To enhance international collaboration within the domestic library sector and remain informed about global trends in library and information science, the National Central Library (NCL) and the Goethe-Institut Taipei have jointly invited Prof. Dr. Claudia Lux, Honorary Professor at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Germany, to present a keynote address and engage in a professional forum at the NCL on June 15, 2026. The event drew a substantial assembly of specialists from the library and information science sector.

The event commenced with welcoming remarks from Acting Director-General Dr. Chih-Tsung Weng. In his speech, Acting Director-General Dr. Weng highlighted that facing the challenges of the AI wave, libraries must not only consider how to "use" technology but also play a "guiding" role. Subsequently, Prof. Lux, former President of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) with a profound dedication to the international library and information field—drew upon her extensive academic and practical background to present on "Artificial Intelligence in Contemporary Library Practice: Cooperation or Competition?" She thoroughly elaborated on the transformation pathways for libraries in the AI era. Prof. Lux has long focused on the impact of technology on society and libraries, regarding the safeguarding of equitable access to knowledge and the promotion of ethical technology as her core missions.

During her lecture, Prof. Lux first offered a critical perspective on the current generative AI boom driven by tech giants, pointing out the underlying political and ethical risks. Citing IFLA’s viewpoints, she articulated the vision and core values of libraries in AI practice. Prof. Lux emphasized that libraries will not be replaced by AI; instead, they will undergo a transformation. While the general public may blindly rely on AI due to its high convenience, libraries serve as one of the few safe havens capable of providing "equitable access," "privacy protection," and "authenticity verification." Their "public nature" and "neutral ethics" are precisely the keys to their survival. Finally, she discussed how to stand firm within the framework of "equitable access to knowledge and freedom of expression" and shared concrete examples, such as the "Coffee Lectures" at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU), to demonstrate how to guide students in applying AI in a responsible and sustainable manner.

Prof. Lux particularly stressed that in addressing issues such as AI hallucinations, privacy infringement, copyright threats, and massive energy consumption, libraries should adhere to ethical standards and position AI as a tool to assist core values. This includes its extensive application in digitization processes, automated metadata generation for cataloging, content recommendation, and enhancing accessibility services for people with disabilities. Furthermore, she called for collaborative efforts with partners to establish open-source, transparent, and protected cloud environments and AI infrastructure, comprehensively elevating users' AI information literacy to ensure fairness in knowledge acquisition.

The subsequent professional exchange forum began with a brief introduction to the NCL’s organizational structure and general overview, followed by topical presentations from relevant divisions. The Collection Development and Bibliography Management Division focused on collection policies, legal deposit, and innovative AI cataloging services; the ISBN Center introduced its "One-Stop Innovative Service" for integrated ISBN applications; the Digital Knowledge Systems Division and the Knowledge Services Division shared insights on "NCL Digital Resource Preservation" and "Collection Digitization Achievements," respectively; the Special Collections Division showcased special collection digitization, book preservation, and ancient book restoration techniques; and the Library Development Division shared its experiences in organizing the landmark "Taiwan Reading Festival" and publishing the "Annual Report on Reading Habits in Taiwan." Following the reports, Prof. Lux engaged in an enthusiastic exchange of ideas with colleagues from various divisions.

After the forum, accompanied by staff from the International Cooperation Division, Prof. Lux toured the library's facilities, the Rare Books Room, and special exhibitions. She later visited the "OPEN LAB" in Ximending to experience its diverse learning spaces and interactive technological equipment firsthand, expressing high praise for the NCL's rich collections and innovative services. The successful conclusion of this international exchange event not only fostered academic dialogue between the Taiwanese and German library communities but also provided valuable international experience and reference paradigms for the NCL's future implementation of AI policies and promotion of reader information literacy.