Recently, CMC Cataloger Barb Scoby tried using an AI text generator to produce an article on some cookbooks she'd cataloged for an Illinois library. In this article, she describes her experience.
Months ago, I sat down to write an article about the community cookbooks that I had cataloged recently. I sat, and I sat, and I couldn’t think of anything to say, so I set the article aside. Then I attended Eric McKinney’s Online with the CMC webinar, "AI and the Library World," and decided to see if AI could help me get started on the article.
I have very little experience with AI, so I followed Eric’s lead and went to poe.com and typed in “Please write a newsletter article about community cookbooks from Illinois.” Side note: I always start my AI requests with the word please. I am hoping that if/when AI takes over, they will spare the polite humans.
Back to the article! GPT-4o on Poe produced four different versions of the article that I asked it to create. The following are the three paragraphs that I liked the best:
The History of Community Cookbooks in Illinois:
Community cookbooks have a long-standing tradition in Illinois, dating back to the early settlers who sought to preserve their favorite recipes and culinary practices. These cookbooks served as a way to connect and unite the community, sharing cherished family recipes and local cooking techniques. From handwritten manuscripts to professionally printed editions, community cookbooks have evolved over time, reflecting the changing tastes and influences of the diverse population in Illinois.
Creating a community cookbook is a labor of love that involves the collaboration of passionate individuals. It begins with a call for recipe submissions, inviting community members to contribute their cherished family recipes. The recipes are then curated, edited, and organized into categories such as appetizers, main dishes, desserts, and more. The cookbook may also include personal anecdotes, photos, and stories from contributors, further enhancing the sense of community.
Conclusion:
Community cookbooks in Illinois are not just about cooking; they are a celebration of community, culture, and culinary diversity. They provide a window into the traditions, history, and values of the people of Illinois. From small-town gatherings to bustling city neighborhoods, these cookbooks serve as a testament to the power of food in bringing people together. So, the next time you come across an Illinois community cookbook, open its pages, and embark on a culinary journey through the heartland of America.
Not too shabby. And all I had to do was type in a ten-word prompt! Would I submit it as-is to the IHLS Document Proofing Team? No. The writing seems overly refined to me and I would want to use my own voice to add warmth. Despite that, I think this is a useful tool to use when writing articles. It does most of the heavy lifting by providing themes, words, and phrases that can be arranged to suit the user.
A brief note on using Playground-v3 available on Poe:
I also created an image for this article and had mixed results. Playground-v3 isn’t as user-friendly as it could be for newbies like me.
My original request was "Please create an image with a pastoral background, large silver cooking pot in the center lower part of the page, and cookbooks falling from the sky into the large silver cooking pot."
The Cataloging Maintenance Center (CMC) provides statewide cataloging support for Illinois libraries, including free original and copy cataloging of eligible special collections, consultation on metadata projects, database cleanup for LLSAPs, cataloging training, and more. Funding for the CMC is provided through the Illinois State Library and the Secretary of State and administered by Illinois Heartland Library System. Learn more about the CMC at www.illinoisheartland.org/cmc.
