AI Evaluation Game and an AI Evaluation Rubric. Designed for adaptable, one-shot sessions, these objects engage students in evaluating AI responses for accuracy, bias, and ethics through active learning. Participants will gain practical, ready-to-use strategies for teaching critical AI literacy.
Who Owns Your AI Research Conversations? Cognitive Sovereignty and the Data Portability Gap
Joseph Hartnett, Baruch College, CUNY (Online)
Researchers often use AI as a partner without preserving the resulting conversations, resulting in a "data portability gap" in which intellectual work is lost. This presentation defines "cognitive sovereignty" as a framework for researcher ownership and showcases both a Python-based archiving system and a no-code instructional guide. It concludes by discussing the librarian's role in bridging this gap.
Practical Pathways for Developing Generative AI Expertise in Library Staff
Breanne Kirsch, Miami University (In-Person)
This session examines three high-impact models for building library staff AI competency: an intensive bootcamp, the Ohio Libraries AI Ambassadors "train-the-trainer" initiative, and the virtual GAIL conference. Participants will explore scalable training structures, including webinars and hands-on sessions, to develop localized AI training plans. These field-tested strategies empower reference and instruction librarians to lead AI integration and spread literacy across their communities.
Meet the Committee
Our session is a collaborative effort led by the AIRUS Steering Committee:
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In-Person Contacts: Sandy McCarthy & Jennifer Goodland
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Online Contacts: Melissa Del Castillo & Charles Hill
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Committee Members: Lisa Boyd & Abe Nemon
We look forward to seeing you in Chicago or online for this exciting discussion on the future of reference services!
Find out more about AIRUS:
Melissa Del Castillo, meldelcast@gmail.com, AIRUS Chair
Steering Committee:
Lisa Boyd, boydl@cantonpl.org
Jennifer Goodland, goodlandj@sanjuancollege.edu
Charles Hill, taranhill@gmail.com
Sandy McCarthy, mccarthy@wccnet.edu
& Abe Nemon, anemon@vwu.edu
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Melissa Del Castillo
meldelcast@gmail.comShe/Her/Hers
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