There has been plenty of hype over artificial intelligence and the internet of things. Is it time to put aside the cynicism that this kind of hype generates and look seriously at how we can take advantage of these emerging technologies to improve the student experience and build an intelligent library? The internet of things makes it possible for us to gather real-time data about the environment and usage of our library spaces. It is easy to imagine using this data to ensure the library is managed effectively, but could we go further and monitor environmental conditions in the library, or even, using facial recognition software, student reactions as they use the library so that we can continually refine the learning experience? Most smartphones now make use of artificial intelligence to make contextual recommendations based on an individual’s location and interests. Could libraries take advantage of this technology to push information and learning resources to students? If we could, it offers some interesting possibilities. On-campus notifications could nudge students to make best use of the available services such as the library. Off-campus notifications could encourage them to take advantage of the learning opportunities all around them. Could we use approaches like this to turn student’s smartphones into educational coaches, nudging students towards the choices that lead to higher grades and prompting them to expand their learning horizons.

1. The Challenge of the Intelligent Library
James Clay, Senior Co-Design Manager, Jisc

2. The Intelligent Library
So what is the
intelligent library?

4. The Intelligent Library
Intelligent Campus

5. What is the Intelligent Campus?
»There has been plenty of hype over artificial intelligence
and the internet of things.
»We believe it may be time to put aside the cynicism that
this kind of hype generates and look seriously at how we
can take advantage of these emerging technologies to
improve the student experience, research and the
management of our campuses.

7. The Intelligent Library
The Smart Campus

8. What is the Intelligent Campus?
»The internet of things makes it possible for us to gather
real-time data about the environment and usage of our
campuses.
»It is easy to imagine using this data to ensure our rooms
and facilities are managed effectively, but could we go
further and monitor environmental conditions in learning
spaces or even, using facial recognition software, student
reactions during learning so that we can continually refine
the learning experience?

9. The Intelligent Library
Contextual learning

10. What is the Intelligent Campus?
»Most smartphones now make use of artificial intelligence
to make contextual recommendations based on an
individual’s location and interests.
»Could universities and colleges take advantage of this
technology to push information and learning materials to
students? If we could, it offers some interesting
possibilities.

11. What is the Intelligent Campus?
»On-campus notifications could nudge students to make
best use of the available services such as the library.
»Off-campus notifications could encourage them to take
advantage of the learning opportunities all around them.
»Could we use approaches like this to turn student’s
smartphones into educational coaches, nudging students
towards the choices that lead to higher grades and
prompting them to expand their learning horizons.

12. The Intelligent Library
Internet ofThings

13. Tracking
»As we start to use a range of tracking technologies, smart
cards, beacons, sensors we are facing a deluge of data in
the use of buildings, spaces and equipment.
»We are faced with a breadth and depth of data which can
be challenging to use effectively and have greatest
impact.
»Interpreting the data is fraught with challenges and
difficulties, as well as potential ethical and legal issues.
»However this wealth of data does offer the potential to
deliver more satisfying experiences for students and staff
as well as ensuring the campus is used as effectively as
possible.

14. The Intelligent Library
I didn’t know
I needed to ask...

15. What is the Intelligent Campus?
»Arriving at a new institution is a disorientating experience.
»As students walk around the university or college campus
they are faced with problems that need to be resolved in
order to help them settle, provide a satisfying experience
and even help them on their learning journey.

16. What is the Intelligent Campus?
»There are the known problems, such as where is my next
lesson?
› What books would be useful for this topic?
› When is my tutor free for a quick chat on assignment?
»Even simple questions could result in a complicated route
to multiple online systems.
»Imagine asking the question, where and when is my next
lecture, what resources are available and are there any
relevant books in the library on this subject?

17. What is the Intelligent Campus?
»There are also the unknown problems, these are the kinds
of problems that learners don’t even know they have and
haven’t thought to ask?
»Could the university or college push information and
notifications to learners based on where the learner is on
campus, when the learner is on campus, and how far the
learner is on their learning journey?

19. The Intelligent Library
Definition

21. The Intelligent Library
Use Cases

22. Use cases
»We can imagine an intelligent library which not only
knows what seats and PCs are free, but can learn from
history and predict when the library will be busy and when
it will be emptier.
»The library then provides this information to students via
an app, pushing the library when there is more availability
of places and computers.
»When the library is busy, the intelligent library “nudges”
students to go “elsewhere”, for example with coffee
discount vouchers.
Are there any computers available?

23. Use cases
»Having a deeper understanding of the utilisation of the
library, will allow for more effective and efficient use of
space.
»Could this also mean we have a flexible library that
expands and contracts as demand for space in the library
changes over the day or over the year?
»Imagine a library where dual use space allows it to expand
capacity based on actual and predicted usage.
We need more space?

24. Use cases
»Could we use wireless technologies, such as RFID, not just
for issue and return, but also track those resoruces as they
are used within the library itself?
»Could we also use the same technologies to track
resources across campus to identify areas where they are
being used or stored (or even lost)?
»Could we then enhance those spaces to improve learning?
Where are our books?

25. Use cases
»Could we use facial recognition to monitor regular users
of the library and provide insight and data into learning
analytics?
»Could we go one step further and use emotional
recognition technology to discover when students are
“troubled” or “in need of help” and then make appropriate
interventions to support them in their studies?
Do you need help?

26. Use cases
»If the library is getting full, could we identify those
students who have been in there a long time, and push a
notification, incentivising them to take a break with a free
coffee from the library coffee shop?
»Could we go one step further, and promote wellbeing, by
doing the same, but with a free coffee on the other side of
campus, so they have to go outside and get some air and
exercise?
You could do with a coffee…

28. The Intelligent Library
Why?

30. The Intelligent Library
Ethics

32. The Intelligent Library
Do we want to?

33. The Intelligent Library
Should we?

35. The Intelligent Library
Next steps

36. The Intelligent Library
Find out more…

37. Next steps
»Follow the project blog
https://intelligentcampus.jiscinvolve.org
»Follow the conversation on theTwitter
#intelligentcampus
»Follow me on theTwitter @jamesclay
You could…

38. jisc.ac.uk
One CastleparkTower Hill Bristol BS2 0JA
The Intelligent Library
James Clay
Senior Co-Design Manager
james.clay@jisc.ac.uk
@jamesclay