Beyond Prompt Engineering: Practical Strategies for Everyday AI Use in Libraries

This session demystifies "prompting" -- the process of providing instructions and context to AI tools. We'll specifically focus on large language models ("LLMs") such as ChatGPT and Gemini that have advanced capabilities like web search, database access, and the ability to read and output files. Our goal will be to learn how these tools are useful and when they should be avoided in library contexts. The presenter will also discuss the challenges and ethical considerations involved in AI image generation.

Learning Objectives:

• Learn the strengths and weaknesses of modern Large Language Model ("LLM") tools
• Identify library-related tasks and workflows that can benefit from LLM assistance or integration
• Describe best practices for safely using AI tools in ways that protect patron data and library ethics