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AI exposure report

Will AI replace Librarians and Media Collections Specialists?

Some of your tasks will be automated. People who use AI will have the edge.

Task exposure to today's AI

49/100

Moderate exposure

This is the occupation's typical task mix. Your own score can be up to 30 points higher or lower depending on how you work: routine share, people contact, judgment and how much you already use AI.

Get your personal score

Will AI replace Librarians and Media Collections Specialists?

Not entirely. Today's AI tools can take on about 49% of the typical work in this occupation, mostly: analyze patrons' requests to determine needed information and assist in furnishing or locating that information. The parts that stay human include: Supervise daily library operations, budgeting, planning, and personnel activities, such as hiring, training, scheduling, and performance evaluations.; Plan and teach classes on topics such as information literacy, library instruction, and technology use.; Review and evaluate materials, using book reviews, catalogs, faculty recommendations, and current holdings to select and order print, audio-visual, and electronic resources..

People who learn to use AI for the automatable parts keep the edge. The 3-phase plan below shows where to start.

Which tasks AI can take on

The largest tasks in this occupation, their share of the working week, and how much of each today's AI tools can do.

TaskAutomatable
Analyze patrons' requests to determine needed information and assist in furnishing or locating that information.AI already used 70%
Search standard reference materials, including online sources and the Internet, to answer patrons' reference questions.AI already used 68%
Plan and deliver client-centered programs and services, such as special services for corporate clients, storytelling for children, newsletters, or programs for special groups. 57%
Review and evaluate materials, using book reviews, catalogs, faculty recommendations, and current holdings to select and order print, audio-visual, and electronic resources. 55%
Plan and teach classes on topics such as information literacy, library instruction, and technology use. 47%
Supervise daily library operations, budgeting, planning, and personnel activities, such as hiring, training, scheduling, and performance evaluations. 38%

+ 24 more tasks (55% of the week) in the full test.

Your human edge

  • Supervise daily library operations, budgeting, planning, and personnel activities, such as hiring, training, scheduling, and performance evaluations.
  • Plan and teach classes on topics such as information literacy, library instruction, and technology use.
  • Review and evaluate materials, using book reviews, catalogs, faculty recommendations, and current holdings to select and order print, audio-visual, and electronic resources.

AI tools to try

ChatGPT / Claude for lesson materialsAI quiz and feedback toolsPresentation and image generators

Related roles

A 3-phase AI learning plan

Phase 1

Materials and preparation

  • Lesson plans, tasks and differentiated materials with AI.
  • Quizzes and answer keys.
  • Check facts and age-appropriateness yourself.

Project

Use AI to build a four-session information literacy unit with differentiated handouts and a 10-question quiz plus answer key, then fact-check every citation yourself and log the errors found.

Phase 2

Feedback and assessment

  • Rubrics and feedback drafts with AI.
  • Spotting common mistakes across student work.
  • Rules for student AI use and academic honesty.

Project

Draft an AI-assisted rubric for student research logs, grade 20 anonymized submissions, and list the 5 most common source-evaluation mistakes plus a one-page AI-use and citation policy for the library.

Phase 3

Teaching with AI

  • Teach students to use AI critically.
  • Assignments that work with AI, not against it.
  • Share materials and practice with colleagues.

Project

Run a 60-minute class where students fact-check AI answers against library databases, then share the lesson plan and reflections with 3 colleagues and collect their feedback.
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