2026 ALISE Annual Conference

Public libraries are trusted access points for consumer health information, yet librarians’ preparation for this role varies within a rapidly evolving technological landscape that includes the growing use of generative AI (GenAI). This study adopts a strengths-based perspective to examine how librarians’ confidence in core competencies relates to their self-efficacy in providing health information and using GenAI tools, as well as how organizational factors shape readiness for AI adoption. Guided by Social Cognitive Theory and the Technology Acceptance Model, the study uses survey data from public librarians to explore these relationships and inform LIS education and training for emerging technologies.