University of North Texas, College of Information

The University of North Texas, College of Information will strengthen the capacity of public librarians to navigate complex, emotionally sensitive, and technology-mediated service interactions, enhance workforce preparedness, and contribute to the overall quality and resilience of public library services nationwide through research and innovation. The project will produce an on-demand Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered training platform that enables librarians to practice diverse service scenarios in a safe, structured environment; evaluated and transferable training modules; and a national set of best-practice guidelines for ethical AI use in professional development. By reframing generative AI as a tool for experiential learning rather than automation, the study will better prepare librarians to support diverse community needs, strengthen professional resilience, and promote sustainable, high-quality public library services. The project is founded on organized librarian lifelong training around core skill domains: interpersonal skills, digital literacy support, traditional library knowledge, and management and advocacy.