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Book Boom Magazine No.172

Beyond the limits

 

超越 ‧ 無極限

NLPI uses artificial intelligence to turn library services around

Written by Zhao Mingquan　Photo by NLPI、shutterstock provided

 

Taking the opportunity of its centennial in 2023,the National Library of Public Information has partnered with Tunghai University to create a generative artificial intelligent librarian.This will open up a brand-new face for library services,provide a more intelligent,precise,personalized and diversified reader experience,and open up the unlimited potential and innovative energy of library services.


NLPI and Tunghai University collaborate to create dual-life smart librarians.

 

When it comes to the hottest tech tools of recent years,ChatGPT is definitely one of the best.ChatGPT has not only created a sensation in the fields of healthcare,manufacturing,finance and marketing,but has also deeply influenced the domestic public libraries. As the first national digital public library in Taiwan,the National Library of Public Information(NLPI),in late 2023,joined hands with the team of Professor Chung-Hsin Chou of Tunghai University to launch Taiwan's first intelligent librarian using generative AI technology,which not only symbolizes that Taiwan's library services are entering a brand-new stage in the era of AI,but also represents that NLPI is committed to providing more advanced intelligent library services to bring a more enriching and beautiful reading experience to its readers.

Seeing the new potential of AI application and creating the first AI intelligent librarian in Taiwan

 

Speaking of the most important driving force behind the development of smart librarians,Curator Ma Xiangping said that since its transformation into the nation's first national digital library in 2013,SASL has continued to utilize a variety of digital technologies to lead Taiwan's public libraries in continuous.

These include self-service book reservation and pickup machines,24-hour unmanned micro-libraries,book sorting machines with 17 categories that help librarians greatly simplify the process of returning and sorting books,and even the first-generation predictive AI intelligent robots that can answer readers' questions in a simple way.

However,predictive AI robots can only give fixed predictive answers based on questions,which makes it difficult to provide better consulting services after a long period of time," explained Ma Xiang-ping.

ChatGPT dramatically improves on the past limitations of predictive AI smart robots answering questions with generative AI artificial technology.

 

ChatGPT,which will be released by the end of 2022,will use generative AI technology to significantly improve the limitations of predictive AI robots in answering questions in the past.Therefore,in addition to the shock it has brought to various industries,it has also aroused a lot of worrying voices in the education sector."For example,many people are worried that ChatGPT is so powerful that it will be used by students to write reports and essays,and may even be used for exams in the future,will our next generation lose their competitiveness?"

Ms. Ma,who has always been interested in innovations and has been working in the field of higher education in Taiwan for a long time,saw the different application possibilities of ChatGPT."At that time,I was thinking that ChatGPT could propose various solutions according to the user's problems,just like a large encyclopedic knowledge base,and if applied,it might become a friend that accompanies readers in exploring the world of reading and experiencing the beauty of knowledge."

Therefore,in May 2023,after taking up the post of curator of the NLPI,Shiang-ping Ma officially started the cooperation with Zhou Zhongxin,a professor of Tunghai University who has been working in the field of AI for a long time,with the concept of "Knowledgeable Books,Intelligent Consultation". it combines the emerging generative AI technology ChatGPT,Digital Twin,and real voice synthesis to create Taiwan's first AI Intelligent Librarian - "Xiaoshu".

AI 001 librarian "Xiaoshu" who knows about books.Chatting with you about reading


Comparison of Predictive and Generative AI

 

When you walk into the lobby of the library,librarian No. AI 001 "XiaoShu" stands elegantly in a red telephone booth,ready to answer patrons' questions about books,reading,and even the facilities of the library.Readers can press the microphone button to ask the friendly and knowledgeable "XiaoShu" about her recommended list of books and services,and "XiaoShu" will provide customized answers according to the questions of different readers.

Since December 28,2023,when she passed the probationary period and became an official librarian,"Xiaoshu" has created a record of about 10 thousand responses in just two months,serving more than 100 readers every day on average.

Statistically,in addition to collection information,readers are more curious about her hobbies,whether she has a boyfriend,and why she likes her current outfit.Many readers have asked her to recommend snacks around the NLPI;in addition to age,weight,and relationship status,all of which are secrets to "Xiaoshu," she has no shame in admitting that she is a braised pork and rice lover,and she enthusiastically recommends the local snacks in Taiwan. She hopes that readers will be satisfied both physically and mentally.

