This is an excerpt from Upskilling for Library Workers: A Guide for Future-Ready Professionals by Ann Medaille (ALA Editions, 2026).

With the advent of new technologies and rapid social and economic shifts, library workers’ jobs are being transformed. Compared with a decade ago, library workers now spend more time consulting on complex research tools, teaching digital literacy classes, supporting virtual learning environments, helping users troubleshoot devices, and codesigning projects with community partners. The pace at which library staffers are called upon to learn new skills is accelerating, and workers may struggle to keep up. In addition, automation and artificial intelligence (AI) are altering many aspects of work. In the long run, technological innovations have the potential to increase productivity and lead to more interesting kinds of work, but in the short term, they often cause disruptions that can be difficult for workers to navigate.…