(via Dr. Erica DeFrain, University of Nebraska-Lincoln)
Please join the ALA Evidence Synthesis Methods Interest Group here (no registration is required) on Tuesday, August 19, at 12:00 PM CDT, for a journal club discussion with Sarah Park, Assistant Professor and Head of the Mathematics Library at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Professor Park will present on her recently published article examining AI and systematic reviews:
Park, S. G. (2025). AI and Systematic Reviews: Can AI Tools Replace Librarians in the Systematic Search Process? Science & Technology Libraries, 1-22.
Access the article here.
Presentation Overview
Systematic reviews are a distinct research method that requires a transparent and methodical approach to searching the literature to address specific research questions. Librarians play a critical role in this process by contributing their expertise in search strategy, often joining research teams as collaborators or co-authors. While AI tools hold promise for helping researchers keep pace with the expanding body of research, the increasing number of tools makes it difficult to choose the right ones for specific tasks. This presentation presents findings on the current status of AI-based search tools used and recommended for systematic and broader literature reviews evaluated against criteria fundamental to systematic review methodology. It also addresses key issues related to transparency, reproducibility, and trustworthiness. Finally, the presenter explores the evolving role of librarians in adopting these emerging technologies into the systematic review process.
Presenter Bio.
Sarah G. Park is an Assistant Professor and Head of the Mathematics Library at the University of Illinois. She previously served as the Librarian for Engineering and Computer Science at Duke University Libraries. Her research interests lie at the intersection of Library and Information Science and Computer Science, with a focus on artificial intelligence. Professor Park has presented scholarly papers at the following conferences: Qualitative and Quantitative Methods in Libraries, the American Society for Engineering Education, and the Biomedical Engineering Society. She serves on the Library Advisory Board for the American Mathematical Society and has worked closely with the IEEE in evaluating AI tools. Professor Park has an MLS degree from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and an MS in Computer Science from Northwest Missouri State University, where she taught computer science courses and served as a librarian. In her spare time, she enjoys coding and woodworking.