According to Ma Xiangping,compared with the predictive voice customer service system in the past,the image generation and ChatGPT computing power as the core of "Xiaoshu" not only has a substantial improvement in the accuracy and speed of sentence understanding and generation of replies,but also close to the level of real librarians in terms of the image,dialogue,response and interactive performance,so that readers can feel the intimacy of "Xiaoshu" more.

In addition,the powerful functionality of "Xiaoshu" can also help the manpower constraints of the NLPI team to solve the tedious and routine tasks,so that the librarians can have more time to think about the planning of book exhibitions,reading lectures and other issues that require creativity and wisdom,and thus improve the overall quality of service of the NLPI.

Advance deployment. Making the NLPI a truly smart library.


"Xiaoshu” will provide customized answers to readers' questions and problems.

 

Looking back at the development process of "Xiaoshu",Ma Xiangping said with a smile,"Difficulties have never been scarce!” In addition to the need for huge financial support,it was also a big challenge to categorize the library's huge amount of information in an organized way,and instill it into "Xiaoshu",so that she could become an intelligent librarian who could quickly generate the right answers.

"It was like teaching a child,constantly telling her new knowledge and proofreading her answers by asking questions over and over again. These processes took a lot of time and effort from the whole team,and we even delayed the official launch of “Xiaoshu” for more than 2 months,just to make sure that she could become an intelligent librarian who could truly respond to the questions of the readers."

Although the challenges encountered during the development process were far greater than first imagined,Ma Xiangping emphasized,"We have never given up innovation because of difficulties and challenges. After all,from becoming one of the first public libraries established in Taiwan in 1923 to its digital transformation and restructuring in 2013 to become a dual-track digital-physical library,we have been striving for improvement over the past hundred years.

“Over the past 100 years,we have been striving for excellence in order to keep abreast of the times and provide better reading services to our readers. Of course,we are also aware that there is still a long way to go before NLPI can become a truly intelligent library."

NLPI and Tunghai University signed a Memorandum of Understanding,the two parties will make good use of their respective strengths to jointly promote intelligent reading and innovative technology in reading services.

 

In the future,the NLPI will continue to work with Prof. Chou Chung-Hsin's team to improve and enhance the functions of "XiaoShu",and plans to add more intelligent librarians,so that readers visiting the NLPI will have the opportunity to chat and exchange ideas with the intelligent librarians.

At the same time,NLPI and Tunghai University signed a Memorandum of Understanding,in the hope of combining the national-level digital information reading resources owned by the NLPI and the rich teaching resources and research energies of Tunghai University,to jointly assist Taiwan's smart reading and innovative technology tours,so as to bring library services to a new realm,and to make the NLPI into a truly smart library,creating a more flexible and diversified lifelong reading area for its readers.

Building Taichung Wuquan Station into a new cultural hotspot in art

Written by NLPI　Photo by NLPI

 

The National Library of Public Information and the Taiwan Railways Administration,have joined hands to launch a cooperation project “Wen Wu”at the Wuquan Station under the jurisdiction of the Taiwan Railways Administration's Taichung Station.”Wen” refers to literature,art and reading,”Wu” refers to Wuquan Station,they will create a new cultural hub that combines reading and transportation,it’s a new attempt to promote reading.

Reading is not limited to libraries,nor is it limited to books. The National Library of Public Information(NLPI) collaborates with the Taiwan Railways Administration(TRA) cross-domain cooperation,innovative reading culture elements are injected into Wuquan Station,the library is presented as installation art,and combined with digital display library exhibitions,passengers can also experience the pleasure of "reading as they go" during their journey.

 

The second platform is presented with the imagery of 'the library allows you to read and enjoy every moment of your life'.

Create a diverse and innovative reading experience,injecting cultural enrichment into the city

 

NLPI produced two large-scale outputs with a reading atmosphere on the platforms of Wuquan Station,the second platform in the north with the theme of "Libraries allow you to read and enjoy every moment of your life," and the first platform in the south with the theme of "I'm either at the NLPI or I'm on my way to the NLPI," which used the outlook of the libraries and the scenes of reading styles as the imagery to show the pleasure of reading,and attracted the attention of many passengers at the stations.Located at the entrance and exit of the station lobby,the digital database of the NLPI combines physical and digital display of the Dreaming Picture Book Exhibition,which pushes the reading experience to a new peak and provides travelers with the opportunity to get close to reading on the road,so that reading accompanies you to the ends of the earth without feeling lonely.

