UNC School of Information and Library Science

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has launched a statewide initiative to understand how North Carolina communities are encountering generative AI and how local libraries can support AI literacy in meaningful, locally relevant and sustainable ways.

We're proud to see Diane Kelly, professor and interim dean at the UNC School of Information and Library Science, leading this study in collaboration with Maria Estorino, vice provost for UNC-Chapel Hill Library and university librarian, and in partnership with Michelle Underhill, state librarian with the Library of North Carolina.

Learn more about the partnership and its impact across North Carolina: https://buff.ly/mqoRFh4

Congratulations to Saif Khairat, associate director of the Carolina Health Informatics Program and UNC School of Nursing professor, on his appointment as The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's chief artificial intelligence officer and vice provost for AI.

In this new role, he will help advance Carolina's vision of AI for Public Good, ensuring that the invention, use and governance of AI serve communities across North Carolina and beyond.

We're proud to celebrate this achievement and the leadership Khairat brings to the interdisciplinary work happening across Carolina.

Read more: https://www.unc.edu/posts/2026/06/03/saif-khairat-to-serve-as-chief-ai-officer/

Saif Khairat to serve as chief AI officer | UNC-Chapel Hill The School of Nursing professor will shepherd Carolina’s vision of ensuring that the invention, use and governance of AI serves the public good.

Donor support is expanding what SILS student organizations can do 🌟

This year, increased funding is helping student organizations grow leadership opportunities, strengthen professional development and build meaningful community impact, both at UNC and beyond.

From hosting guest speakers and professional events to expanding digital literacy programs in local public libraries, SILS students are turning donor support into hands-on learning, service and connection.

🔗 Read more about how donor generosity is shaping the SILS student experience: https://buff.ly/NqHwrzC

SILS Student Organization Funding Expands Community Leadership and Professional Growth School of Information and Library Science SILS Student Organization Funding Expands Community, Leadership and Professional Growth - Expanded student organization funding at the UNC School of Information and Library Science (SILS) is helping students strengthen community, grow programming and create new leadership and professional opportunities.

A huge congratulations to SILS Director of Student Services, Lori Haight, on receiving the Carolina Career Community’s Outstanding Career Practitioner of the Year Award! 🎉

This award recognizes outstanding service and leadership in career development, student support and campus partnerships. Through her dedication to SILS students and the Carolina community, Lori has made a meaningful and lasting impact across campus.

We are incredibly grateful for Lori’s commitment to student success and proud to celebrate this well-deserved recognition.

Learn more about the awards here: https://buff.ly/ottdJjQ

C3 Annual Awards | Carolina Career Community Impact & Innovation Award: This award recognizes a career professional who is a member of the C3 community who has consistently made an impact in the career space at UNC Chapel Hill through an innovative approach to their practice. Award nominees should demonstrate impact through their program or st...

Faculty Spotlight: David Gotz ✨

UNC SILS Professor Gotz studies how visualization can make complex data easier to understand.

His work is part of a recently funded National Institutes of Health (NIH) research project exploring ways to make clinical AI systems more transparent and easier for clinicians to interpret. As Consortium Principal Investigator for UNC–Chapel Hill on the project, Gotz contributes expertise in visualization design and evaluation.

He also serves as Director of the Carolina Health Informatics Program and leads the Visual Analysis and Communications Lab (VACLab), where his team studies new approaches to analyzing and communicating complex data.

🔗 Learn more about Gotz and his work:
-SILS faculty profile: https://buff.ly/q1E8GyF
-Project details: https://buff.ly/qxYmjUS

The 2026 SILS Alumni Award recipients have built remarkable careers, but both point back to SILS as a formative part of their journey.

“SILS kindled in me an insatiable intellectual curiosity,” said Rising Star Alumni Award recipient Alex Poole.

“SILS gave me the foundation and inspiration to pursue my dream career,” said Distinguished Alumni Award recipient Julie Walker.

We're proud to celebrate these outstanding alumni and the impact they continue to make through their leadership, service and dedication to the profession.

Read more about their accomplishments and reflections on their time at SILS: https://sils.unc.edu/news/2026-alumni-awards/

We're bringing the Community Classroom online! Join us June 8 for a conversation with Dean Stan Ahalt on why a school of data and information sciences at Carolina, and what it means for the future of learning and the field.

Free and open to the public. Registration required: https://go.unc.edu/Qi5y3

Sponsored jointly by the Friday Center and UNC-CH Retired Faculty and Professionals Association (RFPA).

Faculty Spotlight: Maggie Melo ✨

SILS Associate Professor Maggie Melo studies how students navigate learning environments in higher education, from makerspaces to emerging tools like generative AI. 💻

Her research explores the moments when students decide to ask for help, experiment with new technologies or engage with collaborative learning spaces.

One of her current projects, supported by the National Science Foundation, examines how first-generation college students use generative AI tools like ChatGPT for academic assistance.

🔗 Learn more about Melo and her work:

• Faculty profile:
https://buff.ly/zDqRUdQ

• NSF award details:
https://buff.ly/m13SeQJ