Introduction
Artificial Intelligence (AI) represents a revolutionary way to create, analyze, and work with all kinds of content. It also comes with multiple ethical, environmental, and other concerns. To meet GRRL’s mission, vision, and goals, GRRL should develop policies for responsible use of AI tools by employees while also preserving the human element of core library expertise.
7A. Guiding Principles
7A.1 Responsible use
Any AI tools should be used responsibly, with a clear purpose that supports the GRRL mission, vision, and strategic goals. Use should enhance and support productivity and work processes, and provide support for effective decision-making. AI outputs should assist in the pursuit of the public good, preserving such human characteristics as creativity, critical thinking, and complex decision-making. Content and processes should support the notion of community good by making accurate and reliable information more accessible and ensuring that the public resources are used efficiently and effectively to support individuals, families, and communities.
7A.2 Alignment with core public library values
AI tools should not undermine core public library values. For example, they should not replace critical decision-making, particularly in regards to employment, financial, or legal processes or policy.
AI and AI tools should not be used for data that is privileged, private, or confidential, or that may undermine GRRL’s ability to maintain privacy of patron, staff, volunteer, or other protected data or otherwise follow statutory requirements for private, non-public data.
GRRL staff should not use AI and AI tools for original content or dataset creation that would replace or undermine the work of other GRRL staff.
7A.3 Review of AI content or other outputs
GRRL staff using AI tools should treat any AI-generated content, datasets, or other outputs as incomplete drafts that require review before presentation, publication, or other use. Any AI-generated content must be reviewed for factual errors and potential copyright infringement.
AI-generated content must be evaluated and corrected for potential bias and stereotyping. Staff should seek to ensure that AI-generated content, datasets, or other outputs support key public library goals for equity, access, and inclusion of all. Staff should be transparent about the use of AI-generated content or reporting in the development of materials.
7A.4 Programs and services to the public
Patron Services policies will govern how GRRL staff fulfill information requests pertaining to AI and provide other services to community members, and Collection Development policies will govern purchase or lease of content pertaining to AI. GRRL should provide programming and information assistance that assists members of the public in understanding the implications of AI in their own lives, protects their privacy, supports curiosity and creativity, equity and inclusion, intellectual freedom and democratic ideals, and helps them to thrive.
7B. Third-party alignment with GRRL AI use guidelines
Third-party vendor software and agreements should meet GRRL AI Usage policies to the fullest extent practical. This includes any cloud- or web-based AI. As a highest priority, current and future software purchases and vendor agreements should be evaluated to ensure appropriate safeguards for any private, confidential, or sensitive GRRL data.
When possible and practical, GRRL staff should opt out or request AI enhancements be turned off if they do not meet GRRL AI use guidelines.
7C. Commitment to future understanding and evolving practice
AI technology is evolving and expanding and will continue to do so. GRRL should provide adequate time and training resources for staff to continue to learn about AI and how to use it effectively in their work.
The responsibility for ethical AI use rests with all GRRL staff. Department leadership will work collaboratively to ensure both policy compliance and forward thinking. Toward these ends, staff should make use of work accounts (not personal) for any GRRL business involving AI tools.
To keep up with an emerging and changing technology landscape, AI Usage policies will be reviewed and updated on an annual basis through 2030, then at least every three years after that.
Urgent exceptions to policy, needed for the efficient and effective functioning of GRRL business, may be approved by the Associate Director – Information Technology or the Executive Director. These exceptions must then be brought to the GRRL Board of Trustees for policy review and update.