R. David Lankes advocates for the evolving role of libraries in society. As the Virginia & Charles Bowden Professor of Librarianship at The University of Texas at Austin, he explores the intersections of technology, community, and information. His latest book, ‘Triptych: Death, AI, and Librarianship,’ examines how librarians can confront deaths of despair, the challenges and opportunities presented by artificial intelligence in the library sector, and urges professionals to embrace innovation while preserving the core values of librarianship.