Google: Using NotebookLM

Environment

U-M Google, NotebookLM

Issue

  • What is Google NotebookLM?
  • How do I access and use Google NotebookLM with my U-M Google account?

Resolution

Interested in learning more about NotebookLM at U-M? Join ITS for an instructional support workshop - "From Idea to Insight: Exploring Gemini and NotebookLM for Education" - on May 22, 2025!

What is it?

Google NotebookLM is an AI-powered research and note-taking assistant available to all University of Michigan faculty, staff (regular and temporary), and students. (Sponsored affiliates, alumni, and retirees do not have access to NotebookLM.) Using Google's Gemini models, NotebookLM lets you upload your own sources, such as documents, PDFs, and Google Docs, and interact with them through summaries, questions, audio overviews, and AI-assisted exploration. It is especially helpful for synthesizing large amounts of information across uploaded materials.

With NotebookLM, you can own up to 100 notebooks, with each notebook containing up to 50 sources. Each of those sources can be up to 500,000 words long or up to 200MB for local uploads, but there is no page limit. Accounts are limited to up to 50 chat queries and three audio generations per day.

How do I access it?

  • U-M Google accounts have access to the free NotebookLM web app as a Core Service covered under our agreement with Google.
    • You can access NotebookLM via the web at https://notebooklm.google.com.
      • The NotebookLM mobile app for Android and iOS devices is expected to be released on May 20, 2025.
    • Ensure you are logged in to your U-M Google account and not a personal (non-UM) account.
      • Google does not display the University of Michigan logo beside your profile picture in the top right corner in NotebookLM as they do in other Google services.
    • You must be 18 years or older to use NotebookLM.
  • You do not have access to the features/functionality available in the paid version, NotebookLM Plus. This includes, but is not limited to:
  • You can share notebooks by clicking the Share button in the top-right corner of the screen. You can grant either Viewer or Editor access to other individuals.
    • You can share with U-M individuals and MCommunity groups.
    • You cannot share with external (non-UM) email addresses.
    • The Copy link functionality in the sharing dialog only works for those who are already shared on the notebook.

Privacy & security

  • NotebookLM at U-M is approved for use with the same types of sensitive data as your U-M Google account. Refer to the Sensitive Data Guide for more information.
    • Institutional data, such as FERPA, should never be used with a personal (non-UM) Google account.
    • The data protections U-M Google offers are not available in personal accounts.
  • Your interactions, chats, uploaded sources, and generated content are not human-reviewed or used to train Google’s AI models, as long as you are using your U-M Google account to access the service.
    • They remain in U-M Google and are not shared externally with third parties.
    • If you export your notebooks from NotebookLM, the terms and policies of the service you export to will apply to that content.
  • Chat responses and audio overviews only use data from the sources you upload.
  • When using Audio Overviews in interactive mode, your voice and transcribed interactions with the hosts will not be stored.

Resources

  • Chat history does not persist between sessions or when you refresh the page in a notebook. You can save specific chat responses as notes by clicking the Save to note button, which will remain saved between sessions/refreshes.
  • You can export two aspects of a notebook: the audio overviews (as a .WAV file) and the mind maps (as a .PNG file).
    • You must open all Mind Map sections before saving to ensure you have the entire map.
    • If you want to export any text-based chat responses or notes (including generated study guides, FAQs, briefing docs, and timelines), you must manually copy and paste them from NotebookLM into a document.
  • You cannot transfer ownership of notebooks. When you leave the university (or change departments), you will not be able to transfer a notebook to another individual at U-M.
  • Notebooks are not stored within Google Drive, so you cannot search for them there as you would with other Google file types.
  • You cannot duplicate a notebook or customize study guides within NotebookLM.
  • When you import a Google Doc or Slides file into NotebookLM, Google makes a copy of the original file at the moment of upload. This means any changes you make to the original file in Drive won’t be reflected in the notebook’s source version until you resync it with Drive manually.
    • Click on the Doc file in your left-side Sources list to find the Click to sync with Google Drive link at the top under its name to resync it. Google will not resync it automatically upon changes to the file.
    • You must be an Editor on the Doc before you can resync it with the notebook.
    • This will not work for Slides files, only Docs. You will need to delete and reupload the Slides file as a source if you make changes to it after your initial upload.
  • When you import a source via URL, only the visible text on the page is imported at this time.
  • Google may advertise NotebookLM Plus to you within NotebookLM and ask you to “try” it, but you won’t have the ability to do so with your U-M Google account.
    • You also cannot pay to use NotebookLM Plus.
  • NotebookLM does not meet WCAG 2.1 AA standards for accessibility.

Google Help Center

  • Getting started with:
    • Notebooks
    • Sources
      • Discover Sources
      • PDF upload via Drive is not yet supported, but you can upload PDFs from your computer.
        • If your PDF file is copy-protected, NotebookLM won't be able to import that source.
      • You can upload sources from all supported languages, including a combination of different languages in the same notebook, and then generate an audio overview in any of the available languages.
    • Asking questions
    • Notes
      • You can work on a note collaboratively with others. Edits are reflected in real-time for all collaborators.
      • If you have the same notebook open, any changes made by one person will be visible to everyone else who has the notebook open.
      • Only individuals with the Editor role on a shared notebook can edit notes.
    • Audio Overviews
    • Mind Maps
  • NotebookLM FAQ

Refer to the ITS AI Services site for more information on Google Gemini and NotebookLM at U-M.

Additional Information

Google provides individuals the opportunity to send their questions and support requests directly to the Google NotebookLM team at notebooklm-user-support@google.com.

Need additional information or assistance? Contact the ITS Service Center.

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