Where In the World Am I Coming From?
Origins of a Digital Initiatives Librarian, Instructional Designer, and Copyright Agent
It has been brought to my attention that many (or some? critics are always the loudest) people do not know what my educational background is. They are assuming that I am just some random person writing about AI, education, writing, copyright, etc. and that I have no experience that backs up what I am saying. If you do not know me personally and do not follow me on LinkedIn or Facebook, that is a perfectly valid question! You would not want a regular person telling you how to invest money or file taxes or run a political campaign. So why would you listen to (or read) someone’s work who is not qualified to comment upon the things about which they are writing?
I am coming to the field of artificial intelligence from the contexts of librarianship, information professionalism, and public interpretation (creating exhibits and other offerings to help the public interpret materials in libraries, museums, archives, etc.).
I got a Bachelor’s degree in History from Utah State University at the beginning of the pandemic in December 2020, with minors in Anthropology and Religious Studies. The next month, I entered the MLIS program at Indiana University. I received my Master’s in Library and Information Science with Specializations in Digital Curation and Archives Management in May 2022.
Throughout the last months of my undergraduate degree and through my entire MLIS experience, I had four internships, most of which revolved around the intersection of public history and instructional design. I learned how to communicate narratives of history that connected them with the modern world or a particular field of study. Then, I organized and presented those in order to teach skills and knowledge in a way that ensured the message would be retained by the viewer/reader.
Four months later (very quick turnaround!) I was hired at the College of Southern Idaho as an OER librarian. Over the past two and a half years, I have expanded that role to become the Digital Initiatives Librarian and Archivist, which also contains the Copyright Agent role and AI “consulting” and training. You would be surprised as to how frequently two or more of these aspects overlap!
Two weeks after I received my job offer at CSI, I decided to enter the Master’s of Education in Instructional Design program at Idaho State University. Through this experience, I not only attended but presented at multiple conferences and symposia. This is how I developed my presentation and public speaking skills that I used in my webinars. I graduated with my M.Ed., my second ever master’s degree, just a few weeks ago (May 2025).
I am currently accepted into the PhD program in Instructional Design, also at Idaho State University. I have multiple potential fields in which I could focus for my dissertation, but I am thinking about going into information literacy and teaching or training people how to use Info Lit skills when they work with AI tools. Maybe create a framework about that.
Since January of last year, I was expanded my public communications about archivism, copyright, information literacy, and artificial intelligence to webinars, bootcamps, trainings, consulting sessions, formal courses, and (obviously) this blog. Much of that has been facilitated by the Online Learning Consortium and Steve Hargadon with Learning Revolution and Library 2.0. I am also going to become a trainer and implementation assistant of sorts with
and an educator with Empower Library Skills by .I never knew that a librarian job, and one in an academic library, would involve so much social media! I use a LinkedIn account, BlueSky account, and video dissemination (Spotify Playlists, YouTube) on a daily basis. Networking through these channels as well as Facebook groups and listservs (which I don’t use as much as the other systems) has not only increased the quantity of ideas that come across my sight, but also frequently leads to collaboration and group creation. For example, I used to administer an “AI in Libraries” Group until my wife became pregnant with twins and I did not have as much time for meetings. I also used my LinkedIn and listserv connections to develop a group of authors and editors for the textbook Introduction to AI and Ethics in Higher Education on EdTechBooks.
Yes, I could have just put this in a LinkedIn post or my email signature (and I do have the essential parts in both those places!), but the point of this is to put information about me in as many places as possible so readers can make informed decisions about whether or not to trust me. Yes, I do have a conversational manner and I talk about copyright from the perspective of a librarian and not a lawyer. Yes, I like to take examples from obscure musical pieces and museum displays and Frasier episodes. But, as I like to tell people, the important thing we need to consider in our sources is the quality of information we receive, not the manner in which it was provided to us. That is how the CRAAP test fails information receivers.
All of this is to say, I know how much learning from a qualified and effective instructor or guide is necessary when you are learning a new skill or technology, especially as a professional.
This excellent clip from the Frasier episode “Fraternal Schwinns” demonstrates why proper pedagogy and expert teachers are necessary. As you know, I am a proud believer in experiential learning, and that is how Frasier and Niles eventually learn how to ride bikes. Before their success, however, they try to teach themselves. I am not against personal and self-driven learning, but one should spend a fair amount of time preparing for any audience, including oneself.
I know what I am talking about in relation to artificial intelligence, educational technology, library science, archivism, and information literacy. I know this not only through Master’s-level study but also through a wide range of experiences in as many as six fields.
Upcoming Webinar: Copyright and AI
One of my recent posts included a series of BlueSky posts about my thoughts on the releases of the United States Copyright Office’s Parts 2 and 3 of their Copyright and AI Report. I find that complex and controversial discussions often just need to be talked about in groups, and so I have decided to provide this webinar with Steve Hargadon of Library 2.0 on June 17 at Noon MT.
Many users of AI, especially first-time users, have significant misunderstandings regarding the ethical boundaries of generative AI use. Since November 2024, there have been multiple developments related to AI, particularly related to copyright. The Copyright Office has released the next two parts of its report on AI and copyright, and several new models and services have come out that offer better privacy than regular models. There have also been discussions of AI as "a new type of user" when it comes to copyrighted materials. This new and updated "Ethics and AI" session will focus on copyright but will also discuss the other two "Cs,” citation and circumspection.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Models and ideas for creating citation norms for institutional and personal use.
Understanding of the necessary components of confidentiality and quality-checking materials.
Awareness of the implications of copyright law and intellectual property concepts.
Price is $100/person, with special group pricing available!
I hope to see you there! If you disagree with my opinions, come prepared to propose your solution so we can discuss it and come to a decision. My perspectives will probably not be shared by all librarians or professionals, but we should be able to have a vibrant and dedicated discussion!
Upcoming Course: AI Demystified, with OLC
If you would like a text-based vibrant conversation, consider joining a course I am going to facilitate in July, “AI Demystified,” which I also happen to have written and designed! I have facilitated this course four times, and each time I learn something new.
This workshop is designed to help educators, instructional designers, and other information and education professionals understand how best to implement, integrate, and collaborate with generative AI tools of multiple output types. It focuses on free, open access, and low-cost generative AI tools and instructs how to use general tools for both general and specialized use cases. Hazards, dilemmas, and other ethical concerns will also be discussed so educators can prepare for these issues in their own work and those of their students.
Learning Objectives:
Define common AI methodologies, such as machine learning and natural language processing
Discuss the potential uses of generative AI tools in online higher education
Develop a framework for AI literacy
The price is $300 for non-members and around $200 for members.