Join Adult Services Librarian April Younglove from the Lake Oswego Public Library for a hands-on, four-part series designed to demystify artificial intelligence. Learn how to navigate the digital world, protect your privacy, and use AI tools with confidence and skepticism. Sessions include clear, live demonstrations, interactive discussions, and personalized tech support. Free for all participants.
- Location: Lake Oswego Adult Community Center
- Cost: Free for both residents and non-residents
- Requirements: Please bring a smartphone, laptop, or tablet with internet access for the hands-on practice portions.
Upcoming Fall 2026 AI Toolkit Lineup
Demystifying AI: Intro to AI (Part 1)
Foundations for Everyday Use
Kick off the series by stripping away the tech jargon and discovering how artificial intelligence can simplify your day-to-day life. This foundational session introduces core AI concepts and terminology—including AI summarizers, generative chatbots, and natural prompting—in clear, approachable language. Through live demonstrations of Claude AI, Microsoft Copilot, and ChatGPT, you will learn how to safely use these tools to brainstorm recipes, plan custom travel itineraries, and organize daily tasks. We will introduce the essential "Ask–Tweak–Verify" (ATV) framework alongside critical privacy guidelines to ensure you protect your personal data right from the start.
One-on-one lab assistance is proudly provided by student volunteers from the Lake Youth Leadership Council to help you configure settings on your personal devices.
Date / Time: Tuesday, September 15 | 2:00–3:30 p.m.
Class Number: 34825
Demystifying AI: Chatbot Practice (Part 2)
Hands-On Skills and Sandbox Practice
Build directly upon your foundational knowledge with a supportive, highly interactive sandbox session dedicated to mastering digital assistants. In Part 2, participants shift from watching demonstrations to writing and refining their own prompts. Under patient guidance, you will practice conversational techniques, discover how subtle shifts in word choices yield dramatically improved answers, and learn how to implement standard internet safety boundaries. A major focus of this workshop will be learning how to cross-reference and fact-check chatbot output to ensure your digital interactions remain secure, accurate, and productive.
Personalized, one-on-one tech support will be provided throughout the hands-on practice intervals by members of the Lake Youth Leadership Council.
Date / Time: Tuesday, October 20 | 2:00–3:30 p.m.
Class Number: 34826
AI as an Accessibility & Information Tool
Helping Seniors Navigate Daily Life With Confidence
Discover how contemporary AI applications can serve as powerful tools for independent living, lifelong learning, and daily problem-solving. This interactive workshop demonstrates practical accessibility functions hidden inside everyday tech, such as instant text-to-speech audio conversion, natural voice-command interactions, and real-time smartphone image recognition (perfect for reading small labels or identifying objects). Moving into deeper research skills, we will outline advanced prompting methods while unpacking the distinct structural limits of large language models. Learn exactly why AI should never replace professional advisory services, and discover specific strategies for spotting online medical misinformation.
Personalized, one-on-one tech support will be provided throughout the hands-on practice intervals by members of the Lake Youth Leadership Council.
Date / Time: Tuesday, November 17 | 2:00–3:30 p.m.
Class Number: 34827
AI Safety, Fact Checking & Avoiding Misinformation
Becoming a Confident, Critical AI User
The final installation equips you with an essential digital defense toolkit to evaluate whether online content is authentic, accurate, and trustworthy. We will break down common system errors, reveal how "hallucinations" occur, and introduce quick, library-approved methods for verifying data across independent sources. Crucially, this session helps participants recognize how malicious actors deploy technology for modern fraudulent schemes—including cloning voices for identity scams, fabricating hyper-realistic deepfakes, and pushing complex cryptocurrency traps. Leave with the confidence and critical awareness needed to enjoy modern digital conveniences safely and securely.
Personalized, one-on-one tech support will be provided throughout the hands-on practice intervals by members of the Lake Youth Leadership Council.
Date / Time: Tuesday, December 15 | 2:00–3:30 p.m.
Class Number: 34828
Past Digital Dive Presentations & Resources
Missed a previous session? Access archived video recordings, interactive presentation slides, and educational handouts from our past technology literacy classes below:
Is It AI or Is It Real? How to Spot Computer-Generated Content Like a Librarian (Digital Dive #1)
Explore the sophisticated tools and methodologies professional librarians utilize to identify computer-generated texts, altered documents, and artificial imagery. This session provides actionable, real-world clues to help you differentiate between genuine human creations and artificial content in your daily newsfeeds and correspondence.
This class was originally presented at the Lake Oswego Public Library.
Why Does Fake Information Exist? Understanding the Motives Behind Misinformation
Navigate the rapidly-evolving digital landscape with clarity and balance. This session pulls back the curtain on automated "content farms," breaking down how social media algorithms, financial pay-per-click incentives, and strategic influence campaigns purposefully accelerate the distribution of false narratives. Learn to evaluate source motivations and protect your digital footprint from predatory content design.
This class was originally presented at the Lake Oswego Adult Community Center.
For questions or more information regarding our technology programs, please contact Adult Services Librarian April Younglove at [email protected].