by Shannon Riffe
The Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar (CMU-Q) Library has received international recognition from the American Library Association (ALA) for its innovative approach to helping students understand and use artificial intelligence responsibly.
The ALA and Information Today, Inc. selected AI²@CMU-Q initiative as the recipient of the 2026 Library of the Future Award, which honors innovative library programs that advance technology education and training. The award recognizes the program's creative response to one of higher education's most pressing challenges: helping students understand when and how AI can be used ethically in academic work.
Developed and led by Instruction and Outreach Librarian Reya Saliba, AI²@CMU-Q combines a practical framework for AI use with campus-wide educational programming designed to build AI literacy and reinforce academic integrity. To bring this vision to life, Saliba partnered with Student Affairs, Student Majlis, the Arts and Sciences Department, faculty members, and the CMU-Q AI Working Group to ensure the initiative's wide reach and impact.
"This recognition reflects the power of collaboration across our campus community," said Saliba. "When generative AI tools became widely available, many students were unsure about what was acceptable, what was expected, and how they could use these technologies responsibly. Our goal was to provide clear guidance while creating opportunities for meaningful conversations about the role of AI in education."
At the center of the initiative is a three-level framework that helps students understand expectations for AI use in coursework. Using a simple traffic-light system, assignments can be designated as green (AI welcome), yellow (AI use permitted with instructor approval and limitations), or red (no AI use allowed). The framework encourages transparency, documentation, critical thinking, and responsible use of AI technologies while preserving academic integrity. Together, Saliba and her partners put this framework into action by launching AI²@CMU-Q Week in fall 2025, a five-day series that explored the intersection of artificial intelligence and academic integrity through workshops, panel discussions, technical demonstrations, and student-led activities.
Sessions addressed topics including academic integrity and generative AI, the technology behind AI systems, faculty perspectives on AI integration, AI and writing, and critical evaluation of AI tools. Students engaged directly with faculty, administrators, technology experts, and peers, gaining practical guidance on incorporating AI into their academic work.
According to the ALA award announcement, the program stood out for transforming policy into practice through creative programming and extensive collaboration across campus. The award jury noted that AI²@CMU-Q provides a model for how librarians can lead institutional responses to emerging technologies while helping students develop the skills needed to navigate a rapidly changing information landscape.
The success of the inaugural program has already led to AI²@CMU-Q becoming an annual initiative at CMU-Q. For the CMU-Q Library, the award highlights the evolving role libraries play in supporting teaching, learning, and technology literacy.
"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 Library of the Future Award is presented annually by the American Library Association and Information Today, Inc. to recognize innovative planning, development, and implementation of technology-focused library programs. The 2026 award places CMU-Q among a select group of libraries recognized for advancing innovation in education and information literacy.
Image 2: Reya Saliba, instruction and outreach librarian at Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar, presents the award-winning AI²@CMU-Q initiative to colleagues at Hunt Library on CMU's Pittsburgh campus.