The Unique Value of Special Librarians in the Age of AI

Yesterday, I had a conversation with a friend who said, “Given all that is occurring with AI, it is a good time to be in the service industry.”   

By sharing that comment, I do not mean to be discouraging. Instead, I find it offers an opportunity to reflect on where the service aspects of many jobs come into play. It invites a valuable question: What are the unique, truly human strengths that complement, rather than compete with, AI’s capabilities?

Rather than AI being a cause for concern, this perspective invites us to examine the irreplaceable human dimensions of our professional roles. 

Special Librarianship at the Crossroads of Knowledge and Service

Librarianship exists at a fascinating intersection—simultaneously embedded in the knowledge economy while also being a service profession. This dual identity is particularly relevant as we navigate the role of AI in our work.  

While librarians certainly work within the information profession, handling knowledge organization and dissemination, the service elements form the backbone of what makes this work distinctly human. Librarians provide research services, engage in knowledge management, teach and train others to use resources, organize information for a particular need, and support the information needs of our organizations.  

Context is King: Why Relationships Still Matter

AI tools can certainly organize information algorithmically, but they lack the contextual understanding that makes the service aspects of librarianship human.  

Yes, AI can organize information for a particular need, but it takes knowing your stakeholders to know what the information need is. It takes knowing the people in the room in order to meet them where they are with training support. It takes knowing the people in your organization and knowing what they know to be able to capture organizational knowledge assets in a way that supports succession planning.  

We build communal knowledge through sustained engagement with people. Interpersonal awareness is required to meet learners where they are, adapting to their needs. 

Reflection Prompts: Uncover Your Human Edge

I encourage you to consider how the service dimensions of your work represent uniquely human contributions. Here are some questions to start with: 

• How do you anticipate the needs of your patrons or stakeholders before they are explicitly stated? 
• When have you “read the room” during a reference interview or training session and adapted your approach? 
• How do your established relationships with departments or individuals shape your information delivery? 
• In what ways does your knowledge of organizational history and culture inform how you package and present information? 
• How do you customize research support based on the specific constraints or requirements unique to your organization? 
• When have you connected seemingly unrelated information because you understood the broader context within which a stakeholder was working? 
• How do you modify your instruction approach when you notice confusion or disengagement? 
• How do you support anxious or frustrated information seekers? 
• When have you served as a bridge between different departments or individuals with varying information needs and communication styles? 
• How do you create welcoming spaces—physical or virtual—that encourage information sharing and learning? 

From Competition to Collaboration: Partnering with AI Tools

After reflecting on these questions, I hope you consider how our greatest strength lies not in competing with artificial intelligence, but in embracing what makes us human. AI can speed discovery and uncover patterns, but librarians give that information relevance by understanding people, context, and culture. 

The questions posed throughout this reflection point out that librarianship transcends mere information management to become a deeply human practice of connection, contextual understanding, and community building.  

Librarianship is not solely about information, but about understanding information needs, knowing our communities, and using that insight to organize and share access to high-value resources.