New Leadership Brief Offers Recommendations for Public Libraries to Implement

Washington, DC — The Urban Libraries Council released a new Leadership Brief addressing the rise of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and its contribution to the spread of misinformation and disinformation. With social isolation on the rise, this brief examines how public libraries are uniquely positioned to combat these issues through the promotion of digital literacy and the cultivation of community connections.

The ULC Leadership Brief offers recommendations that libraries can implement into their operations, including updates to digital literacy learning curriculum, creating resources to identify misinformation, and developing programs that foster civic engagement and social connectedness. The brief underscores the vital role libraries play in empowering individuals and building resilient communities in the face of evolving technological and societal challenges.

“The prevalence of false information, the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence and the continued presence of loneliness are common challenges that we often hear about from library leaders across North America,” said ULC President and CEO Brooks Rainwater. “To help public libraries navigate this evolving landscape, this Leadership Brief offers several things libraries can do now to strengthen their work and communities.”

The Leadership Brief highlights examples of how recommendations are already at work in libraries across the U.S. and Canada, including:

• The Boston Public Library recently hosted a workshop focusing on countering misinformation, developing digital citizenship skills, and using learning tools to identify accurate online information. In this workshop, attendees explored various digital literacy skills while addressing questions around sorting facts from opinions, how to find accurate information, and identifying AI-generated content.
• In March 2024, the Brooklyn Public Library collaborated with the nonprofit Women in AI Ethics™ to host an event with Rep. Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY). The discussion covered AI-generated media, the critical need to protect women from image abuse, ways to enable victims to seek recourse, and the significance of AI literacy programs to ensure community safety.
• In summer 2024, the Dallas Public Library hosted a traveling Smithsonian exhibit called “The Bias Inside Us” and planned connective programs for patrons of all ages. One event allowed people to participate in a puzzle room exercise at the central library, where their problem-solving skills were tested while gaining an understanding of how bias impacts their thinking.
• The Toronto Public Library has a comprehensive “Fake News and Information Literacy Toolkit.” This toolkit is designed to help users distinguish between credible information and misinformation. It includes guidelines on how to evaluate sources, identify biases, and verify facts. The toolkit is accessible through TPL’s website and is used in workshops and educational programs across the library’s branches.

Read the Leadership Brief, “The Role of Libraries as Public Spaces in Countering Misinformation, Disinformation, and Social Isolation in the Age of Generative AI,” on the ULC website.

The Urban Libraries Council is an innovation and impact tank of North America’s leading public library systems. ULC drives cutting-edge research and strategic partnerships to elevate the power of libraries as essential, transformative institutions. Across the U.S. and Canada, more than 180 member libraries rely on ULC to identify significant challenges facing today’s communities and provide new tools and techniques to help libraries achieve stronger outcomes in education, digital equity, workforce and economic development, and race and social equity. Learn more at urbanlibraries.org.

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