UNC to Partner With Public Libraries for Statewide AI Study
UNC to Partner With Public Libraries for Statewide AI Study
Publish Date: 2026-06-05 18:18:00
Source Domain: www.govtech.com
- North Carolina’s public libraries collaborate with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to advance AI literacy through a statewide research initiative called Local Libraries and Generative AI.
- The two-year project, starting this summer and running through 2028, aims to study community use and support for generative AI and library’s role in responsible AI use.
- Researchers from UNC, led by UNC librarian María Estorino, will assess library technology infrastructure, staff capacity, and community attitudes towards AI.
- The initiative involves two cohorts of libraries in different phases, using insights from the first to refine the approach with the second.
- The project supports North Carolina’s broader AI education efforts in schools and aligns with national initiatives expanding AI literacy through public institutions.
- The North Carolina effort complements initiatives like Oklahoma’s AI exploration for youth libraries and New Jersey’s AI training sessions by libraries, highlighting a nationwide push for AI literacy.
