Session and Usage Limits
Because the standard version of NotebookLM is optimized for deep document analysis, it operates under specific structural constraints per user account.
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Maximum File Size:
200 MB per uploaded document
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Word Count Cap:
Up to 500,000 words per individual source file
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Custom Instructions:
Limited to 10,000 characters (a significant jump from the previous 500-character cap)
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Notebooks per user:
100
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Sources per Notebook:
50
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Chats:
50 per day
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Audio Overviews:
3 per day
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Video Overviews:
3 per day
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Cinematic Videos:
None
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Deep Research:
10 per month
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Reports:
10 per day
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Flashcards & Quizzes:
10 per day
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Mind Maps:
10 per day
Capabilities
NotebookLM is a specialized, source-grounded AI-powered research assistant that uses Gemini as its underlying AI engine. Unlike general AI models that pull from the entire internet, NotebookLM acts as a personalized expert on the exact documents you upload. It creates a closed information ecosystem, ensuring answers are strictly accurate and explicitly cited from your specific materials.
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Students
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Upload readings and generate summaries:
Create summaries to better understand key concepts and prepare for exams.
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Ask questions about course materials:
Allows students to ask specific questions about their uploaded content and receive answers grounded in those materials, clarifying difficult topics.
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Create review guides and practice quizzes:
Generate study guides, flashcards, and quizzes to reinforce learning and test their understanding before assessments.
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Break down complex concepts:
Simplify challenging ideas into more understandable explanations.
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Faculty
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Create study guides from lecture materials:
Upload lecture slides, notes, or readings into NotebookLM and generate structured study guides to highlight key concepts and important details for students.
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Summarize research articles:
Condense research articles or academic papers into clear summaries, making it easier to incorporate findings into class discussions or course materials.
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Generate discussion questions:
Analyze uploaded readings, then NotebookLM can suggest thoughtful discussion questions to engage students and promote critical thinking.
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Build course content from multiple sources:
Combine documents, articles, and media into one notebook and develop course modules with consistency all with saving preparation time.
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Staff
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Develop learning modules and training materials:
Organize content and generate structured training materials.
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Generate content for workshops or documentation:
Create summaries, guides, to support workshops, onboarding, or internal documentation.
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Create quick reference guides:
Develop clear, concise job aids or reference materials for learners or colleagues.
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Support content curation and organization:
Combine various sources into a single notebook to streamline content planning and ensure consistency.
Key Features & Benefits
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Source-Grounded Accuracy:
Eliminates traditional AI "hallucinations" by restricting its answers solely to your uploaded PDFs, Google Docs, pasted text, or YouTube transcripts.
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Automatic Citations:
Every response includes clickable citation numbers that jump directly to the exact paragraph in your source document, making it perfect for literature reviews and grading.
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Audio Overviews:
Converts complex, multi-document research packages into an interactive, podcast-style audio discussion featuring two AI hosts summarizing the material.
Appropriate Data Usage
To ensure data security, only Level 1 (public) or Level 2 (moderate) data should be used with NotebookLM. While NotebookLM does not use data from the NotebookLM Workspace to train their AI model, it’s still crucial to exercise caution. Ensure you understand Penn State’s data classification guidelines. Do not use NotebookLM with Level 3 or 4 data.
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Do NOT input highly confidential (Level 3 or 4) data.
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DO check Penn State’s data classification policy (AD95) before entering any institutional data.
Training & Support Resources
Learn more about Gemini features and capabilities through live training sessions and asynchronous resources. For articles that provide instructions, answers, or solutions to specific questions, problems, or topics related to NotebookLM, visit the Knowledge Base.
Have Questions or Need Help?
Contact the IT Service Desk by submitting an online help request.
Penn State's IT Help Portal