Carnegie Mellon Qatar Library wins Library of the Future Award for campus-wide AI initiative

Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar (CMU-Q) Library has been named the recipient of the prestigious 2026 Library of the Future Award by the American Library Association (ALA) and Information Today Inc. The university is being recognized for its groundbreaking program to help the university community navigate the rapidly evolving landscape of artificial intelligence in higher education. CMU-Q is a Qatar Foundation partner university.

Sponsored annually by the ALA and Information Today, Inc., the award honors innovative planning, application, or development of information technology programs within a library setting.

The AI2@CMU-Q program was developed to address growing student uncertainty surrounding the ethical boundaries of incorporating AI technologies into academic work. The initiative combined a practical institutional policy framework with an immersive, student-centric education program. Led by Reya Saliba, instruction and outreach librarian, the initiative was a collaboration between the CMU-Q Library, faculty in the arts and sciences, the Student Affairs team and Student Majlis.

At the heart of the initiative is an intuitive, three-level AI-use framework utilizing a traffic-light color system:

●        Green: AI tools are welcome.
●        Yellow: Use AI tools with caution and within specific guidelines.
●        Red: No AI assistance is allowed.

This clear visual system has proven highly effective in helping students understand expectations across different assignments.

Michael Trick, dean of the CMU-Q, noted: "The CMU-Q Library has always embraced digital tools and new technologies that support learning. In this age of generative AI, the library team has been integral in our campus-wide approach to AI. I speak on behalf of the entire CMU-Q community when I congratulate the AI2@CMU-Q team on this award, including the faculty, staff and students across campus who worked with the library to support learning and education in an AI-driven landscape.”

The rollout of the initiative achieved campus-wide engagement through a high level of collaboration between faculty, staff, students and the library, including a five-day interactive campaign addressing multiple dimensions of AI literacy. The week featured diverse perspectives on AI integration, including critical discussions on academic integrity, how AI systems function, faculty expectations, and the hands-on evaluation of AI tools.

"The questions surrounding AI are not solely technical questions," Saliba said. "They are also questions about ethics, learning, information literacy, and human judgment. Libraries are uniquely positioned to help students and faculty navigate those conversations, bringing together diverse perspectives and creating spaces for thoughtful exploration."

The AI2@CMU-Q program will continue annually as a kick-off to each new academic year.

Carnegie Mellon University is a global leader in artificial intelligence, including the use of AI in education and research. CMU-Q was the first university in Qatar to offer a Bachelor of Science degree in Artificial Intelligence, and AI tools and applications are part of the coursework of all undergraduate programs.