Syracuse university, in partnership with the university of virginia, colorado state university, and the university of denver, will train 110 academic librarians to support student learning in the…

The Institute of Museum and Library Services awarded Syracuse University $563,188 on September 1, 2026, under the Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program (CFDA 45.313) to train 110 academic librarians in supporting student learning in the age of artificial intelligence.

Syracuse University partners with the University of Virginia, Colorado State University, and the University of Denver to deliver a three-track, dual-cohort, train-the-trainer model over three years, with individualized focus on instruction librarians, assessment librarians, and library administrators. The project addresses the rapid emergence of AI-related challenges in academic libraries between 2022 and 2025: students increasingly begin research with AI-generated answers and lack critical evaluation skills, institutions deploy AI-augmented learning analyses that exclude library data, and library leaders lack frameworks for communicating library value when campus administrators rely on AI-generated analyses for decision-making.

Place of performance is Syracuse, New York. The award runs through August 31, 2029. This is a Project Grant assistance type.

Syracuse university, in partnership with the university of virginia, colorado state university, and the university of denver, will train 110 academic librarians to support student learning in the age of artificial intelligence (AI). The project addresses multiple challenges, namely that students increasingly begin research with AI-generated answers and lack critical evaluation skills, institutions deploy AI-augmented learning analyses that exclude library data, and library leaders lack frameworks for communicating library value when campus administrators rely on AI-generated analyses for decision-making. These challenges emerged rapidly between 2022-2025 and demand systematic workforce preparation that does not yet exist. The project will implement a three-track, dual-cohort, train-the-trainer model over three years, with individualized focus on instruction librarians, assessment librarians, and library administrators.