Carl Grant
Interim Dean of University Libraries & CTO
University of Oklahoma
Today’s children can be power users of the Internet, YouTube, and other technology before they even know how to read. These same children don’t think twice about asking Alexa anything they want to know. Voice searching and virtual assistants are creating a dramatic paradigm shift in information-seeking behavior, and it is barreling towards libraries at lightning speed. This talk discusses the impact of voice search, how libraries can prepare and harness its potential, and the caveats for this artificial intelligence-driven technology. This presentation includes a live demo of an Alexa skill that allows library users to perform a voice search of LibGuides or Primo using vendor APIs.
This talk was prepared by Twila Camp and Tim Smith, University of Oklahoma.