PLA Town Hall: Exploring an AI-assisted Future in Public Libraries
On-Demand
Webinar
On January 27, 2026, PLA President Dr. Brandy McNeil and other members of the new PLA Transformative Technology Task Force hosted a community town hall to help shape future planning and resource development that align with library values, address ethical considerations, and position libraries as leaders in responsible, people-centered innovation.
Additional Resources
- PLA launches Transformative Technology Task Force with focus on artificial intelligence
- PLA Initiative: Information Literacy
- Future-Ready Youth: Preparing Our Patrons to Navigate the Age of AI (ALSC Webinar, March 24, 2026)
- Tech Ready Nation: Artificial Intelligence
- Poytner: Alt+Ignite: Fuel Curiosity, Elevate Your AI Literacy
- NYU Library Futures: Report "AI slop" in your library digital collections
- Hank Green: Why is Everyone So Wrong About AI Water Use?? (YouTube)
- SFPL's 2025 One City One Book: The Worlds I See Dr. Fei-Fei Li in Conversation with Adam Lashinsky (YouTube)
- Sustainability in the SDSU Library: Ethical AI Assessment Tool
- Amanda Sweet: Data Center 101 + Community Guidebook (Canva)
- Epoch AI: What you need to know about AI data centers
- EPA: Water Reuse Case Study: Quincy, Washington
- Stepchange: Data Centers: The Hidden Backbone of Our Modern World (Podcast)
- SF.gov: San Francisco Generative AI Guidelines
- Northbrook Public Library: Guidelines for Ethical AI Use (Google Docs)
- City of San Jose: Government AI Coalition
- David Lee King: AI Policies for Libraries – Some Observations
- Beaver Dam Community Library: Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning Policy (PDF)
- Government of the District of Columbia: DC's AI Values and Strategic Plan
- data.org: Productive Ways to Use GenAI for Civil Servants
- Chat Transcript (PDF)
Who Should Attend
The free recording of this town hall is intended for all public library workers.
Panelists
Featuring members of the new PLA Transformative Technology Task Force.
Moderated by Dr. Brandy A. McNeil, PLA President and Deputy Director of Branch Programs & Services, New York Public Library
Dr. Brandy McNeil focuses on community needs through game-changing innovations to build successful adult education programs in the 89 branches under her stewardship across NYC. Building the highly successful TechConnect program, Dr. McNeil has established partnerships with Apple, Spotify, Google, and Microsoft to name a few. Through her inspirational leadership, she has made it her mission to help underserved communities to ensure equitable access to technology, knowledge, and opportunity. Dr. McNeil is also a contributing writer of the book titled Libraryland; It's All About The Story published in 2020 and has appeared in various publications. Dr. McNeil holds a Doctorate in Business and an M.B.A. in Entrepreneurship. Previously, she worked for several Fortune 500 companies and currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Public Library Association and was on the Black Caucus of ALA Executive Board. In her spare time, she is an entrepreneur, consultant, and motivational speaker.
Accommodations
This on-demand recording is captioned in English (United States).
If you have a physical or communication need that may affect your access to this on-demand webinar, please contact us at plawebinars@ala.org or 800-545-2433 ext. 5PLA (5752) prior to registering so we can attempt to provide appropriate accommodations.
Tech Requirements
To play this on-demand webinar you should use a browser with native HTML5 support. Please use the most up-to-date version available of Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Opera, or Edge. A fast Internet connection and computer is recommended.
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