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The library in Ames put up a sign about AI helping with research, and it stuck with me
I was back in Ames last month visiting my sister and stopped by the public library where I basically lived in high school, around 2004. There's a new sign by the reference desk saying staff can help you use AI tools for research, and it caught me off guard. Back in my day the big worry was whether a website was a real source, and now there's a whole new layer. The librarian I talked to, Dana, said she gets at least ten questions a week from people who trust whatever answer a chatbot gives them without checking anything. I get why the library offers it, since not everyone has a computer at home. But it felt strange seeing a place that taught me how to check a card catalog now walking people through machine answers. How do you all feel about public libraries stepping into that role, is it helping or just papering over something bigger?
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murray.cora2d ago
Honestly a friend of mine asked a chatbot for medical advice and believed every word until her sister made her call the doctor. Libraries walking people through this stuff seems better than leaving folks to trust whatever pops up at home.
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