During the Unconference session at the LIBER Winter Event 2024 in Maribor (November 26th), there was a lively discussion on the topic of “How can libraries become ready for AI”.
The developments surrounding Artificial Intelligence were described as the next “earthquake” after the digital transformation. The first question that arose was: What is AI anyway? Friend or Enemy? Stupid intelligence? Really new knowledge?
The far-reaching effects and various possible uses in the library were also discussed. It was concluded that the next disruptive change has arrived. Perceptions and supposed cornerstones need to be realigned, just as they were during the digital transformation – and even those are still not complete.
Historically, libraries come from the analogue world and have always played a key role as knowledge brokers and information centres, but to what extent does this also apply to their use in the context of Artificial Intelligence? Currently, there remains a lack of resources, training, and clear strategies for mastering the transition to the AI-driven world and then communicating this to their researchers. The approximately 20 discussants saw a wealth of new tasks rolling towards them: On the one hand, libraries are seen by society as a kind of “safe space” vis-à-vis the internet:
Libraries help society to classify and organise the mass of information and, if necessary, to shield itself from it. At the same time, they should make their entire collection accessible, process it and keep it up to date with the latest technical, legal, and social developments. Of course, the ecological impact must also be taken into account. Despite these complex and new challenges, the participants were aware of their responsibility and curious about the new task. They see it as their duty to be a point of contact for the public debate on AI, to help their users, to promote dialogue on ethical issues and to fight for Open Science.
The discussion underlined the need to see libraries as an integral part of AI development but also showed that librarians are not yet sufficiently prepared for the new challenges. Or, to describe it with the experiences from the digital transformation of the librarians: Will we ever be ready?
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The Unconference – Engage! session invites LIBER members and partners to set the agenda and address the priorities of our community. Centred on this year’s Winter Event theme, “Expanding Horizons: Research Libraries and Social Engagement,” participants exchanged insights and experiences on various topics and initiatives.
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