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Public Library Artificial Intelligence AI Capacity Building Cohort

Public Library Artificial Intelligence AI Capacity Building Cohort

Public Library Artificial Intelligence (AI) Capacity Building Cohort

The Library of Michigan (LM) provides training and professional development, including continuing education, to enhance the skills of the current library workforce. As part of this goal, LM is working with The Galecia Group to provide an interactive capacity building series on AI for up to 24 public library staff members. Recommended participants are library staff who are interested in gaining hands-on experience in AI technologies in topics of particular interest to public libraries.

Each session will include 60-90 minutes of instruction and at least 60 minutes of hands-on work using Galecia’s PLAID (Public Library AI Demonstration) training platform.

The AI Capacity Building Cohort Series includes five live, interactive, online sessions:

  • Bot-Builder Workshop: Participants will follow along as the instructor builds a simple, functional AI agent ("bot") during the webinar. Participants can optionally follow along to build their own simple bot.
  • Introduction to HuggingFace: HuggingFace is a global online repository of open source and open-model/-weights AI tools that can be customized, downloaded, and mixed. Participants will try some basic HF tools and learn how this platform can be used for AI tasks and training.
  • AI-Driven Community Engagement: Participants will use AI to plan a needs assessment survey, analyze patron and community feedback, and implement community-driven action items.
  • AI in the Archives: Participants will build an AI-based computer vision tool to analyze and catalog historical documents, photographs, and artifacts.
  • AI Hackathon: Focusing on participant projects.

Course Description and Learning Objectives

WHAT IS EXPECTED OF PARTICIPANTS

To take part in the cohort, applicants must complete a prerequisite of the AI Video Training Series developed by the Galecia Group, which is available now in the LM Niche Academy, prior to the start of the Cohort sessions.

Participants must commit to attending all five live, interactive sessions. In return, LM will cover the cost of program participation.

To participate successfully in the live, online, interactive sessions, you will need internet access, a desktop or laptop computer with video and audio capabilities, and uninterrupted time.

SCHEDULE:

The cohort schedule is from March 2025 through May 2025

Session 1:     March 13 - 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Session 2:     March 27 - 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Session 3:     April 10 - 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Session 4:     April 24 - 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Session 5:     May 15 - 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

APPLY FOR THE COHORT

  • Application - Deadline to apply is January 31, 2025
  • Agreement Form - Download, complete and upload in application as a pdf.

Please contact Michelle Bradley BradleyM13@michigan.gov or 517-335-1507 with any questions.