Boston's Public Library seeks to widen public access to a comprehensive historic collection by harnessing the power of artificial intelligence
The Boston Public Library (BPL) is embarking on a groundbreaking project this summer, aiming to digitize hundreds of thousands of historically significant documents, including handwritten documents, from its vast collection dating back to the early 1800s[2][4][6].
In collaboration with OpenAI and researchers at Harvard Law School, BPL plans to scan and digitize a large volume of government documents, preserving fragile archives while making them more accessible[2][4]. These documents cover a wide range of subjects, from congressional reports and industry surveys to community histories[2].
The heart of the project lies in the AI-enhanced metadata and searchability. The Harvard Law School Library's Institutional Data Initiative is training new AI models to augment these collections[1][5]. This enriched metadata will improve the ability to search across the documents with greater precision and contextual understanding than traditional keyword searches[1][5].
The project represents a significant effort to use AI not just for digitization but for fundamentally improving how historical government documents are accessed and understood across digital platforms[1][3][5].
Greg Leppert, the executive director of the Institutional Data Initiative, states that improvements made to data for AI purposes will also improve the library experience for patrons[3]. However, Michael Hanegan, the coauthor of a new book about generative AI and libraries, expresses caution about the potential impact of Silicon Valley's "move fast and break things" approach on the values of librarianship, which emphasize access and transparency[3].
The project is not intended to provide advantaged access to AI companies, but to make more information available[1]. In fact, anyone can have access to the digitized data, not just OpenAI. The goal is to make the digitized content available to anyone from anywhere in the world[1].
The collaboration between BPL, OpenAI, and Harvard Law School is part of a broader effort to enhance the searchability of collections in libraries, museums, and archives[1]. The Institutional Data Initiative is receiving support from AI companies, who fund these efforts in exchange for the opportunity to train their large language models on high-quality materials[5].
By combining digital preservation with AI-powered indexing and metadata enhancement, BPL aims to revolutionize public interaction with historical records, making America's past more discoverable and analyzable for researchers, historians, and the general public[3]. The project's leader, Jessica Chapel, the library's chief of digital and online services, is spearheading this ambitious endeavour[4].
This project marks a significant step forward in the use of AI to preserve and enhance access to historical documents, demonstrating the potential for technology to serve as a powerful tool for education, research, and public engagement.
References:
- The Boston Globe
- The Verge
- The New York Times
- The Harvard Gazette
- Harvard Law School Today
- The Boston Public Library
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