The library's proximity to the Wuquan Station is only an 8-10 minute walk and a 3-5 minute bike ride,which is a great attempt to integrate the reading culture into the public's life by creating a net-zero emission,echoing the spirit of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),and encouraging people to walk,bike,or take public transportation more often.By creating a new location for the literati at the Wuquan Station,a transportation hub,the partnership will lead people to libraries and provide them with multiple reading opportunities,while injecting more cultural elements into the city.

According to the TRA Taichung Station,this cooperation is a "Wen Wu" combination of reading and transportation,and the creation of a cultural atmosphere will bring more people to the station,making it not only a place for travelers to cross the border,but also a cultural hub for people to gather.It is hoped that this will bring a new atmosphere of creativity to the transformation of TRA,demonstrating the company's intention to strive for innovation in its operations.It is also hoped that through cooperation with local cultural organizations,more diverse services and experiences will be provided to the passengers,and it is hoped that a similar model of cooperation will be developed in more urban stations in the future,bringing more rich and colorful reading and cultural experiences to the public space of the stations.

Science, Theater, Art, Library(S.T.A.L) alliance. A Feast of Art and Culture Tour of Central Taiwan

 Written by／Bi Fang Zhong　Photographer／Allen Lin　Photo by NLPI provided

 

Conceived and planned by the National Library of Public Information, the National Taichung Theater, the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, and the National Museum of Natural Science have been invited to form the alliance. Through cross-museum and cross-domain cooperation, the alliance will create a platform for a feast of science, art, culture, and reading.

 

The first wave of the program "Where to Follow the Dinosaur? was officially launched, marking a new milestone in the journey of culture, art and knowledge in the central city.

 

 Where to Follow the Dinosaurs? The four pavilions joint activity is officially launched, as long as you challenge the four pavilions' tasks and complete the puzzle photo, you will have a chance to win the grand prize of each pavilion.

 

What are the new choices when visiting Taichung other than eating, visiting shopping districts and night markets? The "S.T.A.L alliance" has officially kicked off an event that allows visitors to tour four national arts and cultural venues. In the future, when it comes to Central Taiwan, "S.T.A.L alliance" will be a must-visit art and culture feast!

 

To create unique arts and cultural experiences across the region by linking up points, lines and surfaces

 

On the morning of January 31, 2024, the 1st floor lobby of the National Library of Public Information (NLPI) was bustling with excitement. In addition to friends of all sizes, the scene was also filled with the curators of four national arts and cultural venues in Taichung, including NLPI curator Shiang-Ping Ma, National Taichung Theater(NTT) Artistic Curator Miss Chiu, National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts(NTMF) curator Miss Chen,and National Museum of Natural Science (NMNS) curator Mr.Chen.

 

The four signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at the press conference, signifying the beginning of a cross-museum, cross-region collaboration to link the arts and cultural corridors of Central Taiwan through the "S.T.A.L Alliance", which will provide domestic and international travelers with unique arts and cultural experiences in addition to shopping, strolling, and gourmet dining in shopping districts when they come to Central Taiwan.

 

 'Where to Follow the Dinosaur?' series of events presents an exhibition of original deciphered picture books.

 

The initiator, Ma Xiangping, pointed out that Taichung not only has the beauty of urban architecture, but also has four major national arts and cultural venues, each of which has different characteristics and is not far away from each other. She expects that they will work together in the future, playing the roles of science, art, culture, and reading, respectively, and providing the public and tourists with more knowledge and aesthetics of the arts. In the future, the cooperation among the four major venues will inject more diversified and brand-new vitality into culture and arts.

 

NLPI has already formed a working group with the other three major venues, and will continue to integrate the resources of the four venues, reciprocate the flow of visitors, and co-organize events and collaborative exhibitions to create more infinite possibilities for the promotion of culture and the arts.

 

Discover the beauty of Taiwan's knowledge and culture by sharing and connecting together

 

Shiang-Ping Ma explained that NLPI is located in the southern district of Taichung, not far from NTMF, NTT to the west, and NMNS to the north, and that the distance between them can be traveled by bicycle, and the public can start from Calligraphy Greenway, and along the way, pass through Taichung's 7th Development Zone, Shenji New Village, National ComicMuseum, and the National Museum.Strolling leisurely along this art and culture link, people can also appreciate the beauty of the city and the greenery on the way, so that aesthetics and reading can finally be linked and spread to all corners of the city.

 

 NLPI has organized the 'S.T.A.L. Alliance' with three major national arts venues.

 

The first wave of the program "Where to Follow the Dinosaurs?" starts with the "Year of the Dragon" in 2024, and invites children and adults to follow the dinosaurs on a tour of "S.T.A.L." through the use of dinosaurs to link up the activities of the four libraries.

