Page 25 - Journal of Library Science in China 2020 Vol.46

024 Journal of Library Science in China, Vol.12, 2020

the foundation. Another opinion describes that the smart library is the combination of traditional
library, digital library and the Internet of Things. It is also the integration of smart perception and
smart services of the digital library (DONG, GONG, R. L. ZHANG, & C. B. YAN, 2011). Smart
library applies new technologies and intelligent equipment to accomplish the organic combination
and innovation of intelligent buildings and highly automated digital libraries during the construction
process (W. Q. WANG & C. L. LIU, 2017). Second, the smart library is defined as a smart synergy
and organism from the perspective of its constituent elements, which effectively integrates the five
elements, including resource, technology, service, librarian and user. With the supporting from
the intelligent technologies such as Internet of Things and cloud computing as core technology,
the team of smart librarians provide different user groups with discovery based and perceivable
on-demand services (J. CHEN, GUO, J. XU, & SHI, 2018). Third, from the perspective of smart
philosophy, by analyzing the meaning of data, knowledge and smartness from the perspective of
philosophy, it can be defined as a library that can constantly innovate, meet user’s various needs,
make them happy and drive their worries away (B. R. LIU & MA, 2015). Fourth, from the scientific
development of the library, it is believed that smart library is a new model of future development
based on information technology and characterized with people-oriented sustainable development
(S. W. WANG, 2011). The discussions of international researchers on the definition of smart
library are mainly focusing on technology and smart service. Aittola, Ryhänen, and Ojala (2003)
believed that smart library can provide users with location-aware mobile library service through the
Internet without constraints of time and space. Burgess (2010), Kim and Abbas (2010) suggested
that the main purpose of smart library is to provide users with a sound learning environment and
offer satisfactory services and content based on their personal needs for information. Baryshev,
Verkhovets, and Babina (2018) stated that smart library, as a library and information service system
which was designed to support scientific research and training activities.
Therefore, considering the principle of system theory, the authors believe that smart library,
is grounded on the Internet of Things, big data, blockchain, intelligent computing and other
equipment and technologies, connecting professional management of the library with intelligent
perception and computing, so as to effectively, accurately and quickly provide users with the
required literature, information, data and other resources, deeply process knowledge services, as
well as smart sharing space and characteristic cultural space required by users, making it a library
that organically integrates virtual and physical services. In this definition, virtual service means
that users can use the library anytime and anywhere without considering its physical existence.
Physical service indicates that when it comes to providing services with library collections and
space, the smart library appears in the form of a physical building, which can be either a new
building or an upgrade of the existing one. In terms of the equipment and technologies, the
Internet of Things enables perception, big data and blockchain to support memory, and intelligent
computing supports thinking, analysis and judgment. The ultimate goal is to provide various
knowledge services similar as manual services for library users (including readers, managers, etc.).