Getting Started with NotebookLM: Your AI-Powered Research Assistant

*Effective Thursday, October 2nd 2025*

Welcome to a powerful new tool for academic research and writing! NotebookLM, an AI-powered research and writing assistant, is now available to our campus community. This tool is designed to help you quickly analyze, summarize, and understand your research materials, transforming your notes, documents, and articles into a personalized knowledge base. This article will guide you through the basics of using NotebookLM to streamline your academic and professional projects.

Contents

- What is NotebookLM?

- How to Access NotebookLM

- Key Features and Examples of Use

- Important Reminders

- FAQs

What is NotebookLM?

NotebookLM is an AI-powered tool that acts as your personal research assistant. Instead of simply generating new text like a standard AI, it works with your own uploaded documents. You can upload lecture notes, research papers, class readings, or reports, and NotebookLM will use these files to answer your questions, create summaries, generate new ideas, and more. All of its responses are "grounded" in your source materials, meaning it will cite the exact page or document it uses to provide its answers, ensuring accuracy and accountability.

How to Access NotebookLM

As a member of TCNJ, you have access to Gemini through your TCNJ Google account. Simply visit notebooklm.google.com. If you are not already signed in with your TCNJ Google  account, you will be prompted to sign into our TCNJ SSO and authorize a Google 2-Step Verification (2SV).

You can also access NotebookLM by clicking on the "App Launcher Icon" (also known as the “waffle”) in any Google App and then clicking on “NotebookLM”. You may need to scroll down to see it listed.

NOTE: It is important to ensure you are signed in and using NotebookLM with your TCNJ account to keep your data protected within our Google tenant.

Key Features and Examples of Use

NotebookLM is a versatile tool that can assist you in many ways. Here are a few examples, categorized by common tasks on campus:

• For Academic Work and Research:

  • Summarize a source: Upload a research paper or an entire book chapter and ask NotebookLM for a summary of the key arguments or findings.

  • Ask questions about your documents: Ask it to "Explain the main theory presented in this paper" or "What are the three most important takeaways from these lecture notes?"

  • Create study guides: Upload your class readings and notes, then ask NotebookLM to "Generate a study guide in bullet points for the final exam."

  • Draft an outline: Use your uploaded sources to ask NotebookLM to "Create a detailed outline for an essay on [your topic]."

• For Professional Tasks:

  • Analyze reports: Upload a series of reports or meeting notes and ask NotebookLM to "Summarize the key action items and who is responsible for each."

  • Draft communications: Ask it to "Draft a grant proposal based on the research findings in these documents."

Important Reminders

• Your Data is Safe: When you use NotebookLM with your TCNJ Google account, your data is covered by enterprise-grade data protection. This means your uploaded documents and conversations are not used to train the AI models and are not reviewed by human eyes.

• The Source Data: NotebookLM is most effective when you provide it with quality source materials. Always upload the documents you want it to reference to get the most accurate and relevant responses.

• Check Sources: While NotebookLM is designed to be accurate, always verify the information it provides, especially when citing sources for academic papers.

• A valuable learning tool: NotebookLM transforms your personal academic and research materials (like lecture notes, PDFs, and articles) into a powerful study partner. However, it is important to use it responsibly and not to simply rely on its outputs for the final answer.

FAQs

Q: How is NotebookLM different from Gemini?

A: Gemini is a general-purpose conversational AI that can access information from the web. NotebookLM is a specialized tool that focuses on your personal documents, ensuring all its responses are grounded in the information you provide.

Q: Can I use NotebookLM with all file types?

A: NotebookLM supports a variety of file types, including PDFs, Google Docs, and Microsoft Word documents.

Q: Are there any usage limits with an education license?

A: Yes. The standard education license may have limits on the number of documents you can upload and the number of notebooks you can create.

Q: How do I get the most out of NotebookLM?

A: The quality of the response depends on the quality of your source materials and the clarity of your prompts. Use specific, focused questions, and upload high-quality documents to your notebook.

We encourage the campus community to check out the in depth resources provided by the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning about Artificial Intelligence (AI). Additionally, please check out our LinkedIn Learning course designed to provide the campus with some basic knowledge about the AI tools available at the college. 

Additional Resources:

• NotebookLM Help Center

• NotebookLM Blog Updates

• NotebookLM for Teachers and Educators

• NotebookLM Will Change How You Learn (YouTube)

• Assign NotebookLM in Google Classroom

Need More Help?

If you have questions or want to explore the basics of NotebookLM, we encourage you to attend one of our upcoming “Open Labs” on October 15 from 2pm-3pm and October 22 from 11AM-12PM in Library 2 computer lab. Seating is limited and registration is required. These sessions will include live demos, Q&A, and hands-on support. You can register by filling out this Google Form.

Visit the Help Desk main webpage for further details and registration.