The Engagement Ring

How Public Libraries Are Leveling the AI Playing Field

J. Ramon Gil-Garcia [https://www.ctg.albany.edu/people/j.ramon_gil-garcia/], Professor, Department of Public Administration & Policy, Rockefeller College of Public Affaris and Policy, and Director, Center for Technology in Government (CTG) Mila Gascó-Hernández [https://www.ctg.albany.edu/people/mila_gasco-hernandez/], Associate Professor, Department of Public Administration & Policy, Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and POlicy, and Research Director, CTG Study [https://ctgimlsai.ctg.albany.edu/]: Empowering Communities: Public Libraries, Inclusive Civic Engagement and Artificial Intelligence Center for Technology in Government [https://www.ctg.albany.edu/] at the University at Albany (CTG) University at Albany [https://www.albany.edu/] Urban Libraries Council [https://www.urbanlibraries.org/initiatives/research-and-data/ai-research] From the UAlbany News Center, Sept 28, 2023: CTG UAlbany Examines Libraries’ Role in AI [https://www.albany.edu/news-center/news/2023-ctg-ualbany-examines-libraries-role-ai]

More News — UAlbany Student Journalists Bring New Energy and Much-Needed Content to Local Newsrooms

Elaine Salisbury [https://www.albany.edu/communication/faculty/elaine-salisbury], Lecturer II, Journalism Program Director, Department of Communication University at Albany [https://www.albany.edu/] UAlbany Program in Journalism [https://www.albany.edu/undergraduate-bulletin/program-journalism.php] UAlbany Journalism Program Pairs Students with Local Newsrooms [https://www.albany.edu/news-center/news/2025-ualbany-journalism-program-pairs-students-local-newsrooms] (Article from the UAlbany News Center,  January 21, 2025) UAlbany, Spotlight News Win Award for Partnership to Strengthen Local Journalism [https://www.albany.edu/news-center/news/2025-ualbany-spotlight-news-win-award-partnership-strengthen-local-journalism] (Article from the UAlbany News Center, September 11, 2025) Center for Community News, University of Vermont [https://www.uvm.edu/ccn] Institute for Local News at SUNY [https://www.suny.edu/communications/iln/] Spotlight News [https://www.dailygazette.com/spotlightnews/] The Daily Gazette [https://www.dailygazette.com/] Lumina Foundation [https://www.luminafoundation.org/] Press Forward [https://www.pressforward.news/] The New York State Writers Institute presented a conversation with Adam Aleksic [https://www.nyswritersinstitute.org/adamaleksic]on the future of language. The program took place at the UAlbany Performing Arts Center on January 29, 2026. This event was mentioned in this episode of The Engagement Ring. Books by Elaine Salisbury: The Cruelist Miles:  The Heroic Story of Dogs and Men in a Race Against an Epidemic [https://www.amazon.com/Cruelest-Miles-Heroic-Against-Epidemic/dp/0393325709] by Gay Salisbury and Laney Salisbury Provenance: How a Con Man and a Forger Rewrote the History of Modern Art [https://www.amazon.com/Provenance-Forger-Rewrote-History-Modern/dp/0143117408]by Aly Sujo and Laney Salisbury

Capital Idea! First Mayoral Fellow Encourages Young People to Put Down Roots in Albany

Sean Millington [https://www.albanyny.gov/directory.aspx?EID=474], Inaugural Mayoral Fellow, City of Albany, NY City of Albany, NY [https://www.albanyny.gov/] Dr. Dorcey Applyrs [https://www.albanyny.gov/214/Mayors-Office], Mayor, City of Albany, NY Activate Albany [https://www.activatealbany.com/]

Expanding Access to Mental Health Diagnosis and Treatment Through AI

The Global Center for AI in Mental Health [https://www.gcaimh.org/] Dr. Amy Nitza [https://www.albany.edu/global-center-for-ai-in-mental-health/faculty/amy-nitza], Director, Global Center for AI in Mental Health, University at Albany University at Albany [https://www.albany.edu/] SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University [www.downstate.edu] Dr. Salvador Dura-Bernal [https://www.downstate.edu/faculty/pharmacology/dura-bernal.html], Director, Global Center for AI in Mental Health, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University Health Innovation Exchange [https://hiex.ch/global-center-for-ai-in-mental-health] SUNY PFA Assistant  [https://www.gcaimh.org/aera-pfa] New York State First Responder Mental Health Needs Assessment [https://www.newpaltz.edu/media/the-benjamin-center/First%20Responder.2025.pdf] Supporting First Responders: Governor Hochul Unveils Findings of New York State’s First Responder Mental Health Needs Assessment [https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/supporting-first-responders-governor-hochul-unveils-findings-new-york-states-first-responder] Dr. M. Abdullah Canbaz [https://www.albany.edu/cehc/faculty/m-abdullah-canbaz], Assistant Professor, Information Sciences and Technology Department, College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security and Cybersecurity, Department of Information Sciences and Technology From the UAlbany News Center: Amy Nitza Joins UAlbany to Direct the Global Center for AI in Mental Health [https://www.albany.edu/news-center/news/2025-amy-nitza-joins-ualbany-direct-global-center-ai-mental-health], May 6, 2025 UAlbany, Downstate Researchers Demo Prototypes for AI-Supported Mental Health Care [https://www.albany.edu/news-center/news/2025-ualbany-downstate-researchers-demo-prototypes-ai-supported-mental-health-care], Sept 30, 2025

Creating a Pipeline and Action Plan for Nonprofit Leaders

Emerging Nonprofit Leadership Accelerator  [https://www.albany.edu/academics/microcredentials/emerging-nonprofit-leadership-accelerator] Dr. Susan Appe [https://www.albany.edu/rockefeller/faculty/susan-appe] Dr. Jennifer Dodge [https://www.albany.edu/rockefeller/faculty/jennifer-dodge] Rockefeller College of Public Affairs & Policy [https://www.albany.edu/rockefeller] Professional and Continuing Education at UAlbany (PaCE) [https://www.albany.edu/pace] University at Albany [https://www.albany.edu/]