AI Policy Implementation Case Study
From AI anxiety to operational practice
Libraries need AI policies that staff can put into practice. I designed and delivered a three-session workshop that connected policy drafting with tool review, staff training, and implementation planning. The Human-AI-Human model keeps privacy, accuracy, and professional judgment explicit throughout the work. This case study documents the method, reusable materials, and adaptation to a webinar and conference presentation. It shows what was delivered; it does not claim that participating libraries adopted board-approved policies.
Read the case study · Nine-page PDF and seven-slide presentation excerpt available.
State of AI in Libraries Report
Research to support practical policy decisions
AI raises questions about staff work, patron privacy, collection development, and vendor responsibility. I developed this report under my editorial direction, with Codex assisting research, drafting, and layout, to bring published evidence and practical examples together for U.S. public libraries. It distinguishes individual use from institutional implementation and connects policy requirements to decisions libraries can document and revisit. The September 2026 report includes 17 references, recommendations, and clearly labeled predictions. It is a research synthesis, not a national adoption survey or an evaluation of service impact.
Read the report · Ten-page PDF · Research cutoff: September 16, 2026.
AI agents for libraries
Putting my own agent to work — A case study of my own system and working method, including workflow design, privacy, human review, and cost-effectiveness.
Human-AI-Human Framework
A workflow for keeping human judgment and accountability explicit. Includes a one-page diagram, short implementation guide, and reusable 30-minute workshop with a participant worksheet and worked example.
Executive Briefings
Executive Briefing Series — Practical guidance for library boards making technology decisions. Read all four briefs online or download the one-page PDFs: What Boards Need to Know About AI, Library Technology Risk, AI Privacy, and Vendor Evaluation.
Earlier version of What Boards Need to Know About AI:
Published Works
Journey To Library 2.0 – Library Journal, April 15, 2007
Cited in:
- Libraries for a global networked world
- Annotated Public Library Topics: An Annotated Bibliography (Spring 2007)
Missouri River Regional Library Embraces Web 2.0 – MORENetworking Newsletter, Nov. 8, 2008
Global Teams: Collaborating Across Time Zones – Computers In Libraries, Nov/Dec 2008 – the full text of the article has been posted, but only as a paid download.
Award winner! This article won an honorable mention in the Writer’s Digest 78th Annual Writing Award, feature article category.
Cited in:
- Web 2.0 Tools Bridging the Gap: How to Break Down Cultural Communication Barriers by Karen Sprong of Southern Connecticut State University
- The Use of Web 2.0 in Online Distance Learning by Daniel Lloyd Calloway
- Multiple Identities on Social Networks: Issues of Privacy and Authenticity by Ananda Mitra
- Harnessing Tacit Knowledge for Competitive Advantage: An Internal Social Network Approach by Omar J. Khan, Ph.D
ALA TechSource Tech Report – Collaboration 2.0 – May/June 2009
Contributed Chapter to Library Mashups: Exploring New Ways To Deliver Library Data – Chapter on the LibraryThing API
Available Now!
Microblogging and Lifestreaming In Libraries – Amazon Link
Computers In Libraries A Year With Google Apps – ; May 2010, Vol 30 Issue 4, p12-15
Computers In Libraries Using GTD to Get Things Done at Your Library – Oct. 2011, Vol 31 Issue 8, p23-26
Computers In Libraries Researching, Evaluating and Choosing a Backup Service in the Cloud – July/August 2012, Vol 32 Issue 6, p68
Invited Chapter in Using Social Media in Libraries: Best Practices, Blogging For Readers – Amazon Link
Computers In Libraries How We Chose A Platform To Bring Kansas’ History Alive – November 2013, Vol 33 Issue 9
Making The Most of the Cloud: How to Choose and Implement the Best Services for Your Library – Amazon Link
Outsourcing Technology: A Practical Guide for Librarians – Amazon Link
Planning Cloud-Based Disaster Recovery for Digital Assets: The Innovative Librarian’s Guide – Amazon Link
Hastings, Robin, et al. “The Kansas story: a sea of Koha green on the plains.” Digital library perspectives (2016).PDF
Media Mentions
MaintainIT’s spotlight – http://www.maintainitproject.org/spotlight/robin-hastings
InMagic’s Info Pro-File – Part 1 and Part 2
Computers In Libraries Ask A Librarian Guest (on Cloud Computing in Libraries) – Computers in Libraries; Nov2009, Vol. 29 Issue 10, p47-47, 1/2p