Today's Edition
SARA ALZAABI (ABU DHABI)
Artificial intelligence is reshaping how libraries and archives preserve cultural heritage, support researchers and expand access to knowledge, experts said at the first Knowledge Forum in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.
Organised by the National Library and Archives (NLA), in collaboration with the Emirates Library and Information Association (ELIA), the forum brought together specialists to explore closer institutional partnerships and the future of the sector.
The event included the launch of ELIA’s updated website and the Artificial Intelligence Lab initiative by the Arab Federation for Libraries and Information (AFLI), alongside a keynote panel on emerging trends.
A cultural retreat also examined three key areas: academic libraries, artificial intelligence and cultural leadership, and produced recommendations aimed at supporting the development of knowledge institutions.
Speaking to Aletihad on the sidelines of the forum, experts and officials highlighted how AI and partnerships are shaping the future of libraries and archives.
Making Cultural Heritage Accessible
Dr Hamad Al Mutairi, Vice President of the International Council on Archives and Acting Executive Director of the National Library and Archives, said emerging technologies were already changing how libraries and archives manage and provide access to information.
"Artificial intelligence plays a crucial role, as do all emerging technologies, in developing work systems, whether in libraries or archives," he said. He stressed, however, that institutions needed clear strategies before moving from experimentation to implementation.
"We have seen various experiences in utilising artificial intelligence tools, from identifying information sources to analysing content, producing or deducing new facts and also inspiring researchers to conduct research and development work in this area. The ultimate goal of all these processes is to make cultural heritage accessible."
Dr Al Mutairi said AI could also make information more readily available to researchers and decision-makers. "For researchers and decision-makers, we have also found that artificial intelligence plays a vital role in this process, facilitating procedures and delivering information easily, conveniently and quickly."
He added that partnerships between archives, libraries, other memory institutions and technology partners would be essential as the sector develops.
Protecting the Collective Memory
Professor Dr Emad Issa Saleh, President of the Arab Federation for Libraries and Information, said the rapid diversification of information sources and emergence of AI had created unprecedented challenges for libraries and other knowledge institutions.
"No single institution, regardless of its capabilities, can face this challenge alone," he said. "We need to cooperate and integrate with each other to preserve the cultural heritage and knowledge, whether at the level of the United Arab Emirates or the Arab world in general."
He said preserving cultural heritage was ultimately about protecting the collective memory and identity passed from one generation to another. "Nations have a memory, and memory influences generations. Generations are the future of the nation," he said.
"If we cannot preserve our identity, our heritage and our legacy now, we will not be able to envision a purely Arab future for this nation and others in the Arab world."
He noted that archives, libraries and museums must also prepare their collections in forms that can be processed by AI and other data technologies, allowing historical knowledge to be used in new ways.
Knowledge Partnership and Memory Building
Fahad Ali Al Maamari, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Emirates Library and Information Association (ELIA), said partnerships had been central to the association's work from its inception. "We believed that partnerships were the bridge we could cross to achieve all our aspirations for the association," he said.
He said the Forum focused on knowledge partnership and memory building, including how oral history and archives could better support researchers.
ELIA also launched its updated website, which Al Maamari said would offer improved navigation, make searches easier and provide access to knowledge across multiple platforms. It will also feature an agenda of the association's activities throughout the year.
On AI, he said libraries could no longer debate whether they should begin adopting the technology. "Technology, artificial intelligence, and the future of libraries are essential. We cannot say whether to start or not; we must begin."
But he stressed that adoption should not simply mean introducing AI everywhere.
"The issue is not its existence, but how we manage it, how we utilise it, and what governance framework allows us to work with AI in a balanced and informed manner."
A More Informed Society
Sheikha Al Mutairi, Board Member of ELIA, also highlighted collaboration between knowledge institutions in the UAE and across the Arab world. "All these initiatives are leading us towards a more informed society," she said. "However, it is crucial that we establish these partnerships to reach our goals."
She said AI and automation had become unavoidable topics when discussing the future of libraries, but cautioned institutions against adopting new technology simply because it was the latest development.
"The important thing is that we understand the stage we are going through and understand our needs so that we can indeed reach what we want through thoughtful awareness, and not just by running after the latest developments."
"The idea is not that you should apply artificial intelligence to everything," Al Mutairi added. "You should study the material you have and whether it is compatible with the idea of artificial intelligence."
Dictionary of Countries
Fatema Abdul Rahman Al Tamimi, Library Management Department Director at the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT), said AI was already providing practical benefits for researchers working with historical manuscripts.
"We have begun utilising tools that assist researchers working with manuscripts, making it easier to read the digital versions available online; especially given that we have digitised a vast collection of our manuscripts."
She said the technology could now help decipher scripts that previously required specialist knowledge. Al Tamimi said DCT was closely following international developments to determine how AI could support library employees and make their work more efficient.
She also highlighted the re-issuance of scholarly edition of “Mu'jam al-Buldan” (Dictionary of Countries), describing it as one of the most significant geographical works in Arab and Islamic heritage.
The project involves re-editing and verifying the encyclopaedia to give contemporary researchers access to reliable scholarly information. Beyond technology, she said Abu Dhabi's libraries were increasingly being developed as community spaces rather than simply repositories of books and information.
"Regarding the Abu Dhabi libraries, my goal—God willing, is for us to become the primary, go-to source for reliable information and a 'second home' for families living in Abu Dhabi."
