Investigating Librarian Perspectives on Generative AI: A Mixed-Methods R&D Initiative

Abstract

This research delves into librarians' views on generative AI in the realm of information retrieval. It included interactive workshops with 52 librarians from 21 institutions, who shared their thoughts on the benefits and concerns of using AI in libraries. The workshops led to 25 identified themes, 16 of which expressed concerns about AI adoption.

A survey was also conducted, focusing on the ethics of implementing Large Language Models (LLMs) in library services. Participants rated the ethics of eight hypothetical LLM use cases. The responses indicated varied perceptions of the ethics of different LLM use cases.

The project, still active, aims to offer insights into attitudes toward AI, particularly LLMs, in library services. The findings will guide future AI development that addresses ethical issues associated with generative AI in library services.