Recently Asked Questions (RAQs)

I am aware that students are engaging with generative AI inside and outside of the academic setting. If they enter their own work (an essay, research paper, etc.) into Chat-GPT or CoPilot for editing, or other purposes, do they forfeit any of their intellectual property rights in doing so in ways that would affect the future publication of their work?

Additionally, are there any current legal ramifications for failing to declare the use of generative AI or failing to cite AI usage? I am aware of policy, and reputation, ramifications that can vary depending on the exact situation, so I’m specifically curious about if there are any legal repercussions for doing so.

Thank you so much for your help!

What are the legal requirements, or best practices, for libraries handling lost or unclaimed property, i.e. patron items left inadvertently at the library?

For items like lost library cards where the owner’s identity it easy to find, we look up the patron record and attach a note to it, then place the card in Lost & Found. But what about things like electronics? We’ve had a lost cell phone in L&F for several months now. I assume for privacy reasons we should never access the phone in an attempt to learn the owner’s identity?

Three area directors I’ve asked said that after one month, they give unclaimed phones to their local police department. Is this a legal requirement or simply a best practice? What about other found items, like money? Can money, after a period of time, be given to the library’s Friends group or kept by the library itself, or should it be turned over to the police as well?

Thanks.

[This question came to use in response to the RAQ Does the Rise of AI Mean Public Libraries Should Stop Posting Policies to Ensure Security?, where a footnote said “It is possible we are long past the end of the “open internet,” and more things need to be restricted, both for legal and operational reasons. Hopefully we’ll get a question about that soon, because I have a lot to say.”]

Can we talk about putting things behind a log-in to avoid misappropriation of content? I have pretty much taken this question from the 10/14/25 Ask The Lawyer’s “Does the Rise of AI Mean Public Libraries Should Stop Posting Policies to Ensure Security?” response. It strikes me as an important topic as I recently read the Library Journal September 2025 article “AI Bots Cause Slowdowns, Crashes” (on pages 12-13).

At a recent training held by my cooperative library system, I learned that all public library investments must be in accounts that meet the requirements of the General Municipal Law, unless they are in a “true trust.” What is a true trust, and if it turns out my public library has some stocks that aren’t allowed, can my library create a true trust so we can keep our stocks?

I was told that when a public or association library’s charter sets a range of trustees (for instance “no less than 5, no more than 15”) the bylaws should always set out the current number. Is this true?