Top Technology Trends Archives | American Libraries Magazine

Amber Reichert, director of content strategy for communications and UX at University of Virginia, and Jarrod Wilson, head of technology services at Kalamzaoo (Mich.) Public Library share insights on technology at the American Library Association's 2025 Annual Conference and Exhibition in Philadelphia.

Generative Generations

By Carrie Smith | June 30, 2025

The June 30 panel at the American Library Association’s 2025 Annual Conference and Exhibition in Philadelphia gathered library technology experts to discuss ways that AI—and other technologies—are impacting libraries this year and how they may evolve in the future. AI technology is developing rapidly. “Usually a cycle of technology is a decade long,” says Marshall … Continue reading Generative Generations →

(Left to right) Trevor Watkins, , Hannah Byrd Little, director of library and archives at the Webb School in Bell Buckle, Tennessee, Jonathan McMichael, undergraduate success librarian at Arizona State University, Fernando A, and Kate Delaney, public services librarian at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine discuss ChatGPT and other generative AI tools at ALA Annual 2023 in Chicago.

Information Literacy for the ChatGPT Age

By Carrie Smith | June 25, 2023

Delaney moderated the “Core Top Ten Technology Trends: Libraries Take On ChatGPT” panel Saturday, June 24, at American Library Association’s 2023 Annual Conference and Exhibition in Chicago. Four panelists from public, academic, and school libraries shared thoughts on what library workers should know about the technology, how it’s being used, and the potential risks and … Continue reading Information Literacy for the ChatGPT Age →

Veronda Pitchford (left) and Callan Bignoli

Technology’s Silver Linings

By Greg Landgraf | June 26, 2022

Despite that positive theme, perhaps the most fervent response came when the discussion turned to the controversy of Hoopla’s recent platforming of content advancing white supremacy, COVID misinformation, and conversion therapy. “At a recent meeting in Massachusetts, they relied on the Library Bill of Rights” to justify providing access to these materials, observed Callan Bignoli, … Continue reading Technology’s Silver Linings →

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R. L. Maizes and Ali Solomon share a series of cartoons that depict true horrors for book lovers. These hilarious but hair-raising situations include lending a book to a friend who cares for it improperly, the terrible measures you might have to take to avoid spoilers, and the horrifying combination of a toddler, a heavily sauced pasta, and a first edition.

Electric Lit, Oct. 31
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Nikki DeMarco writes: “I spent a lot of years thinking I wasn’t a real reader. The amount of time I spent, and the way I actually read, never seemed to match what counted as ‘real.’ When I became a librarian, I started hearing the same stories echoed back from my students at my new school. Over and over, people framed their reading life as a failure, because it didn’t look like the neat, linear version we’ve all been sold. That’s when I realized I had to spread the word: The problem isn’t with the readers. It’s with the rules.”

Book Riot, Oct. 31
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Sarah Asch writes: “A new state law, Senate Bill 13, prohibits school library materials with profane content or indecent content from campuses. It puts the onus on school staff to make sure materials are in compliance. For help, school staff are turning to ChatGPT. But it’s unclear what standards ChatGPT is using to make the determination of which books would violate the law. There have also been examples of school districts closing their libraries temporarily until staff can better assess what books they have on the shelves.”

Texas Standard, Nov. 3
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Athena Stavrou writes: “Home to more than 170 million items, including Magna Carta, the British Library is one of the world’s largest and most impressive book collections. However, in October 2023, a major cyberattack plunged it into chaos, shutting down its digital systems and resulting in the leaking of staff details onto the dark web. Two years on, staff—who are striking due to a pay dispute—have said the disruption is still creating chaos and considerably increasing their workload.”

The Independent (London), Nov. 1; The Guardian, Nov. 22, 2023
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Kayli Pascal-Martinez writes: “The State of Hawaii launched the Kōkua Food Drive in response to the ongoing federal shutdown and disruptions to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. The weeklong food collection campaign began Monday, in partnership with the Hawaii State Public Library System, to support food banks across the islands. From November 3–7, residents are encouraged to bring any canned goods and other nonperishable food items to their local public library during regular business hours.” Cincinnati and Hamilton County (Ohio) Public Library is offering free meals to kids and teens and other food resources.

KITV-TV (Honolulu), Nov. 3; Hawaii State Public Library System, Nov. 3; Cincinnati and Hamilton County (Ohio) Public Library, Oct. 30
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Mark McBride writes: “The recent National Information Standards Organization Open Discovery Initiative Survey Report on Generative AI and Web-Scale Discovery reads like a weathervane for higher education. The question it leaves us with is both urgent and unsettling: Do academic library leaders possess a strategy for responding to artificial intelligence in the library technology and publishing ecosystem? At first glance, the data is reassuring. Libraries and publishers identify similar hopes for generative AI: improved visibility of content, more accurate recommendations, and time saved for staff. Yet, beneath this surface consensus, the report uncovers deep fractures.”

The Scholarly Kitchen, Oct. 30; National Information Standards Organization, Aug. 5
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Amanda Galliton writes: “As school librarians, we often feel pressure to integrate the latest apps, devices, or digital tools into our lessons. Technology absolutely has a powerful place in our work, but sometimes constraints—budget, access, or bandwidth—limit what we can do. Sometimes students simply need a break from screens. That’s where no-tech activities come in: low-prep, student-centered, and often wildly effective. Here are several tried-and-true activities I have used with middle schoolers that are adaptable for any grade.”

Knowledge Quest, Oct. 31

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