UNC-Chapel Hill Launches Statewide Study on Libraries and Generative AI in Local Communities

From UNC-Chapel Hill:

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has launched a new state-wide two-year collaborative planning and pilot study aimed at understanding how North Carolina communities are encountering generative artificial intelligence and how local libraries can support AI literacy in meaningful, locally relevant and sustainable ways.

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The project, “Local Libraries and Generative AI,” emphasizes listening, assessment and co-design as the foundation for equitable engagement with emerging technologies. The study is led by Diane Kelly, professor and interim dean in the School of Data and Information Sciences, in collaboration with María R. Estorino, vice provost for University Library and university librarian, and in partnership with Michelle Underhill, state librarian with the Library of North Carolina.

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The project runs from summer 2026 through 2028 and is organized into five phases with two sequential cohorts of public libraries participating over the course of the study. Researchers will work closely with participating libraries to better understand local needs, institutional capacity and community perspectives surrounding AI technologies. The project prioritizes collaboration with libraries to ensure future AI literacy efforts are grounded in the realities and strengths of local institutions.

“People have always turned to libraries to make sense of new technologies, and today that technology is AI,” said María R. Estorino, vice provost for University Library and university librarian. “Participation in an AI-shaped world starts at the local level. By partnering with our public library colleagues, we can build a foundation for AI proficiency in our communities driven by trust and local realities. We’re eager to learn together with them and identify models that empower all North Carolinians to access and engage with AI in informed and responsible ways.”

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“The Library of North Carolina connects our state’s 437 library branches in all 100 counties to trustworthy and accessible information,” said N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources Secretary Pamela B. Cashwell. “As we all navigate this complex and formidable technology, this project ensures that local libraries are not only part of the AI conversation, but a gateway to understanding it for the people of our state.”

Learn More, Read the Complete Announcement

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