San José State University welcomes its first ever Artificial Intelligence (AI) Librarian, Sharesly Rodriguez, ‘18 MLIS. As AI applications in academia are increasing, Rodriguez joins as one of the first dedicated faculty AI librarians at a university to lead the integration and development of AI technologies for an academic library.
“The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library at San José State is more than a hub for knowledge — it’s a gateway to the future,” says SJSU President Cynthia Teniente-Matson. “With the addition of our first AI librarian, we are ensuring that students, faculty, staff and the broader community have access to the tools and expertise needed to navigate the evolving AI landscape today and in the future. Our investment in roles like this demonstrates how SJSU truly is at the epicenter of the future. We look forward to the research, collaboration and conversations that will empower our students to apply AI in ways that are innovative, responsible and ethical — ensuring that this technology serves communities and drives progress in meaningful ways.”
“The SJSU Library is thrilled to have hired Sharesly Rodriguez as our first AI librarian,” says Michael Meth, dean of the SJSU King Library. “Our library has been an active participant at SJSU in conversations around AI. In this rapidly changing environment, the AI librarian will lead and advance our conversations as we tackle issues about AI and AI literacy, ethics, creativity, bias, content, academic integrity and workforce preparation. We look to lead and guide our campus, across the CSU libraries and in the library and information profession.”
Rodriguez, who has worked at King Library since 2020, helped develop and launched the library’s new retrieval augmented chatbot called KingbotGPT. The chatbot provides information about the library, its website and related research resources by responding to patron questions on the website in real time.
Students can access the chatbot after live chat hours with librarians through a proactive widget located on the library website. This feature ensures 24/7 engagement with the library.
KingbotGPT’s integration with the library website and use of AI technology with a local dataset curated by SJSU librarians and library staff sets it apart from other AI tools. KingbotGPT doesn’t just answer questions — it directs users to helpful research guides, databases and research tutorials related to their inquiries. It also helps patrons navigate the library website and its vast array of information resources.
KingbotGPT complements live reference services (online chat service with librarians). It serves as another way for users to engage with library research resources and SJSU Library, making it an invaluable resource for the campus community.
Rodriguez is also the principal investigator for “The Landscape of Responsible AI across California Universities and Community Colleges: A Gap and Opportunity Analysis Report on Research, Curriculum, and Workforce Preparedness,” a grant from the Knight Foundation and the Public Interest Technology University Network (PIT-UN).
The grant aims to establish a multi-phase project aimed at informing future policies and AI frameworks by delivering a gap and opportunity analysis report on the current state of responsible AI in California higher education institutions. In addition, it will analyze how universities and community colleges in California approach responsible AI policies and AI initiatives.
“I am eager to research and engage in the forefront of AI news, tools and trends,” says Rodriguez. “The analysis of AI use amongst higher ed [institutions] in California will help move AI education, research, and workforce preparedness forward. AI is transforming how students, faculty and researchers find, analyze and interact with knowledge and research. Libraries are information hubs, and AI is affecting how we access and search for information, which is why libraries need to be a part of the AI conversation, while ensuring also responsible implementation.”
| GET AI STARTED AND CONNECTED Read the university’s AI vision statement to learn about the AI advisory committee and additional campuswide resources. Connect with Sharesly Rodriguez on LinkedIn Learn about AI workshops and events by following @sjsulibrary. Visit AI @ SJSU to explore all things AI at SJSU. It lists events, resources, courses, programs and news. You can also read about existing SJSU research on AI on ScholarWorks, SJSU’s digital repository. Explore a Teaching and ChatGPT LibGuide to find resources to help SJSU faculty and teaching assistants learn how to address ChatGPT in their classrooms and assignments. |
Source: https://blogs.sjsu.edu/
