What is NotebookLM?
NotebookLM is a tool by Google with a robust free tier. One
of the disadvantages of chatbots is that they pull information from everything they
have been trained on: verified/non-vertified and relevant/non-relevant.
NotebookLM lets you identify the pool of information you want
to use for your queries and outputs. You select the information sources you want
considered and keep them in a "notebook." Within NotebookLM you can
create many of these "topic" focused notebooks for your use.
The information sources are wide: websites, documents, videos, images, audio
files, handwritten notes...you can even take information generated by
NotebookLM and use that as input. The benefit (and potential
downside) to NotebookLM is it will only draw from the information you have
identified and included (although you can have it identify sources for you as
well). The output for NotebookLM is not limited to responses to your prompts,
but that information can then be used to produce audio, infographics, mindmaps,
flashcards, and more. It is another great example of using AI as a collaborator not
as a replacement for us/our thinking. There are vast implications for
using NotebookLM to support learning in ourselves and in others.
How to use NotebookLM
If you are not familiar with NotebookLM (or even if you are)
watch this video. It is a bit longer (35 minutes), but the author does a
wonderful job of introducing NotebookLM, the interface, and then walks through
examples and tips for adding sources, the chat window, and each of the elements
in the studio (I decided it was better than the video I made!)
One note: there is an advertisement in the video from
14:53-17:42. You can use the scrubber on the timeline to skip it.
Video: How to
Master NotebookLM in 2026. (YouTube, 34:14)
Another video with different tips
Of course, there are many NotebookLM videos
on the internet. I particularly like this video from Jeff Su (Google employee)
because he offers suggestions and tips I have not seen in other videos.
However, he explains things very fast, and it's a better video
to watch after you have watched the previous introduction video, or if you have
experience with NotebookLM.
NOTE: There are two very short advertisements in this video
that you can watch (they are short!) or skip past at 7:20-7:52 and 14:56-15:08.
Video: NotebookLM
Changed Completely: Here's What Matters (in 2026). (Youtube,
20:30m)
Want even more NotebookLM resources to answer your questions and take your skills to the next level?
There are many NotebookLM
resources on the internet, and I encourage you to find resources that answer
your questions and support what you would like to do with
NotebookLM. Here are some resources you might want to review to get started.
- NotebookLM help. (Google
website)
- Top
10 NotebookLM Tips and Tricks in 2026. (YouTube,
16:47m). There is some repetition with the previous two videos, but a couple of
additional useful tips.
- 10
Ways NotebookLM Makes Academia Easy (and fun!),
(Youtube, 15:28m). Several repeat tips from other videos, I
particularly like the idea of chatting with your reference list
(8:07-9:40), creating a timeline (11:47-12:26).
- AI Learning Playlist. (Youtube).
This playlist includes several videos about NotebookLM.
- NotebookLM for
Teachers: Practical Tips to Boost Teaching and Research with AI. (PDF). NOTE: This is about 6 months old.
- NotebookLM
in Teaching: 10 Unexpected Ways to Use NotebookLM with Your Students. (PDF)
- I replaced 7 daily tasks with NotebookLM--how
the mobile app actually saves me time. (web
article)
- NotebookLM Slides Just Got Better (Here's What Changed). (YouTube, 10:19m). The presenter talks about how to create slides, download a PowerPoint, and then edit in Canva.
(notebook image generate with Microsoft Copilot)
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