The Archivists in the Loop symposium will focus on developing a practical understanding about the implications of generative AI and the work of archival reference services. The symposium will convene in June 2026 for a two-day series of workshops and group discussions on the topics of description, archival reference, access, and technology. The symposium is generously sponsored by the Bentley Historical Library and the University of Michigan School of Information.
Due to budget constraints, we have opted to make this an invitation-only event, but we welcome questions and input from anyone interested in learning more about or participating in the project! Please reach out to the organizers at jajohnst@umich.edu and megcourt@umich.edu. Read more about our motivating questions on the “about” page.
Following the symposium, we will report on the convening’s key discussions and invite comment from a broad range of archival practitioners and scholars. Reporting activities will be described at this web page, but may also be published externally. Our planned outputs include a guide for reference archivists regarding the impact of generative AI tools and the work of archival reference, analyses or reports on the implications of generative AI for user access services, and potential future research activities.
We are sharing these resource in advance with the request that all participants read or review the “pre-reads” in the hopes of developing a shared frame of reference for discussing archival reference and generative AI. Below, we are providing additional resources for those looking for more information, such as overviews of LLM-based, generative AI tools, and other items that may be of interest.
This update has information about the overall schedule, travel planning, and recommended hotel option for those attending from out of town.
We are excited to bring together a dynamic group of archivists, researchers, and technology leaders for the Archivists in the Loop symposium.