Information about the IMLS-funded Project AliT
ALiT: AI Platform for Librarian Lifelong Training, Co-PIs: Junhua Ding and Katie Klein, 2026–2029.
The University of North Texas (UNT) College of Information, in partnership with the Amigos Library Services, requests $382,268 for a three-year workforce development project titled “ALiT: AI Platform for Librarian Lifelong Training.” This project directly supports the Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program (LB21) Goal 2 (Train and retain current library and archives professionals, faculty, and staff) & Objective 2.1 (Develop or enhance professional development and training programs to enable the library and archival workforce to meet the needs of their communities) by creating an innovative framework for the training and professional development of the library
workforce.
By leveraging generative AI to simulate complex service encounters, ALiT provides a scalable solution to enhance the skills, confidence, and resilience of public librarians. Rather than replacing professional judgment, ALiT positions generative AI as a simulation and reflection tool that supports knowledge sharing, experiential learning, ethical decision-making, and reflective practice. ALiT is designed as an on-demand, flexible training environment, enabling public librarians to practice professional service skills anytime and anywhere, without constraints of schedule, location, or the availability of trainers or patrons. The project team also built a prototype to demonstrate the feasibility of using generative AI to simulate library service interactions and provide structured feedback to support professional training.
Overall, ALiT is guided by the following research questions (RQs):
RQ1: How can generative AI simulate realistic public library service interactions that support professional training and reflective practice?
RQ2: How does scenario-based simulation training affect librarians’ confidence, communication skills, and preparedness for complex service encounters?
RQ3: How can knowledge and experiences from different libraries and librarians be integrated into the AI system to facilitate inter-institutional and inter-generational knowledge sharing?
RQ4: What best practices support the ethical, human-centered use of generative AI for librarian training and workforce development?
