Role Of AI In Digital Libraries

Rahul Agarwala Apr 13, 2023

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has assimilated into our daily lives, revolutionising how we engage with technology and improving the effectiveness and productivity of our daily activities. Digital libraries are one setting where AI has made a huge difference, altering how we access and use information.

Digital libraries are online collections of electronic resources, which can include articles, books, journals, videos and audio files. Their purpose is to make a large amount of information easily accessible to users. However, due to the vast amount of information available, it can be difficult to organise and manage it effectively. AI can help in this regard by providing tools and techniques to efficiently manage and sort through the information in digital libraries.

Artificial Intelligence also found a way in the Budget 2023. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in her Budget speech, outlined that India will embark on a vision, called ‘Make AI in India’ and ‘Make AI work for India’ and under this Sitharaman proposed the creation of centres of excellence dedicated to AI, which will come up in top education institutes in India.

AI-enhanced search and retrieval

In a research study published in the Journal of Academic Librarianship, researchers concluded that the integration of AI technologies in digital libraries can help enhance user experience by providing personalised and efficient access to vast amounts of information. The study's findings suggest that AI has the potential to revolutionise the way information is organised, retrieved and made accessible in digital libraries.

Digital libraries are utilising AI technologies like computer vision (CV), machine learning (ML) and natural language processing (NLP) to enhance the organisation, discovery and retrieval of information. NLP is crucial for deciphering and interpreting material written in natural language.

This technique can assist in extracting pertinent information from unstructured material, such as books, papers and documents, and categorising them. Large datasets can be used to teach ML algorithms to learn, which enables them to forecast user preferences and provide pertinent content. To make searches based on visual content more effective, CV can also be used to assess photographs and videos.

Smart recommendation systems

AI offers significant advantages to digital libraries by improving the organization and classification of information, leading to more efficient and accurate search results. NLP technologies automatically categorise and classify information based on its content, making it easier for users to find what they are looking for, even if they are unsure of specific keywords or categories.

Another advantage of AI in digital libraries is the ability to personalise content to suit the individual user's preferences. ML algorithms can learn from user behaviour and interests, allowing them to suggest content tailored to the user's needs. CV algorithms can examine pictures and videos, recognise persons and objects, and categorise content based on visual characteristics. This can be very helpful when looking for photos or films, such as those pertaining to a certain occasion or era in history.

AI for library preservation

The use of AI has become increasingly important in preserving library resources. It provides various solutions that detect and prevent potential damage to physical materials. By monitoring environmental conditions, AI can alert library staff if any factors pose a risk to the resources. In addition, AI can assist in the digitisation and restoration of materials, making them more accessible and reducing the need to handle physical copies, thus minimising the risk of wear and tear.

With AI's advanced ability to analyse and organise vast amounts of information, it can efficiently classify resources and provide more efficient access to information. This helps in preserving resources for future generations, making them available for research and reference. The adoption of AI in libraries can greatly improve the preservation of resources, making them accessible and available for research and reference purposes.

Improved access and learning

To sum up, the role of AI in digital libraries has grown significantly due to its numerous benefits, such as improved information management, retrieval, and preservation. AI's ability to analyze and classify vast amounts of data has led to faster and more accurate information retrieval. Moreover, AI can use user data, such as their preferences and behavior, to offer personalised recommendations, enhancing the user experience and engagement.

Incorporating AI technologies into the operations of digital libraries is imperative as these technologies continue to advance and improve. The numerous benefits that AI provides for digital libraries have the potential to completely revolutionise how we access, organise and preserve information. However, to ensure ethical and accurate application of these technologies, it is essential to strike a balance between the use of AI and human interaction.

Henceforth, AI is a valuable tool for digital libraries that can greatly enhance user experiences and contribute to the preservation of information for future generations. As technology advances, it is crucial for digital libraries to embrace it and leverage its advantages to achieve their objectives.