Metamorphosis of Library Mission
From preserving to treasuring
Metamorphosis in Library Mission
by Aida Dzhanhirova
For a year, while holding the position of Mission Officer for the study of the Metaverse and Non-Fungible Tokens, I have been studying the Web 3 situation and blockchain projects and considering their potential integration into the roadmap of the National Library of France (BnF). This rich experience helped me immerse myself in the French institutional world and unexpected aspects for further research. The news that the BnF’s attendance is increasing inspired me to write this article.
Summing up the year 2023, the National Library of France (BnF) announced its new record, confidently positioning itself as one of the most visited libraries in the world, as almost 1 million 450 thousand people visited the library during the year. This is the natural result of the fact that this institution has been engaged in computerization and dematerialization of its collections and services for the past few decades. Transforming itself into an information hub, the library inadvertently becomes an increasingly important resource for the digital economy.
Today, when the connection between AI experiments and blockchain technology is not obvious in the library field, I suggest looking into possible future scenarios in the industry from a different perspective, namely, from the world of fiction.
I would like to draw your attention to the dystopian novel "Snow Crash,"[1] by the American writer Neal Stephenson, who coined the term 'metaverse' while intricately depicting life in the virtual world. In Stephenson's novel the central plot revolves around a library which, by the 21st century, has transitioned from preserving physical books to creating a digital repository of information — the crucial asset in the new digital economy. The main hero, Hiro Protagonist, mines various pieces of information and sells them to the Central Intelligence Corporation, an institution formed by the merger of the Central Intelligence Agency and the Library of Congress. It is noteworthy that the library world in the Snow Crash exists mostly in digital format, in the Metaverse, and the figure of the all-knowing librarian is a digital image, a hologram. Apparently, in the real world, its "prehistoric" analog is the chatbot. As is known, chatbots have already become one of the most convenient communication tools with consumers almost everywhere nowadays. It is relevant to recall the experiment of the National Library of France with the chatbot, where visitors could interact with Don Juan, one of the best known protagonists of Molière, the famous French playwright of the 17th century[2].
It seems important to point out that, in the library sphere, there exists a clear understanding that this profession is evolving very rapidly to keep up with new AI opportunities. Moreover, librarians highlight the guarantee of the information authenticity and preservation, incorporating, for this purpose, all sorts of new AI-based methods into their services. The well-preserved information about the origin and development of language, starting from the Sumerian culture to the Babel myth, Jesus Christ's teaching, etc., proved to be very useful for Hiro Protagonist in the afore-mentioned novel. Knowledge, information and data - all of these turned out to be the key to unravel the plan of a certain L. Bob Rife, the media magnate and the owner of a private church, to spread a metavirus that compels any system to infect itself with new viruses continually.
Who knows how the carefully curated and systematically described collection of video games stored at the BnF might be useful in this context in the Future? The Library's holdings include video games from all generations, spanning from the mid-20th century to the present day, encompassing all relevant gaming consoles.
The BnF’s experiments conducted by using AI in handwriting recognition in musical manuscripts and image recognition are equally valuable. For instance, the GallicaSnoop resource allows searching for images of women on bicycles in newspapers from the 1930s, spotting monkeys in the margins of medieval illuminated manuscripts, identifying various vehicles designed for walking on water, and so on.
The current state of library affairs can be characterized as the beginning of the industrialization of its services using generative AI, following many years of experimentation with AI. In this respect, Asian libraries are currently ahead. A few noteworthy experiments in the library domain have already been initiated. Firstly, the Lingang Digital Technology Library boldly announced its intention to be the first to showcase its book collection in the Metaverse in October 2022. The underlying idea is to leverage new technologies to enhance the interaction between individuals and information[3].
Secondly, the National Library Board of Singapore, overseen by the Ministry of Communication and Information, aligns with the country's policy to emerge as a leading global innovation hub. Their initiatives include conferences, diverse learning programs focused on the latest innovations for the populace, and more. Of particular relevance to this discussion is the National Library Board of Singapore's website, featuring a dedicated page with comprehensive information about the Metaverse[4]. Undoubtedly, promoting knowledge in Web 3 and exploring the possibilities of the virtual world reflects a more responsible and forward-thinking approach on the part of institutional leaders in implementing innovations. This is a direct result of governmental strategies to prioritize preserving information in contemporary ways.
As digital services evolve, the library sector plays an increasingly significant role in the digital economy, incorporating generative AI, which is considered to be the most significant revolution since the invention of mobile technology. Experts assume that generative AI will profoundly transform all aspects of the value chain: marketing, content, payment, inventory, delivery optimization, etc. This indicates that generative AI will be foundational for the future. Needless to say that AI, IoT, and blockchain are the main tools of the Metaverse.
In the fantasies of Neal Stephenson's novel "Snow Crash,"written in 1992, the Metaverse is presented almost as it is understood today in professional circles. The American author used, without doubt, the American Library of Congress. as a prototype. But it is significant that it was just in 1992, the year of publishing Neal Stephenson's book, that the National Library of France began digitizing the first hundred books from its collections. The Library of Congress started doing the same only two years later.
This passage is just a tribute to the BnF’s visionaries of the 1990s. However, at the same time, it is a present-day challenge. There are a lot of contemporary digital files of information which have to be systematized and securely preserved — the social networks files, immersive projects and projects using blockchain technology.
Information, as the obverse and reverse of a medal, can turn into a destructive virus, but it can serve as a salvation code for human purposes and progress. The question is how to get prepared for the successful digital transition. There is no time to be lost.
[1] Bantam Books (US), 1992
[2] The chatbot was installed as part of an exhibition dedicated to the 400th anniversary of Molière in the renovated building of the Richelieu Palace (one of the sites of the BnF) in the fall of 2022, Paris
[3] https://www.sixthtone.com/news/1011626
[4] https://sure.nlb.gov.sg/read-to-be-sure-volume-2/issue2-metaverse/