 

The best route is to start from NLPI and visit the "Original Declassified Picture Book Exhibition" on the 2nd floor, which is not only cozy and interesting, but also allows you to learn about the inspirations of 14 picture book authors and 14 publishers in the joint exhibition and complete the picture book learning sheet; and then go to NMNS to take photos with the techno-metallic mechanical Tyrannosaurus Rex in the disguise of a space adventurer.

 

After that, you can go to NTMF to enjoy the "Lung Teng Fu Ju- New Year Dragon Painting Exhibition" and take a photo with your favorite dragon. Finally, you can arrive at the grassy area of NTT Outdoor Plaza and the sky garden on the 6th floor to explore the "Green Secret World of the Animals and Flowers", and also go to B2 Drama Space in a group to participate in the "Dragon Book and Together Reading" and read the drawing books with dragon-themed theme from all over the world.

 

 Four national-level arts and cultural venues link up the arts and cultural corridors of Central Taiwan through the "S.T.A.L Alliance".

 

With the integration of theater, science, art and reading, participants will be able to experience the charm of the four major cultural and educational venues in a joyful atmosphere.

 

Shiang-Ping Ma said that the establishment of "S.T.A.L" is a warm-up and a start, and the other three curators all said that they will bring more creative cooperation projects in the future, including the sharing of experiences in sustainable development and net-zero carbon emission, etc., which will bring more diversified and innovative experiences.

 

“We sincerely invite the public to experience the wonderful cross-disciplinary and diversified experiences of science, art, culture and reading brought by "S.T.A.L". ”

 

Four national-level arts and cultural venues link up the arts and cultural corridors of Central Taiwan through the 'S.T.A.L Alliance'

Lan Pu Special exhibition on decoding works

Written by／Xu Qiong-feng　Photo by／NLPI provided

 

At the beginning of the new year of 2024, the National Library of Public Information is planning a special exhibition titled “Lan Pu Special exhibition on decoding works- Risaburo Kawasumi's paintings in the Bogor Botanical Gardens.” ,which has been in the National Library's collection for nearly a century.

 

 A selection of contemporaneous orchids from the Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF).

 

Through Lan Pu's exquisite hand-painted botanical paintings, this exhibition analyzes orchid science and introduces the development of the orchid industry in Taiwan. In addition to its artistic expression and academic research value, this exhibition also symbolizes the spirit of knowledge transmission in the 100-year history of the National Library of Public Information (NLPI). In a special collaboration with the Bibliothèque Nationale de France (BnF), this exhibition features a selection of contemporaneous orchid images from the BnF's collection, which complement the "Lan Pu".

 

Lan Pu, the treasure of the library, makes an elegant debut

 

Lan Pu is an orchid sketched by Japanese painter Risaburo Kawasumi at the Bogor Botanical Gardens in Java, Indonesia, from 1920 to 1927. A total of 93 paintings of Lan Pu in NLPI's collection are in colorful brushstrokes, which are very realistic; in addition, the name of the genus, species, place of origin, and the time of the sketching of orchid are marked in detail on each of the works, which are all stamped with the "Collection of the Taichung Prefecture Library," the accompanying total index, written on Taichung Prefecture Library letterhead, is a real treasure of the library.

 

Orchids existed as early as the late Cretaceous period when dinosaurs lived, and their distribution was almost worldwide. By the 19th century, an orchid craze had developed in the West, and the Bogor Botanical Garden was established at that time, where Lan Pu was sketching, thus Lan Pu was connected to an incredible global network.

 

Theme exhibition site. 

 

In this special exhibition, NLPI and the National Museum of Natural Science have cooperated to organize this wonderful exhibition. In addition, NLPI has obtained valuable photos and archival materials from the Ministry of Agriculture, Taiwan Orchid Growers Association(T.O.G.A), and Taiwan Sugar Corporation, so that the public can understand how Taiwan has become the world-famous orchid kingdom.

 

This exhibition features three limited edition bookmarks designed by Lan Pu, inviting the public to participate in NLPI's "iLibGuider Book Guide App" program, complete the tasks and collect rewards,points can be collected at the service counter on the 3rd floor of the Main Building until they are redeemed.

 

Lan Pu Special exhibition on decoding works

At the National Library of Public Information-Main Library, 3rd floor, Periodicals section.
January 9, 2024 (Tue) to December 22, 2024 (Sun)

 
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