Free new guide aims to help library workers support communities in using artificial intelligence with confidence.
A free new guide has been published to provide staff working in libraries with the practical tools they need to help people build confidence in using AI and in navigating an ever-more complex online world.
Photo by Sylvia Yang / Unsplash
The guide, How libraries can support AI and digital media literacy, has been published by the independent charity Libraries Connected – which supports, promotes and represents public libraries across England, Wales, Northen Ireland and the Crown dependencies.
Across the UK, public libraries are already one of the largest providers of free internet access and support for digital skills. However, rapid changes in technology, not least in the rise of AI and online misinformation, means that established approaches to digital inclusion must adapt and evolve.
The new guide draws on the findings of four pilot programmes run in libraries in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, Newcastle and Northumberland, working with communities most at risk of digital exclusions. It offers four proven ways in which libraries can engage people with AI and digital media literacy.
One successful means was through exhibitions and pop‑ups inviting people to explore AI at their own pace. Sessions for beginners, tailored workshops for community groups and informal one-to-one support for those who need it have also proved successful.
The new guide includes tips on tackling common barriers, such as anxiety about new tech or limited staff capacity. There is also a practical checklist to help services plan activities that meet specific local needs.
The pilots and resulting guide are both part of the wider Innovating in Trusted Spaces initiative, a partnership between Libraries Connected, the Good Things Foundation and WSA Community, and funded by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology’s digital inclusion innovation fund.
Isobel Hunter MBE, Chief Executive of Libraries Connected, says: ‘This new guide, developed by frontline library staff and users, contains practical tools that make AI and digital media literacy feel approachable and relevant to everyday life. It shows how services can support people who may feel anxious about new digital tools and ensure that no one is excluded in this period of rapid technological change. Libraries are known for providing trusted, accessible digital support – this guide will help them to adapt that support for the AI age.’
Mary Booth, Digital Services Manager at Good Things Foundation, adds: ‘As the UK’s leading digital inclusion charity, we know that libraries are essential trusted spaces for helping people engage with the digital world. This guide is a critical resource, providing our community partners with practical tools to demystify AI and develop digital media literacy. It helps ensure that as the online environment evolves, we support those most at risk of exclusion to build the confidence and skills needed to participate and benefit from it.’
Wendy Sugarman, Director of WSA Community, says: ‘We are delighted to have supported libraries to test and learn from new ways to bridge the digital divide and introduce people to AI and digital media literacy. The guide brings together their learning and insights and puts forward four tried and tested models that other libraries can adapt to their local area and communities.’
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