Upskilling Library staff in Gen-AI through curated, practice-based professional development sessions

As AI becomes increasingly embedded in daily life, study and work processes, there is a significant need to build skills and confidence with the tool. While aware of the changing nature of future work, our Library staff had areas of concern which impacted their relationship with and the adoption of AI. In response, a project team was formed to explore the impact of Gen-AI on work and create an environment that encourages experimentation and creativity while providing a framework for effective use.  

Although student-facing Gen-AI resources were available for staff to review, we decided that an active, hands-on approach would be more meaningful. This led to the creation of practice-based professional development sessions, which focussed on building proficiency and confidence.

In these, attendees work through relevant and targeted interactive learning materials to understand how AI learns and works, discuss their personal beliefs and concerns, and are introduced to real-world examples of how AI has been used successfully and unsuccessfully. Sessions also introduce the background, development, and essential considerations for Gen-AI, before encouraging attendees to generate outputs relevant to their work and discuss the experience as a group.  

All developed materials include some level of trainer reflection. The inclusion of these reflections from a perceived expert has helped demonstrate to attendees how one can build confidence in incorporating these tools into academic or professional workflows while acknowledging the software limitations and the importance of human skills and experience.  

Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive and indicates that following these sessions, staff feel encouraged to interact more confidently with these tools in an appropriate and educated way to problem-solve, enhance creativity, streamline workflows and increase personal efficiency.

This lightning talk will detail the Library’s strategy for encouraging the integration of Gen-AI into our work, the development of frameworks for effective critical use, and key reflections and insights discovered during the training and implementation process.