Description
Nobody wants to see AI used in library outreach. At the William H. Hannon Library of Loyola Marymount University, we have foregone any use of artificial intelligence in our marketing, outreach, and external communications work. Instead, we have intentionally focused on the “faces and places” of the library, centering the people and the community who make it a welcoming space. This presentation will explore the ways in which we center human intelligence, expertise, and community, sometimes in direct opposition to artificial intelligence, in order to build trust with our users and strengthen the library’s brand.Research on higher ed best practices has shown that retention and academic success are tied to sense of belonging. From within our field, we know that library anxiety can be reduced (and sense of belonging strengthened) through a variety of high impact practices, including giving students the opportunity to build relationships with library staff and connecting them with spaces and services where they feel seen and appreciated. Through our outreach and marketing efforts, we have placed a high premium on these personal connections. We push out stories, not fliers. We celebrate our “library fans.” And we focus on the humans who keep our services up and running.
As generative AI becomes increasingly embedded in communication platforms (e.g. social media, email marketing, graphic design software), libraries face a choice on how to engage with it. This session explores our deliberate decision to resist the use of AI in outreach and marketing efforts, not out of fear or technological lag, but as a principled stance rooted in building trust, authenticity, and human connection.
The presenter will provide practical examples from campus campaigns, student engagement efforts, and faculty communications, showing how the library’s voice is not just a tool: it’s a reflection of institutional values. By centering human intelligence in our messaging, we model the kind of critical thinking and ethical discernment we hope to cultivate in our community. We also push back against the normalization of algorithmic content, which often prioritizes efficiency over empathy and personalization over personhood.
The presenter will briefly discuss the research behind sense of belonging in higher ed and how that research informs academic library outreach efforts. Attendees will leave with a framework for evaluating the role of AI in their own outreach work, questions to ask before adopting new tools, and strategies for preserving the human brand in an increasingly automated landscape. This session invites library workers to consider not just what AI can do, but what it should do, and what we risk losing when we outsource our voice.
The presentation will include an interactive portion that will give attendees an opportunity to identify their “library fans,” craft key messages, and formulate immediate next steps toward creating a human-centered library brand. Any presentation files, handouts, exercises, etc. created for the session will be available for attendees to download.
| Period | Apr 2 2026 |
|---|---|
| Event title | CARL Virtual Conference 2026: Librarians at the Forefront: Centering Human Intelligence in an AI Future |
| Event type | Conference |
| Location | United States, CaliforniaShow on map |