1
of 6— Open Claude and set context
What you'll accomplish
By the end of this guide, you'll use Claude or ChatGPT to draft LibGuide content — database descriptions, introductory text, search strategy tips, and annotated resource lists — cutting your guide-building time from 4–6 hours to under 2 hours.
What you'll need
- A free account at claude.ai or chat.openai.com
- LibGuides access at your library (Springshare account)
- A subject or course you need to build a guide for
- Time needed: 10 minutes for setup, 30–60 minutes per complete guide
- Cost: Free
How-To Guide: Building Research Guides with AI
Step 1: Open Claude and set context
Go to claude.ai. Open a new conversation. Set the context for your guide:
Copy and paste this
I'm an academic/public librarian creating a research guide (LibGuide) for [subject/course]. Audience: [student level or patron type — e.g., "community college nursing students" or "adult patrons interested in genealogy"]. My library subscribes to: [list your key databases — JSTOR, ProQuest, CINAHL, etc.]. I need you to help me write content for several sections of the guide.
What you should see: Claude acknowledges your context and is ready to help with specific sections.