1. EDUCATING THE NEXT GENERATION OF AI
LEADERS IN LIBRARIES: IDEA INSTITUTE ON AI
Dania Bilal, PI, Professor, University of Tennessee-Knoxville
Clara M. Chu, Co-PI, Professor, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Grant number: RE-246419-OLS-20
29-May-21
Lebanese Library Association/IFLA Oceania Section Conference ,May 18-21
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2. Session Outline
■ AI in libraries
– Example applications
– Slow adoption of AI
■ IDEA Institute on AI
– What?
– Why?
– How?
■ COVID-19 challenges
■ Related activities
■ Q&A
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3. AI in Libraries
▪ Artificial Intelligence (AI) is ranked as one of the top trends
in the library and information field (American Library
Association Center for the Future of Libraries, 2020)
ACRL New Media Consortium Horizon Report, 2018
▪ It would take 4-5 years for academic and research
libraries to adopt AI.
Ex Libris Report, 2019
▪ 5% of research libraries have leveraged AI technology
▪ 80% of research librarians are exploring AI and Machine
Learning
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4. What Has Been Done So Far?
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AI-enabled
User
Services
AI-based Data
Extraction from
Collection
AI-informed
Decision
Making
AI-powered
Search and
Discovery
Dataversity Sam-solutions.com
Zdnet.com
Techcentred.com

5. Pervasive AI-based Applications
AI on the Go. Wordstream.com
AI in the workplace
AI at home. Searchenginejournal.com Chatbots in higher education. Ivy.ai
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6. AI Chatbots: Meet Bizzy
Image source: libraries.ou.edu
Oklahoma University Libraries
Bizzy is active 24 hours a day, seven days a
week.
Metrics
✓ 3,773 Questions Answered (since July
2019)
✓ 88% Accuracy
✓ 1,293 Topics of Conversation
✓ 1,576 Links Clicked from within Chatbot
✓ 9 AM Most Popular Time
✓ Tuesday Most Popular Day
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7. Chatbots by Ivy.ai
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8. Humanoid Robots in Libraries
Pepper, the Library Assistant
“Provides information related to the
library, book reviews, book recommendations,
and web search,” among others.
http://robot.lab.com/store/pepper-robot-for-
libraries
Library.ifla.org
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WPkXx5-SJQ
Infodocket.com
MEET Pepper
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Start 0:45

9. Robots in Libraries: Libby
MEET LIBBY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FXfIR
J77bQ
The first robot to be employed in any university library in
Africa. University of Pretoria Department of Library
Services.
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10. Why AI Adaptation Is Slow in Libraries?
■ Lack of expertise (lack of in-depth training)
■ Social issues and challenges
■ Evolving nature of AI
■ Financial constraints
Our Project
Innovation, Disruption, Enquiry, Access: IDEA Institute On Artificial
Intelligence (AI)
Website
https://idea.infosci.utk.edu
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11. 29-May-21 Lebanese Library Association IFLA Oceania Section Conference May 18-20 11

12. 29-May-21 Lebanese Library Association IFLA Oceania Section Conference May 18-20 12
Partnered with
Funded by

13. Goals of IDEA Institute on AI
Develop an innovative, forward-looking continuing education
program on AI in library and information environments.
Develop leaders of AI in library and information environments,
who individually and as a collective can innovate and create
better awareness of AI as “transformative” technology.
Contribute AI curriculum to fill a gap in AI education in LIS
programs and library and information environments.
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14. AI Applications Require
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Mastery
Competency
Literacy
Awareness

15. Activity Date
Pre-Institute Onboarding Program May 25-June 29 2021
Institute Program July 10-16, 2021
Post-Institute Activities Post-July 16, 2021
Assessment August- 2021
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Host Institutions
Year 1 (July 2021) - The University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK)
Year 2 (July 2022) - The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin)
2021 Institute Overview
18 highly qualified, diverse applicants have been accepted Fellows
(15 funded and 3 self-funded)

16. Institute Highlights
► Exchange of Fellows’ AI project ideas
► Learning conceptual, technical, social, and applied aspects of AI
► Reflection on learning experience and discussion on areas of improvement
► Developing own project
► Capstone showcase
► Networking dinner with AI experts
► Program evaluation
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17. Selected Curriculum Topics
♦ What is AI?
♦ AI challenges and opportunities
♦ AI impact, values, and ethical
concerns
♦ AI project planning
♦ User-centered project design
♦ Data collection for AI application
♦ AI in technical services
♦ AI and data preparation
♦ AI tools and solutions
♦ Machine Learning and coding
♦ Voice Digital Assistants in
libraries
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18. COVID-19 Challenges
Institute Considerations
► Cohort development (housing)
► Cohort learning (face-to-face
learning)
– Potential change in Institute
dates
– Financial implications
– UTK policies compliance
COVID-19 Considerations
► Changes to UTK campus events
policy
► Safety
– Accommodations
– Travel
– Facilities (Labs etc.)
► Immunization
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19. Related Activities
♦ Creation of ASIS&T Special Interest Group (SIG) on Artificial Intelligence
(SIG AI)
♦ Association for Information Science & Technology (ASIS&T)
– 2021 Workshop at the Annual Conference, October 30-November 2nd.
♦ American Library Association program (TBA)
♦ Conference presentations
– South Korea
– Lebanon
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20. Thank you for your participation!
For more information, see http://idea.infosci.utk.edu
Direct questions to Drs. Dania Bilal at dania@utk.edu;
Clara M. Chu at cmchu@Illinois.edu; and
Soo Young Rieh at rieh@ischool.utexas.edu
Source: depositphotos.com
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