Monthly Archives: September 2025

Bridging Stacks and Circuits: Rethinking Library Science Curriculum for the AI Era

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When I imagine redesigning the Library and Information Science curriculum for the age of AI, I see it semester by semester, like walking through the library stacks, each level taking me closer to new knowledge, but always with a familiar fragrance of books and values.

Semester 1 – The Roots
Here I would begin with Foundations of Library Science, Information Sources & Services, and alongside them introduce Introduction to AI and Data Literacy. Students should learn what algorithms are, how language models work, and why data matters. Just remember, this is not to turn them into computer scientists, but into informed professionals who can converse with both technology and community.

Semester 2 – The Tools
This stage could focus on Knowledge Organization, Cataloguing and Metadata, but reframed to show how AI assists in subject indexing, semantic search, and linked data. Alongside, a course on Digital Libraries and Discovery Systems will let them experiment with AI-powered platforms. By the way, assignments could include building small datasets and watching how AI classifies them — both the brilliance and the flaws.

Semester 3 – The Questions
Here ethics must enter the room strongly. A full course on AI, Ethics, and Information Policy is essential: patron privacy, copyright, algorithmic bias, transparency. At the same time, practical subjects like Digital Curation and Preservation should demonstrate how AI restores manuscripts, enhances images, or predicts file degradation. No wonder, students will begin to see AI as both a tool and a responsibility.

Semester 4 – The Bridge
I see this as a turning point: courses on Human–AI Interaction in Libraries, Information Literacy Instruction in the AI Era, and Data Visualization for Librarians. Students would learn to teach communities about AI tools, to verify machine answers, and to advocate for responsible use. A lab-based course could even simulate AI chatbots for reference desks, showing how humans must stay in the loop.

Semester 5 – The Expansion
By now, students are ready for deeper exploration. They could take electives like AI in Scholarly Communication (covering plagiarism detection, trend forecasting, citation networks) or AI for Community Engagement (local language NLP, accessibility, inclusive design). At the same time, collaboration with computer science or digital humanities departments could be formalized as joint workshops.

Semester 6 – The Future
The final stage should be open-ended: a Capstone Project in AI and Libraries, where each student selects a challenge — say, AI in cataloguing, or a chatbot for local history archives — and builds a small prototype or research study. Supplement this with an Internship or Residency in a library, tech lab, or cultural institution. Just imagine the confidence this gives: they graduate not as passive observers of AI but as active participants in shaping it.

And beyond…
I must not forget lifelong learning. The curriculum should be porous, allowing micro-credentials, short courses, and professional updates, because AI won’t stop evolving. In fact, it will keep testing us — and so our readiness must be continuous.

Looking back at this imagined curriculum, I feel it keeps the spirit of librarianship alive — service, access, ethics — while opening the doors to AI-driven realities. It is like adding a new wing to the old library: modern, glowing, full of machines perhaps, but still part of the same house of knowledge where the librarian remains a human guide.

From Stacks to Algorithms: Librarianship’s New Chapter

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I remember when the word artificial intelligence first started appearing in library journals, it felt distant, almost experimental, as if it belonged more to labs than to our reading rooms. But just yesterday I came across a note from the American Library Association — they have now published guidance for school librarians on how to use AI in their everyday work [1]. No wonder, because librarians today are juggling so many roles: teachers, mentors, administrators, sometimes even technologists. The ALA’s advice is not about replacing them, but about helping them — streamlining tasks, improving communication, and yes, teaching students how to use AI ethically (plagiarism, citations, authorship, all those tricky parts).

By the way, it is not just policy notes. At Illinois, the journal Library Trends has just completed a two-part special issue on generative AI and libraries [2]. I skimmed through some of the abstracts: studies on how students use ChatGPT, how faculty perceive these tools, case studies of AI literacy instruction. This is serious scholarship, freely available, meant to guide practice. It reminds me of my early days in the profession, when such research gave us the language to argue for budgets and staff — and sometimes, just the courage to try new things.

And then, in Prague, librarians and researchers gathered under the banner of an “AI Knowledge Café,” more than 650 participants thinking together about the place of libraries in national AI strategies [3]. Imagine that: librarians not just adopting AI tools quietly, but sitting at the policy table, influencing how society will treat knowledge, ethics, and inclusion in the age of algorithms.

When I read all this, I feel both hopeful and cautious. Hopeful, because libraries are no longer seen as passive — we are active shapers of how AI unfolds. Cautious, because guidance and journals and cafés will mean little without real resources, training, and recognition, especially in countries like ours where libraries carry such a heavy heritage burden across many languages.

Still, I like to think that this is the beginning of a new chapter. Librarianship in the AI age is not a threat to our role, but a chance to re-articulate it. And in my heart, I feel grateful to be part of this transition — from catalog cards to chatbots, from dusty stacks to digital literacy.

References

[1] American Library Association. AI Guidance for School Librarians. Published September 2025. https://www.ala.org/news/2025/09/ai-guidance-school-librarians

[2] iSchool at Illinois. Library Trends Completes Two-Part Series on AI and Libraries. Published September 2025. https://ischool.illinois.edu/news-events/news/2025/09/library-trends-completes-two-part-series-ai-and-libraries

[3] ALA / IFLA. Libraries Towards a National AI Strategy (AI Knowledge Café). September 2025. https://connect.ala.org/acrl/discussion/libraries-towards-a-national-ai-strategy

Why India Needs Libraries at the Heart of Its National AI Strategy

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Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly reshaping how societies learn, work, and connect. As India builds its national AI strategy, there is an urgent need to ask: who will ensure that AI development remains ethical, inclusive, and accessible to every citizen? One powerful answer lies in our libraries.

Think about it. For decades, libraries have been safe spaces where anyone, regardless of background, could walk in and learn. Whether it was a student preparing for exams, a farmer checking market information, or a job seeker updating their resume, libraries have been bridges to opportunity. In the age of AI, they can once again be the guiding hand that helps people navigate complexity and change.

  • Guardians of Ethics and Accountability
    Libraries can champion transparency, fairness, and human oversight in AI systems adopted by public institutions.
  • Protectors of Privacy and Intellectual Freedom
    Library principles of confidentiality and equitable access align perfectly with India’s need for citizen-centric AI governance.
  • AI and Digital Literacy Hubs
    Just as libraries once taught computer literacy, they can now lead community workshops, training, and resources on AI literacy.
  • Upskilling the Workforce
    Librarians must be trained to use AI in cataloguing, research support, and community services—ensuring the profession adapts and thrives.
  • Bridging the Digital Divide
    Rural and underserved communities can access AI tools through public libraries, preventing exclusion from India’s digital transformation.
  • Policy Participation
    Libraries should have a seat at the table in national AI governance—bringing the voices of ordinary citizens into policy-making.

A Call to Action for Librarians in India

Librarians must step forward to:

  • Advocate for their role in national AI consultations.
  • Develop pilot projects that showcase responsible AI use in library services.
  • Build partnerships with universities, civil society, and government bodies to amplify their impact.

A Call to Action for the Government of India

To truly build an AI for All strategy, the Government of India should:

  • Recognise libraries as strategic partners in AI education and governance.
  • Fund training and digital infrastructure for libraries.
  • Mandate representation of library associations in AI policy consultations.

Final Word

AI is like electricity—it will power every sector of life in the coming years. Libraries are the transformers that can make this power safe, reliable, and accessible to all. If India wants an inclusive AI future, it must weave libraries into its national AI strategy.

Librarians: this is your moment to lead.

Government: this is your chance to listen.