This community is founded and managed by Fenway Libraries Organization (FLO). Professionals involved Library and Information Science outside of FLO are welcome and encouraged to join. Our focus is on academic libraries in the Boston-area. This community of interest will focus on Information Literacy including topics such as reference and instruction services, working with faculty, user instruction, and more.
The FLO Information Literacy Community of Interest is hosting a free, half-day workshop and networking event on May 3rd at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. Sessions will include a keynote presentation and workshop centered around understanding AI literacy and lightning rounds from community members. All are welcome to attend!
Registration: Registration has closed; please contact helpdesk@flo.org with any inquiries.
Workshop: During the workshop, we will be accessing different AI tools; consider bringing a small personal device (phone/tablet/laptop) that you can use for these activities.
Getting to MCPHS: Directions for driving and public transit
The event will be held in Room #604 in the Griffin Building at 670 Huntington Ave. Enter the building and check-in with Security, then turn to the right and take the elevator up to the 6th floor. The room is to your right as you exit the elevator. There will be signs directing visitors to the meeting room.
Event Parking: There is no on-site parking available at MCPHS. Please see these suggestions.
Schedule of events
9:30 a.m. Refreshments & Mingling
10:00 a.m. Welcome
Shanti Freundlich, Associate Director for Library Learning & Assessment, Associate Professor, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
Joe Sikowitz, Executive Director, Fenway Library Organization
10:05 a.m. Keynote & Workshop: Empowering Higher Education; Harnessing Generative AI, Addressing Bias, and Promoting Information Literacy
Jessica Condlin, Social Sciences Librarian, Lesley University
12:00 p.m. Lightning Rounds
Thinking Critically About AI Literacy: Instruction and Assessment in First-Year Engineering Classes
Callie Cherry, Reference and Instruction Librarian, Wentworth Institute of Technology
The Hater’s Guide to Artificial Intelligence
Alexis Dhembe, Systems Librarian, Fenway Library Organization
Show, Don’t Tell: Interactive Demonstrations of GenAI for Diverse Users
Kat Good-Schiff, Instructional Services and Outreach Librarian, Springfield Technical Community College
12:30 p.m. Close
FLO Information Literacy Event Planning Committee
Keynote & Workshop
Empowering Higher Education; Harnessing Generative AI, Addressing Bias, and Promoting Information Literacy
In the ever-evolving landscape of emerging technologies, the intersection of generative AI, bias awareness, and information literacy presents both opportunities and challenges, particularly in higher education. This presentation delves into the complexities of these topics and explores their implications for academia. As these technologies continue to evolve, information literacy is of paramount importance. This presentation aims to provide knowledge about the inner workings of generative AI and Large Language Models to bridge the understanding of algorithmic bias within emerging technologies.
Jessica Condlin (she/her), MLIS, Social Sciences Librarian, Lesley University
Jessica Condlin earned her MLIS from Simmons University. She has worked in both public and academic libraries and is currently working as a reference and instruction librarian for the Social Sciences at Lesley University. For the past year she has served on Lesley’s AI Committee and in February 2024 was elected to Vice Chair of the committee. She has presented on Generative AI and Large Language Models to both the faculty and students at Lesley University as well as to the FLO AI Community of Interest.
Lightning Rounds
Thinking Critically About AI Literacy: Instruction and Assessment in First-Year Engineering Classes
During the Fall 2023 term, Callie Cherry collaborated with Dr. Uri Feldman to design an AI literacy module in his first-year engineering course. This multi-session module consisted of lessons on evaluating AI tools and content and enabled students to think critically and independently about how AI will impact their careers as engineers. In assessing this instruction module, they determined that the lessons empowered students to make their own decisions about AI with an informed perspective.
Callie Cherry, (she/her), MLIS, MA, Reference & Instruction Librarian, Wentworth Institute of Technology
Callie Cherry is a Reference & Instruction Librarian, the liaison to the School of Architecture & Design, and the Library exhibits coordinator at Wentworth Institute of Technology. She holds a Master of Library Science and a Master of Arts in Art History with Museum Studies from the University of Denver. Her research interests include artificial intelligence literacy; critical pedagogy; diversity, equity, and inclusion in collection development.
The Hater’s Guide to Artificial Intelligence
AI, as many breathless press-releases will tell you, is full of nearly infinite possibilities. But what about the drawbacks, and what did it take to get here? This lightning talk will discuss some of the 'behind the scenes' aspects of AI and what resources are required for machines to learn.
Alexis Dhembe (she/her), MLIS, Systems Librarian, Fenway Library Organization
Alexis Dhembe joined FLO in April 2022 as the Systems Librarian. Prior to joining FLO, she worked at Lesley University and Harvard University. In her free time, she likes sewing, knitting, and dogs (especially hers).
Show, Don’t Tell: Interactive Demonstrations of GenAI for Diverse Users
This talk will report on four introductory workshops that Kat Good-Schiff led on the potentials and pitfalls of ChatGPT & Gemini for faculty, staff, and students at a community college. Collaboration was key to promote the sessions, and a flexible, interactive format ensured that participants learned helpful and relevant information in a reflective way that encouraged further exploration.
Kat Good-Schiff (she/her), MFA, MLIS, Instructional Services & Outreach Librarian, Springfield Technical Community College
Kat Good-Schiff is the Instructional Services & Outreach Librarian at Springfield Technical Community College (STCC). A member of FLO’s AI community of interest, she has been exploring and sharing generative AI’s potentials and pitfalls with her campus community for over a year. Prior to STCC, she was a public librarian for four years and worked as a writer, editor, and project manager in the fields of nonprofit marketing and health communication.
To join the Information Literacy mailing list, visit https://list.flo.org/postorius/lists/coi-information-literacy.list.flo.org/.