The proactive utilization of generative AI to assist college students' learning is an emerging trend in educational innovation. This study introduces a system that integrates Learning Companion Systems with Mandala Chart Scaffolding, aimed at freshman projects, to investigate its impact on enhancing freshmen's self-efficacy in information literacy and their perception of self-regulated learning when utilizing virtual librarian services. The Mandala Chart Scaffolding, a strategic tool designed to structure and visualize information, complements the Learning Companion System by providing a coherent framework for students to organize and reflect on their learning resources and activities. Implemented in a Creative Thinking course at a National University of Science and Technology in central Taiwan, the study randomly assigned 110 freshmen to Experimental Group A (using both System), Experimental Group B (only the Learning Companion System), and a control group. The findings revealed that the experimental groups, particularly Group A, significantly outperformed the control group in boosting information literacy self-efficacy. Moreover, the intervention positively influenced the students' perception of self-regulated learning. These results offer valuable insights for academic libraries on the potential of integrating generative AI-based Learning Companion Systems with Mandala Chart Scaffolding to enhance freshman learning experiences and foster effective use of library resources.