Don't sell yourself so Schrute.

One of my first classes in college was a one-credit elective called LS A101: Introduction to Academic Library Research. The class “introduces academic library research strategies, tools and techniques for locating, evaluating and ethically using information.” I can’t remember why I opted to take the course—probably for the quick and relatively easy credit—but I’m glad I did, because in the semesters that followed I had a better idea of what was in that building and how to access it.

If you’ve never been to one, university libraries are much more expansive than your average town facility, as the collections and services are built and curated to facilitate academic research and study. Not just for the students but for the faculty as well.

The introductory class consisted of a tour through all of the collections. From periodicals to books, government documents to scientific research, antiquities to an array of vast databases. In each section we met with the librarian in charge of the collection. We learned what type of information was contained within, examples of how the information is used in the real world, and typically ended with a demonstration on how to search and find information within. Our tour even went behind the scenes to show how books and such are received, processed, maintained, and restored. We were taken to the computer lab filled with green screen terminals that were hooked up to the university VAX system and the Internet—whatever the hell that was. Each of these areas was its own little world with its own language, rituals, and beliefs.

There were also services provided to assist with research through a general help desk in person or by telephone. And you could book 1:1 time with the librarians to get even more personalized help.

It was all fascinating and I couldn’t understand why more students didn’t see the benefit of taking the class—to expand their world through awareness and knowledge of new systems.

I don’t know anyone else who took that class. And when I suggested people take it, I was scoffed at. Yet, there were several times I brought a classmate to the library to get information for a project. We'd go to section they didn't know existed, and they were surprised it was even there.

Today, when I see friends, peers, and colleagues respond in a similar way to AI, I think back to that brief 101 class that enabled me to see a broader world. The difference between then and now is that the knowledge we can access through AI is one-hundred thousand times larger than my college library.

AI gives you unlimited access to all of human knowledge and can act like a librarian–tutor–consultant–coach–concierge that can synthesize information instantly, connect ideas across disciplines and centuries, communicate in any language or technical framework, and think seamlessly across every domain from quantum physics to ancient poetry.

Academic & Scientific Domains

• All major scientific fields: Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics, Computer Science, Medicine, Psychology, etc.
• Engineering disciplines: Mechanical, Electrical, Civil, Chemical, Software, Biomedical
• Social sciences: Economics, Political Science, Sociology, Anthropology, Geography

Humanities: History, Philosophy, Literature, Linguistics, Art History, Religious Studies

Languages

• All major European, Asian, African, and Americas languages
• Latin, Ancient Greek, Sanskrit
• 50+ programming languages: Python, JavaScript, Java, C++, Go, Rust, Swift, Kotlin, PHP, Ruby, etc.
• 200+ frameworks: React, Angular, Vue, Django, Flask, Express.js, Spring, Rails, etc.
• Database technologies: SQL variants, NoSQL, ORMs like Sequelize, SQLAlchemy
• DevOps tools: Docker, Kubernetes, CI/CD pipelines

Services

• Real-time synthesis of new information with historical context
• Cultural memory of thousands of civilizations, including endangered knowledge
• Cross-domain pattern recognition across centuries and disciplines
• Access to millions of "orphaned" research papers that experts never connected

This is the core of creative thinking. The World Economic Forum didn’t name prompt engineering as a top core skill for 2030—they named creative thinking.

That means being able to navigate the mess, see patterns others miss, and make sharper moves when the map runs out. It’s knowing how to take the smallest piece of information and pull insight from it that leads to strategy and direction.

With a little curiosity and understanding of what’s there, all of the world's knowledge and perspective is behind the cursor. And sometimes more—because, as we all know, the robots tend to make things up from time to time. Despite the hiccups, the potential of accessing and using this information outweighs the challenges. If you can’t see that, then be careful you don’t drip any soup on your “Luddite Fahlife” sash.

There is always a benefit to learning, gaining knowledge, and developing understanding. Developing AI literacy gives you unlimited access to all of human knowledge and can act like a librarian–tutor–consultant–coach–concierge that can synthesize information instantly, connect ideas across disciplines and centuries, communicate in any language or technical framework, and think seamlessly across every domain from quantum physics to ancient poetry.

Whether you read my book or not, I encourage everyone—even those who’ve resisted or flat-out opposed using AI—to look past the generative bullshit and recognize that this technology can be a powerful asset for curiosity and lifelong learning.