Panel

Jason Thomale, Lingzi Hong, Le Yang, Casey Mullin, Kevin Yanowski and Charlene Chou

Exploring AI as Normal Technology for Library Automation and Information Organization Libraries have historically leaned traditionalist in their approach to organizing and structuring information. When libraries automate their processes, two challenges often present themselves: 1) overcoming practical barriers and 2) grappling with the intellectual and ethical compromises different types of automation might require. As generative AI applications that use larger, more complex, more generalized models have gained momentum, discussing libraries’ exploration of AI for automating real-world information organization work can illuminate areas where policymaking, development of library and information science curriculum, and further research efforts might focus. This fits particularly well when considering the topic within a frame of “AI as normal technology.” Herein, a panel for the JCDL 2026 conference is proposed to discuss questions probing multiple aspects of how libraries view the utility and capability of AI technologies to solve their existing and future information organization needs. Panelists from a variety of academic library backgrounds with high levels of expertise in information organization and varying levels of experience with AI discuss their work, their experiences, and their points of view.