TRENTON, NJ – July 1, 2026 – LibraryLinkNJ, the New Jersey Library Cooperative and The New Jersey State Library, an affiliate of Thomas Edison State University, have announced a partnership with the NJ AI Hub to launch the NJ AI Library Learning Network, a pilot statewide initiative designed to help public libraries build local capacity for artificial intelligence (AI) education and workforce readiness. Through the initiative, library staff from five public libraries will receive advanced AI literacy training and, in turn, will offer free community workshops focused on the practical, ethical, and accessible use of AI. Participating libraries include the Jersey City Free Public Library, Mercer County Library System, Somerset County Library System of New Jersey, Camden County Library System, and Burlington County Library System.
Staff from the five participating libraries will receive professional development training through a series of courses covering a wide range of AI topics, gaining the knowledge and skills needed to confidently guide patrons and colleagues in understanding and using this rapidly evolving technology. Participating libraries will offer programs for residents, job seekers, entrepreneurs, small businesses, and nonprofit organizations, helping communities gain confidence using AI tools for everyday tasks, career development, productivity, communication, and lifelong learning. The curriculum will focus on community members seeking foundational AI knowledge, job seekers looking to strengthen workplace skills, and small business owners interested in leveraging AI to improve productivity and growth. In a second facet of the initiative, cohort members will train staff at additional libraries to deliver the training.
“LibraryLinkNJ is built to help library workers learn from one another and turn new capabilities into service for their communities,” said Ralph S. Bingham III, Executive Director of LibraryLinkNJ. “The NJ AI Library Learning Network takes that model into AI: train library staff, support them with strong materials and a peer network, and help them bring useful, responsible AI learning to the public.”
“As trusted community institutions with deep experience in digital literacy education and equitable public access to technology, public libraries are uniquely positioned to lead this work,” said Jen Nelson, New Jersey State Librarian. “The NJ AI Library Learning Network builds on the investments New Jersey libraries are already making in digital literacy, job search and small business development. It also creates a scalable model for community-based AI learning across the state.”
“If we want more people to benefit from AI, we have to bring practical training to the places people already trust and use,” said Liat Krawczyk, Executive Director of the NJ AI Hub. “Public libraries are one of the most powerful access points we have — for residents, jobseekers, entrepreneurs, small businesses, and community organizations.”
To learn more about the New Jersey AI Library Learning Network and plans to expand community-based AI training through public libraries and workforce partners in New Jersey, read more here.
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About LibraryLinkNJ
LibraryLinkNJ, The New Jersey Library Cooperative, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation serving over 2,400 multi-type libraries and library-related agencies. We connect all New Jersey’s libraries to each other and to the resources they need to serve their communities. LibraryLinkNJ and its services are funded by the New Jersey State Library, which is responsible for the coordination, promotion and funding of the New Jersey Library Network. For more information, visit www.librarylinknj.org.
About the New Jersey State Library
The New Jersey State Library (NJSL), an affiliate of Thomas Edison State University (TESU), connects people with information and resources through its service to libraries, state government, TESU staff and students, and NJ residents, including those with special needs. NJSL provides support for public, school, academic, and special libraries, and continues to promote services for learners of all ages, including key areas of continuing need such as digital literacy, business outreach, workforce development, summer reading programs, and services for the visually and physically impaired, among others.
About the New Jersey AI Hub
The New Jersey AI Hub is a public-private initiative founded by Princeton University, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA), Microsoft, and CoreWeave. Supported in part by Microsoft TechSpark, the Hub works to connect AI innovation with workforce development, education, and economic opportunity—helping ensure that advances in AI benefit communities across New Jersey.