Join us for a half-day unconference focused on Artificial Intelligence in Arkansas Libraries. This casual gathering is an opportunity for librarians to network, collaborate, and share ideas on how AI is impacting our work and our users/patrons.

Our program begins with a keynote from Jason Coleman, Academic Services Librarian at Kansas State University Libraries, who will discuss ACRL’s draft document, "AI Competencies for Library Workers." Following this, we'll have a provided lunch and engaging roundtable discussions.

A key part of the unconference will be a series of lightning talks on topics such as:

• Teaching information literacy in the world of AI
• How AI powered search engines are changing research practices
• AI tools that have saved time, improved work, or were just fun to use.
• Ethical issues around AI use, attribution, or instruction
• Future implications to libraries and librarians

Jason Coleman is a Science Librarian at Kansas State University. His previous roles, all at K-State, have included Head of Library and User Services, Undergraduate Services Librarian, and Reference Generalist. Since early 2023, he has become immersed in genAI, especially for information discovery and evaluation. As a member of K-State Libraries' AI Steering Group he helped found K-State's annual AI Symposium and has created and led or co-led dozens of AI-focused workshops for faculty, staff, students, and the general public. In service to the profession, he has served on the steering committee for the Generative AI in Libraries Conference and has co-chaired ACRL's AI Competencies for Library Workers Task Force. He has presented frequently on the work of the committee and also on the topic of AI for discovery.  His previous service and research foci have included virtual reference, academic collegiality, and technology for reference management.

Call for Lightning Talk Proposals
We invite you to propose a lightning talk on any of the topics listed above, or any other issue related to AI and libraries. When registering, please indicate your interest, and we will contact you for more details.  

While hosted by the College and University Librarians of Arkansas Community of Interest (CULAR), all librarians are encouraged to attend. If you're attending the Arkansas Library Annual Conference, this unconference is an excellent appetizer to your weekend in Hot Springs.