Michigan state university and partners will codesign a web-based, interactive artificial intelligence (AI) literacy toolkit for librarians, helping them recognize and leverage their strengths when…

The Institute of Museum and Library Services awarded Michigan State University $910,132 on September 1, 2026, under the National Leadership Grants program (CFDA 45.312) to codesign a web-based, interactive artificial intelligence literacy toolkit for librarians.

Michigan State University and partners will develop an asset-based toolkit that helps librarians recognize and leverage their existing strengths when launching AI literacy programs. Using participatory design methods, the project will create an asset taxonomy highlighting librarians' cultural and community expertise, equipping them to launch, grow, and sustain AI literacy initiatives. The toolkit will also support children and young adults in gaining critical skills through library-based AI literacy programs. The deliverable is a scalable, open-source, asset-based model designed for adoption by public librarians nationwide, strengthening the broader public library workforce.

Performance occurs in East Lansing, Michigan, with a period of performance from September 1, 2026, through August 31, 2029. The National Leadership Grants program supports projects addressing critical needs of the museum and library fields with potential to advance practice through models, tools, research findings, services, practices, and alliances that can be widely used, adapted, scaled, or replicated.

Michigan state university and partners will codesign a web-based, interactive artificial intelligence (AI) literacy toolkit for librarians, helping them recognize and leverage their strengths when creating AI literacy programs. Using an asset-based framework and participatory design methods, IT will support youth librarians by developing an asset taxonomy that highlights their cultural and community expertise. The toolkit will equip librarians to launch, grow, and sustain AI literacy initiatives, with secondary benefits for the children and young adults who gain critical skills through these programs. Ultimately, the project will deliver a scalable, opensource, asset-based model that strengthens the broader public library workforce and can be adopted by public librarians nationwide.