University libraries face a significant challenge in integrating artificial intelligence into their processes. We are now experiencing the "real digital transformation" that we have long anticipated in these institutions. The pandemic has forced an acceleration of the implementation of digital libraries, repositories, and remote access platforms for resources and services, but without achieving a real change in the work environment or the organizational structures of these institutions. What has been done so far is simply to incorporate technologies to try to maintain services and avoid succumbing to the pandemic, but there has been no real transformation in processes or in the way routine tasks are performed.
The increasing penetration of artificial intelligence offers us the opportunity to generate real change in these organizations, improve processes, and manage change and talent. We must evaluate what we have been doing and discover new possibilities for envisioning, managing, and working under a new organizational concept and, ultimately, under a new concept of Libraries.
Before considering the implementation of artificial intelligence in university libraries, it is essential to review our various processes with a critical and future-oriented perspective. It is crucial to differentiate between core, support, and service processes, taking into account the social, cultural, economic, and educational realities of the communities we serve.
From a proactive perspective, we can establish priorities regarding the incorporation of artificial intelligence tools in the university library, always accompanying the process with a focus on total quality and people-centered.
Digital Marketing and Social Media: Generic artificial intelligence tools have positioned themselves in various cultural industries as tools that significantly speed up the generation of ideas, content and multimedia products to position University Libraries on social networks.
Digitization and access to resources: The processes related to document digitization, format transformation and adaptation, as well as information search, retrieval, and storage, have undergone a radical change in 2023. Using AI tools for digitization significantly reduces response times when considering migration and the creation of new reading formats.
Technical Processes: Assisted document description is a reality we can no longer ignore, and we must now analyze how we will approach this change within our organizations. As we have indicated, this process requires planning, training, and support so that staff members who take on new roles within the library do not feel undervalued or fear being replaced. The key to this change process is having projected development areas in place so that these staff members can be involved from the design stage in the new projects, processes, services, and/or experiences that the university library must create.
Considering the current state of Ibero-American libraries, one important niche, and a priority for the University Library, involves connecting with outreach and cultural management activities as a way to position the library in non-traditional spaces. Another interesting area is supporting university projects related to research and open science, where the expertise of former catalogers undoubtedly becomes a valuable asset for the development of these initiatives.
Makerspaces: Maker spaces have proven to be a powerful tool for fostering creativity and innovation in university libraries. Many use them as hands-on labs to bring students' ideas to life, or as social spaces where the educational community can learn and share simultaneously. Artificial intelligence tools related to computer-aided modeling for 3D printers or CNC routers significantly facilitate the learning and product creation process in these spaces. Furthermore, with the emergence of technologies like Arduino Nano, it is now possible to build robots at low cost, thereby contributing to the technological development of educational institutions through university libraries.
Information Literacy: One of the most common services that university libraries offer their educational community today is information literacy programs designed to provide theoretical and practical knowledge about various tools that support research and study. Artificial intelligence tools such as ResearchRabbit, Semantic Scholar, Humata, ChatGpat, and others facilitate the processing of information from scientific articles and open up a universe of possibilities for a particular line of research. ResearchRabbit is a notable example; this free tool allows us to search for open access scientific articles with the advantage of being able to organize, process, and expand the collection with assistance. Thus, from a single scientific article, I can access other articles by the same author, related topics, and similar authors, considerably broadening the scope of information searches on a particular subject.
Virtual Assistants: Chatbots, increasingly present in our daily lives, are undoubtedly a perfect tool for connecting with our audience. But what happens if we add artificial intelligence tools and feed it with reliable and up-to-date information sources? Well, we can have an automated, or semi-automated, virtual reference service that allows us to address the diverse information needs of our audience. We can add this chatbot to our institutional website to guide our audience in using the library's services and products, or integrate it with our collection search engines to enhance and guide their use. Furthermore, looking to the future, we could use them at virtual information desks to support and guide our in-person visitors in searching for materials, reserving spaces, and generally in all the activities carried out in our library.
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