Jelisaveta Blagojević, WILSIG Convenor and Scientific Associate at the Historical Institute of the University of Montenegro, participated in the IFLA 24 Hours of Global IT in Libraries Event (#GlobalIT24, #IFLAGlobalIT24), where she shared her experiences as the former Head of the Centre for Library, Documentation, and Archive of the Parliament of Montenegro. She discussed the implementation of a project focused on digitizing verbatim records of Parliamentary proceedings.

24 Hours of Global IT IFLA Event – Division B panel

During the Division B panel, which was dedicated to the topic of “Artificial Intelligence and Government, Parliamentary and Law Libraries, and Official Publications: A Cross-Sector Conversation,” Blagojević presented pre-AI tools used in the Library of the Parliament of Montenegro. Specifically, she highlighted the application of OCR (Optical Character Recognition) technology to convert images of verbatim records into searchable text. This allowed searches based on various criteria, such as agenda items, session titles, speakers, political parties, and convocations.
Blagojević emphasized the positive impact of digitizing verbatim records on the Library’s efficiency, highlighting three key points:

  • Improved Quality and Accuracy: The digitization process enhanced the Library’s ability to respond to requests for Parliamentary records, subject to the approval of the Secretary General of the Parliament;
  • Streamlined Workflow: It simplified the workflow for employees, replacing the cumbersome manual handling of heavy note volumes with a modern application featuring clearly defined filters;
  • Increased Democratic Performance: The digitization efforts contributed to greater transparency, openness, and interactivity in the Parliament, making it easier for citizens to access materials produced during Parliamentary sessions.

In addition to her presentation, Blagojević addressed questions related to the broader impact of AI on the library sector, touching on ethical considerations, user behavior, and the future of AI. She outlined several key points:

  • AI as a Challenge: Librarians must acquire new skills to adapt to and make the most of AI technology;
  • Risk of Misinformation: AI tools, such as ChatGPT, can bring risks of misinformation;
  • Gender Imbalance: The AI sector is predominantly male-dominated, with insufficient female involvement in key decision-making processes related to AI solutions and tools;
  • Language Limitations: AI tools often have limitations regarding language availability, with insufficient information accessible in non-English languages.