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Arizona Cybersecurity Clinic Brings Online Safety, Scam Awareness to Pima County Libraries

Aug. 20, 2026
People working on laptops in public library

  
As online scams become more sophisticated—and artificial intelligence makes fraudulent messages, images and information increasingly difficult to recognize—the Arizona Cybersecurity Clinic at the College of Information Science’s Arizona Cybersecurity Academy is taking cybersecurity education directly into the community.

Beginning September 9, the Arizona Cybersecurity Clinic will offer 11 free public sessions at Pima County Public Library branches across the greater Tucson region. The series, Online Safety & Recognizing Scams: Staying Safe in Today’s Digital World, continues through November 19 and is designed to give community members practical tools for navigating an increasingly complex digital landscape.

The sessions will explore online safety, cybersecurity awareness, privacy, AI, social engineering and misinformation, with an emphasis on strategies people can use in their everyday lives. Participants will learn how to protect personal information, identify warning signs, respond to potential scams and find trusted resources when something doesn’t seem right.

“Libraries have always been where communities go for trusted information,” says Paul Wagner, professor of practice and director of the Arizona Cybersecurity Academy. “As new and emerging technologies continue to change the threats users face, digital, cybersecurity and AI literacy have become critical skills for protecting people and their information. Libraries are uniquely positioned to help build that awareness.”

Putting Cybersecurity Education to Work

The library partnership is one part of a growing community outreach effort through the Arizona Cybersecurity Academy. Building on the college’s top-ranked academic programs in cyber operations, cyber defense and cybersecurity, the Academy extends University of Arizona expertise beyond the classroom through education, training and community partnerships. Its Arizona Cybersecurity Clinic pairs faculty expertise with hands-on student learning while helping organizations and individuals strengthen their cybersecurity knowledge and practices.

“The Arizona Cybersecurity Clinic partners with libraries to strengthen their own security practices and to help them become a trusted source of cybersecurity awareness,” Wagner says. “We are also building out additional resources for libraries to support patrons and host other events as needed to support their communities.”

That work reflects an important part of the clinic model: students do not simply study cybersecurity, they have opportunities to apply what they are learning to real needs.

Through the Clinic, students work alongside faculty and community partners, gaining experiential learning while helping expand cybersecurity awareness and resilience. The approach connects the college’s academic mission with public service, giving students experience communicating complex technical issues to different audiences and helping community organizations better respond to evolving digital threats.

The U of A is designated by the National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity for its strengths in cyber defense, cyber operations, cyber research and cyber AI, recognition that reflects the university’s emphasis on rigorous cybersecurity education, hands-on learning and community engagement.

Sharing Knowledge with Communities

For the Pima County Public Library series, Wagner will be joined by Robert Honomichl, associate professor of practice who leads K-20+ initiatives for the Arizona Cybersecurity Academy, and Veronika Kyles, a Master of Science in Cyber Operations student and member of the Arizona Cybersecurity Clinic.

Together, the presenters will focus not only on explaining emerging cyber threats but on giving participants practical steps they can take to protect themselves. Each session will also include time for questions and discussion.

For Wagner, that kind of engagement is central to the Academy and Clinic: strengthening cybersecurity requires not only educating the next generation of cyber professionals, but also sharing that knowledge with the communities they serve.

All 11 sessions of the Online Safety & Recognizing Scams series are free and open to the public, with library room capacity limits applying. Learn more about the sessions.

Online Safety & Recognizing Scams: Staying Safe in Today’s Digital World

  • Wednesday, September 9, 10-11:30 a.m. | Joyner-Green Valley Library
  • Tuesday, September 15, 5-6:30 p.m. | Dusenberry-River Library
  • Thursday, September 17, 1-2:30 p.m. | Murphy-Wilmot Library
  • Saturday, September 26, 1-2:30 p.m. | Caviglia-Arivaca Library
  • Tuesday, September 29, 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. | Wheeler Taft Abbett, Sr. Library
  • Monday, October 12, 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. | W. Anne Gibson-Esmond Station Library
  • Tuesday, October 20, 1-2:30 p.m. | Eckstrom-Columbus Library
  • Saturday, October 24, 1-2:30 p.m. | Murphy-Wilmot Library
  • Tuesday, November 10, 1-2:30 p.m. | Oro Valley Public Library
  • Thursday, November 12, 1-2:30 p.m. | Nanini Library
  • Thursday, November 19, 10:30 a.m. – Noon | Salazar-Ajo Library