Librarian Instruction Professional Development

AI Literacy

September 11-12, 2025
Learning Commons 205

Khyati Trehan & Google DeepMind via Pexels
 

Purpose

At our retreat this year, we’ll gather to discuss and respond to developments in the AI landscape through the lens of information literacy. Through reflection, exploration, and application, we’ll develop our understanding of AI literacy and explore connections to our work with students and faculty.

Learning outcomes

Retreat participants will…

✅   Reflect on their experiences with and attitudes toward AI in the research process

✅   Explore definitions of AI literacy

✅   Critically evaluate AI research tools – both in and outside of library products – using evaluative frameworks

✅   Identify an opportunity to integrate AI literacy into their teaching practice in the coming year

✅   Engage in discussion and peer feedback

We'll use an interactive Google Doc for all of our activities:

Location

This year's retreat will be held in Library 205 on both days, as scheduling conflicts at other campus locations make this the most convenient option.

There are some upsides to this decision. Hosting the retreat in one of our own learning labs is a chance for us to be in our students' shoes and helps put us in a library instruction mindset going into the new academic year. Retreat participants will also have easy access to the staff break room and refrigerator for their lunch and break needs. (Due to university cost-savings measures, food will not be provided at this year's retreat.)

The preliminary schedule is posted below and will be updated as times, activities, and resources are finalized.
 

RSVP

Please RSVP for the retreat by accepting or declining the calendar invitations sent by Rachel. If you need to adjust your RSVP or have questions, please contact her.

If you prefer to attend portions of the retreat (such as the keynote only), that is fine; please come and go as you need.
 

What to bring

💻   Laptop (unless you prefer to use one of the in-room computers)

✏️   Something to write with

🍕   Lunch and any other snacks/beverages you might need

Retreat communication

You can re-read emails sent to library staff about this year's retreat if you'd like more information about prework for the event.

Thursday

Schedule

9:00-9:15           Welcome

9:15-9:45           AI literacy discussion

• After exploring the readings, what does AI literacy mean to you? What definitions or parts of definitions resonate with you most? Why?
• What opportunities and challenges are there for us as library instructors? What do you think our professional responsibilities are in this space?
• What would it look like for you to approach teaching AI literacy with authenticity and vulnerability? (What came up for you while watching the Hammons & Flierl presentation and/or reading the Baer article?)
   

9:45-10:00         Break

10:00-10:45       Keynote presentation

• Sarah Tribelhorn, Sciences and Sustainability Librarian at San Diego State University and creator of the Ethical AI Assessment Tool, will speak to us for 30 minutes, followed by a brief Q&A.

10:45-11:00       Break

11:00-12:15       Activity block: Exploring Gemini and NotebookLM

• In this activity block, we'll explore the two Generative AI tools SCU provides to learners. With our students in mind, we'll explore and reflect on these tools for the purposes of search, discovery, and synthesis. We'll also consider them in light of the Ethical AI Assessment Tool. What are the affordances and limitations of these tools? (In other words, what can they do? What can’t they do?) What is important for a student to know or consider about these tools? What questions do we still have?

12:15-1:45         Lunch

1:45-3:00           Activity block: Exploring AI tools embedded in library databases

• In this activity block, we'll explore the AI research tools available in EBSCO, JSTOR, ProQuest, and Statista. With our students in mind, we'll explore and reflect on these tools for the purposes of search, discovery, and summary. We'll also consider them in light of a rubric Jen Pesek developed specifically for librarians to evaluate AI tools in library databases. Topics will include: Why embedded AI tools are different from separate AI tools; why librarian evaluation is needed to support student learning; Jen’s rubric and how to use it; and discussing our collective voice.

3:00-3:15           Break

3:15-3:50           Activity block: Community-building

• Short reflection activity about what we learned today

3:50-4:00           Wrap up

• Review plan and activities for tomorrow

Friday

Schedule

9:00-9:15           Welcome

9:15-10:00         Activity block: Teaching activity description (individual reflection/work time)

• Think about a teaching scenario you will (or could) encounter in the coming academic year. 
  Examples: A CTW 2 one-shot, liaison course lesson, research workshop, research appointment with staff or students, orientation, online learning object (tutorial, module, video), etc. 

• How could you incorporate an AI literacy component into the scenario?

• Describe a teaching activity or approach you could try. 
  Examples: An in-class activity, a discussion prompt, a set of session learning outcomes, an explanation of a concept/term/or issue, etc.

10:00-10:10       Break

10:10-11:15       Activity block: Design charrette for peer feedback

• We’ll workshop ideas in small group, low-stakes conversation. You will leave this exercise  having heard others’ ideas about how to translate AI literacy from theory into practice and having received feedback on your own ideas. The intention of this activity is to provide an encouraging, open, and judgement-free space for sparking creativity.

11:15-11:25       Break

11:25-12:15       Activity block: Synthesis and community-building

• Debrief (10 mins)
• Community wishlist development (15 mins)
• Letter to your future self (25 mins)

12:15-12:30       Wrap up

Extension activity (will be rescheduled)

2:00-3:00           Group game: Seekers Unbound

This portion of the retreat will be rescheduled as an optional follow-up activity at a later date.

All are welcome to join us for a post-retreat game on Friday afternoon. You do not need to have attended other parts of the retreat in order to participate! A separate calendar invitation was sent for this activity.

We'll be playing Seekers Unbound -- an information literacy game developed by Chris Rosser, Holly Reiter, Matt Upson, and Frances Alvarado-Albertorio  -- focusing on external AI research tools (think tools such as Research Rabbit, Scite, Elicit, etc.). In addition to being a fun learning and community-building opportunity, the game itself might be of interest to library instructors looking for a ready-made, gamified lesson to use with students this year.

There are 7 short readings we suggest completing before the retreat. The term “reading” is used loosely; content includes a video, an interactive course, two academic articles, a news/magazine article, and blog posts.

Each item connects to one of our retreat learning outcomes and supports specific portions of the day. There may be some familiar resources and some that are new to you, but we hope there is something for everyone.

You can find the required readings on our retreat bibliography, linked below.

Important note! Three of the readings (Baer; Hammons & Flierl; and Bergstrom & West) only ask that you review portions of the material. The portions are indicated in the “Description/Purpose” field of the spreadsheet, which also includes the rationale for selecting each item.

Additional Resource