The National Archives and Library reviews the results of the survey on the reality of libraries in the country
Abu Dhabi, 9 November / WAM / The National Archives and the National Library announced the results of the survey of the reality of libraries in the United Arab Emirates 2024, which aims to monitor the current situation of libraries of all kinds, measure their role in education and cultural development, and the collections, services and knowledge activities they provide to their audiences.
The study shed light on libraries’ trends towards adopting artificial intelligence technologies, and the challenges they face in this field, in line with the country’s strategic directions in the field of digital transformation and building a knowledge society.
This came during a virtual meeting during which Hamad Al-Humairi, Director of the Research and Knowledge Services Department at the National Archives and Library, stressed the importance of this study, which renews knowledge of the reality of libraries in the country, pointing to the qualitative development that artificial intelligence represents in library fields, and its role in improving information services and developing the office work environment in a way that serves specialists and library patrons alike.
Dr. Imad Abu Eid, an expert in libraries and social responsibility, reviewed the most prominent results of the study, which dealt with the numerical and qualitative distribution of libraries and their workers, their digital trends, the means of communication they adopt, and the evaluation of the collections, technical tools, services and programs they provide, in addition to their level of readiness to adopt artificial intelligence initiatives, and measuring customer satisfaction and their developmental comments.
The study included multiple aspects of the reality of libraries, such as their buildings and facilities, their collections and holdings, their educational and cultural activities, the automated systems and digital repositories used, digital transformation techniques, available equipment and devices, exploratory research tools and channels of communication with the public.
The study also monitored librarians’ observations about the areas of developing library work in the country, especially in the fields of technology and digital transformation, professional development and institutional cooperation, community services and resource management.
The study focused on the relationship between artificial intelligence and libraries in the UAE, as it reviewed the level of workers’ knowledge of artificial intelligence technologies and its applications, the most prominent applications currently used in libraries, and the challenges facing the adoption process, in addition to the benefits that these technologies can achieve, presenting practical proposals to support the application of artificial intelligence in the country’s libraries.
The study, conducted for the National Archives and Library, concluded by providing a comprehensive vision of the reality of public, academic, specialized, and school libraries in 2024, in terms of their infrastructure and human resources, adding a new analytical dimension by studying the reality of artificial intelligence in this vital sector.
At its conclusion, the study emphasized the importance of its findings in supporting the strategic plans aimed at developing libraries and meeting society’s renewed needs, thus enhancing their role as a key partner in the process of cultural and cognitive progress in the UAE.
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