Explore Library Careers and AI Trends from Simmons SLIS National Library Week Event
National Library Week serves as an annual reminder of the critical role libraries play in communities across the USA. To mark this occasion, the School of Library and Information Science (SLIS) at Simmons University recently hosted a comprehensive virtual event that went beyond standard celebration. The gathering combined an alumnae/i achievement award ceremony with a nuanced panel discussion titled “Building a Career in LIS: Lessons, Milestones, and Whatever Comes Next in the Age of AI.” For current students and prospective professionals considering library careers, the event provided concrete insights into the evolving demands of the information science field.
Understanding the Value of National Library Week for Library Professionals
Organized by the American Library Association, National Library Week highlights the value of libraries, librarians, and library workers. However, for those actively building library careers, this week also functions as a prime networking and professional development opportunity. Institutions like SLIS leverage this time to connect current students with established alumni, creating a bridge between academic theory and practical industry realities. By utilizing a virtual event format, Simmons SLIS ensured that students and alumni from across the USA—and even internationally—could participate, exchange ideas, and analyze the current state of the profession without the barriers of travel.
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Key Takeaways for Building Resilient Library Careers
The panel discussion, moderated by SLIS Dean Sanda Erdelez, featured professionals with diverse backgrounds: Aliza A. Leventhal, Library Director at the Rhode Island School of Design’s Fleet Library; Tam Ha, a senior librarian at VinUniversity in Hanoi, Vietnam; and Danita R. Callender, a library assistant at the Cambridge Public Library. Their conversations revealed several foundational strategies for sustaining long-term library careers.
Cultivate Resourcefulness and Adaptability
Modern library careers require more than just a grasp of traditional cataloging systems. Panelists emphasized the necessity of adaptable thinking. Leventhal highlighted the lasting impact of a specific metadata course she took during her graduate studies. She noted that the course did not merely teach technical skills; it provided a framework for understanding how to organize information logically. This “metadata thinking” allows professionals to remain nimble, ensuring they can continue to learn and adapt as new systems emerge, rather than attempting to master a single static technology.
Ha echoed this sentiment, attributing her ability to build an academic library from the ground up in Vietnam to the resourcefulness instilled in her by her Simmons professors. When faced with the challenge of developing a new LIS bachelor’s degree curriculum for another institution, Ha relied on her foundational training to navigate complex institutional requirements. Adaptability, rather than rigid specialization, is what allows information professionals to solve unprecedented problems.
Leverage Internships for Practical Problem-Solving
For early-career professionals like Callender, hands-on experience is a critical supplement to classroom learning. During the panel, Callender stressed the significance of internships in shaping her career trajectory. Working in archives—specifically with the Cambridge Black History Project and the St. Paul AME Church Archives Committee—she applied her academic training to real-world historical preservation. She noted that graduate programs teach students not just the mechanical skills of archival work, but how to think critically and proceed logically when confronted with ambiguous or incomplete records. Prospective students should prioritize programs that offer robust internship placements as a core component of their curriculum.
Overcome Imposter Syndrome to Seize New Opportunities
Career progression in library and information science often involves stepping into roles that feel slightly beyond one’s current expertise. Leventhal recounted how Simmons faculty actively encouraged her to fight imposter syndrome and take on a major archival project for the Society of American Archivists early in her career. That initial push to accept a daunting project ultimately opened doors to leadership positions. Recognizing that feelings of inadequacy are a normal part of professional growth allows librarians to confidently accept challenges that accelerate their career development.
Expanding Library Careers on a Global Scale
While many professionals focus their job search strictly within the USA, the SLIS virtual event illustrated the global demand for graduates of American LIS programs. Tam Ha’s recognition as the 2026 Alumnae/i Achievement Award recipient underscores this international reach. Based in Hanoi, Ha has significantly advanced academic libraries and scholarly communications across Asia. Her work focuses on equitable access to knowledge, sustainable scholarly communication, and building resilient learning ecosystems in the Asia Pacific region.
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Ha’s career path demonstrates that the principles of information science taught in the USA are highly transferable. By pursuing a doctorate in education alongside her library work, she expanded her capacity to support library users and influence educational policy at an institutional level. Her success reinforces the idea that a master’s degree in library science can serve as a foundation for high-level academic and institutional leadership anywhere in the world.
Navigating Generative AI in Library and Information Science
The most pressing topic addressed during the National Library Week event was the integration of generative artificial intelligence into the LIS field. The panelists provided a grounded, multi-faceted view of AI, avoiding both extreme hype and undue panic.
Evaluating the Ethical Implications of AI Adoption
Leventhal provided a cautious perspective on AI integration, noting that her institution currently uses AI only in an experimental capacity. She pointed out that librarians are often the first to question the ethical implications of new technologies. Discussions among her colleagues frequently center on whether it is responsible to invest heavily in tools built on infrastructure that consumes massive amounts of energy and resources. For information professionals, part of the job is acting as a critical checkpoint before an organization adopts unvetted technologies. This critical evaluation is a vital skill that future librarians must develop.
Educating the Public on AI Risks and Misinformation
Callender highlighted a different, equally important role for libraries in the age of AI: public education. Her library has begun offering classes to the public focused specifically on artificial intelligence. These sessions are designed to help community members understand the risks associated with AI, including safety concerns, privacy issues, and the proliferation of misinformation scams. As AI-generated content becomes more prevalent, libraries are uniquely positioned to serve as hubs for digital literacy, teaching patrons how to verify information and protect themselves online.
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Integrating AI Tools to Enhance Learning Outcomes
Ha offered a more optimistic but pragmatic view of AI’s potential. Rather than viewing AI as a replacement for library services, she sees it as an expansion of what libraries can offer. She is actively interested in implementing AI-driven technologies, such as interactive chats and tutorial-style tools, to support learning and research. By making these advanced tools accessible to patrons, libraries can enhance student learning outcomes and streamline research processes. Ha’s perspective suggests that AI will eventually become a standard part of the library’s service toolkit, provided it is implemented with user accessibility in mind.
Essential Skills for the Future of Library and Information Science
Synthesizing the insights from the SLIS panel reveals a clear set of competencies that aspiring professionals should cultivate. First, a strong theoretical foundation in metadata and information organization remains essential, as it teaches the underlying logic of data management. Second, digital stewardship skills are increasingly necessary. As Callender noted, early-career librarians must seek opportunities to use digital stewardship software on the job to manage born-digital archives and electronic records. Third, an understanding of data ethics and AI literacy will quickly shift from a niche specialty to a baseline requirement for all library careers.
Furthermore, the panelists agreed that soft skills are just as critical as technical abilities. The ability to collaborate across disciplines, communicate complex technological concepts to non-technical patrons, and approach problems with a mindset of resourcefulness will define the next generation of library leaders. As Ha stated during her acceptance speech, the future of the profession depends heavily on knowledge sharing and investing in the people who will carry the work forward.
Next Steps for Aspiring Information Professionals
Events like the Simmons SLIS National Library Week celebration provide a clear window into the realities of modern library careers. The profession is actively grappling with massive technological shifts, expanding its reach into global academic leadership, and reaffirming its role as a guardian of equitable information access. For individuals considering entering this field, choosing a program that emphasizes critical thinking, practical internships, and ethical technology integration is crucial.
Whether you aspire to lead a specialized art and design library, build academic institutions from the ground up in international markets, or facilitate digital literacy at a local public library in the USA, the foundational skills taught in strong LIS programs remain highly relevant. The context of the work changes, but the core mission of connecting people with the information they need continues to drive the profession forward.
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