Core Webinar: Best of Core Forum: Accuracy Matters: Evaluating the Value of AI Tools

CHICAGO — Join Core for the webinar "Best of Core Forum: Accuracy Matters: Evaluating the Value of AI Tools" on September 16, 2026, at 1 p.m. CDT. Since the introduction of ChatGPT in 2022, the potential impact of Artificial Intelligence on library workflows has been a topic of immense interest—and sometimes anxiety—in the library profession. In the area of cataloging and metadata, one frequently cited potential use for AI (particularly Large Language Models (LLMs)) is constructing summaries and abstracts of information resources. However, very little systematic assessment has been done of the characteristics, quality, and utility of AI-generated abstracts for library materials, leaving information professionals with little evidence on which to make data-driven decisions as to how, if at all, to implement AI-assisted workflows for this aspect of metadata work. Using electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs) as a test case, this study compared AI-generated summaries with human-generated summaries, assessing them for relevance, completeness, clarity, and potential bias. The presenters will share their findings, identifying strengths and limitations of AI-generated summaries for ETDs from a variety of academic disciplines, and offer recommendations and a rubric that information professionals can use to assess the utility of LLM tools for summary and abstract creation.
 

Best of Core Forum: Accuracy Matters: Evaluating the Value of AI Tools

Presenters:

Emily Baldoni, Metadata Librarian and Assistant Professor, Illinois State University, Normal, IL

Angela Yon, Cataloging & Metadata Librarian and Associate Professor, Illinois State University, Normal, IL

Registration Fees:

Core Member: $57.85
ALA Member: $80.10
Nonmember: $89.00
Student: $44.50

How Do I Purchase Group Registration?

You can register a group by specifying the number of people who will be accessing the webinar during checkout. We offer webinars discounts based on the number of registrations you specify at checkout. If you are a Core member, you can purchase seats for yourself and your colleagues at the Core discount rate; ALA's new e-Learning store allows you to extend Core member savings to colleagues at your institution.

Can't attend the live event? No problem! All registrants will receive a link to the recorded session for later viewing at their convenience.

Register online or by phone at 1-800-545-2433 (press 1 to reach our customer service representatives).

For questions or comments related to Core webinars, please contact Core staff at corece@ala.org.

About Core

Core: Leadership, Infrastructure, Futures is the national association that advances the profession of librarians and information providers in central roles of leadership and management, collections and technical services, and technology. Our mission is to cultivate and amplify the collective expertise of library workers in core functions through community building, advocacy, and learning. Core is a division of the American Library Association. Follow us on our Blog, Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook.