The Role of Technology and Digital Transformations in the Strategic Documents of National Libraries and Archives Globally

Purpose: This research aims to investigate and analyze the role of emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence (AI) and digital transformation, in the strategic documents and operational plans of national libraries and archives worldwide. Employing a document-centric approach, this study seeks to identify and evaluate how these technologies are integrated into the long-term strategies of these institutions. Furthermore, the research intends to assess the current status of national libraries and archives with respect to their engagement with novel technologies and digital transformation. Another objective is to offer a clear perspective on global trends in this domain to inform the strategic planning, prioritization, and future initiatives of the National Library and Archives of Iran (NLAI). Ultimately, this research seeks to answer the fundamental question: What is the state of national libraries and archives globally in addressing issues related to technology, technological transformation, digitization, and AI?
Method: This study adopts a fundamental research approach with quantitative methods. Utilizing quantitative content analysis and text mining techniques, the systematic and objective examination of the frequency of terms related to digital technologies and AI in the official documents of libraries and national archives is conducted. The research scope includes official documents and strategic plans from 30 national libraries and archives worldwide up to 2023, which are available in English and address technology-related topics. Data collection involved comprehensive searches across various sources and the official websites of the libraries and national archives. Data analysis was performed using Voyant Tools for text mining to identify keywords related to digital technologies and transformations. MAXQDA software was also employed for quantitative content analysis and thematic categorization. To ensure the validity and reliability of the research, key concepts related to technology, artificial intelligence, and digital transformation were carefully extracted and categorized. The findings were compared with similar studies to ensure consistency. Additionally, all research stages were documented, and MaxQDA software was used for data analysis to enhance the accuracy and stability of the results. A portion of the analysis was also reviewed by another researcher to confirm the robustness of the findings.
The results are presented through graphs and statistical tables, and existing patterns and trends in the use of emerging technologies and AI in libraries and national archives are analyzed and interpreted.
Findings: Keyword analysis of the strategic documents revealed that terms such as "digital", "information", "services", "public", "collections", "access", "research", "people", "knowledge" and "data" were the most frequent. The term "digital" appeared 500 times, and "information" appeared 376 times, indicating the most prevalent terms in the documents. Additionally, the terms "digital", "data", "knowledge", "information" and "access" emerged as significant trends in recent years. An examination of the relationships between frequent words in the strategic plans of libraries and national archives showed that words like "digital" are linked to "infrastructure", "data", "collection", and "services". Also, the term "information" is linked to the "society", "knowledge", "services", "access", and "technology". Through content analysis from the documents and the strategic plans of libraries and national archives, 709 initial codes, 6 main categories and 51 subcategories were extracted. In this coding process, the strategic objectives, principles, and priorities of libraries and national archives are directed towards innovation and digital transformation (270 codes). Relatively high-frequency subcategories included transformationalism (131 codes), organizational leadership (123 codes), organizational maturity (81 codes), and data and artificial intelligence (76 codes).
Conclusion: National libraries and archives worldwide recognize the importance of emerging technologies, particularly AI, and are aligning with digital transformation, giving special attention to this issue in their strategic plans. These institutions are moving towards innovation, service modernization, and adaptation to the digital environment. Also, the importance of technology leadership, the development of digital skills for staff, and the application of AI in processes are evident. The overall trend indicates a profound transformation in the nature of library services and user relations. However, to optimize the use of these technologies, there is a need for investment in technology and innovation, the development of digital skills and personnel training, adaptation of the organizational structure, and the design of comprehensive strategic plans.