Abstract:

Wu Jianzhong emphasized that during the “15th Five-Year Plan” period, university librariesshould focus on three major issues: adapting to digital transformation through the enhancement of digitalinfrastructure for a learning society; preparing to promote open science as a key component in buildingan educational powerhouse; and seizing new opportunities in education digitization by advancing digitalliteracy, resources, and infrastructure to support high-quality educational development. Cheng Huanwenasserted that, to achieve the “Double First-Class” initiative and high-quality development in highereducation, academic libraries must strategically position themselves as the knowledge, learning, andcultural centers of universities. This involves prioritizing knowledge resource development, exploringnew learning paradigms in the digital age, enriching the cultural center’s connotation, and establishingpathways for smart library development. Xia Lixin argued that during the “15th Five-Year Plan”,university libraries urgently need to transition from “knowledge centers” to “intelligent hubs” throughdigital transformation. This entails rebuilding document resource systems suited for digital natives,reshaping AI-supported intelligent service systems, and reconstructing future learning spaces that integrateboth physical and virtual elements, thus, a new type of guarantee system to support future educationalinnovations would be constructed. Li Yansong pointed out that as the “15th Five-Year Plan” approaches,the library at Shanghai International Studies University must align with the university’s strategic goals byresponding to faculty and student needs through shared services, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, and aligning innovation with societal trends. Optimizing resource allocation, innovating service models,and creating diverse spaces will support the university’s core initiatives and overall development. ShaYongzhong and colleagues proposed that university libraries should adopt a digital strategy compatiblewith the digital transformation of higher education by: creating an ecosystem of digital resourcesto eliminate information silos; innovating intelligent services by leveraging AI for a new serviceecosystem; and emphasizing safety and ethical governance to balance technological convenience withrisk management and ensure a secure and controllable digital transformation. Jin Jianbin highlightedthat key factors influencing university libraries during this period include changes in higher educationstructures and talent training models, new modes of knowledge production and dissemination due todigital technologies, and the development of institutional repositories amid open science and geopoliticaltensions. He shared Tsinghua University Library’s forward-looking strategies in smart services, academicempowerment, and resource development. Dong Youming stated that Wuhan University Library willadopt a “demand-driven – technology-driven – ecosystem-reconstructed” transformation path duringthe “15th Five-Year Plan”. This path focuses on resource aggregation and discovery, research support,teaching and training, decision-making support, and AI ethics and risk control, aiming to build anintelligent academic service system that covers all elements of discipline development, the entireinnovation chain of research, and all processes of decision-making. Cheng Jinhua, based on the practicesof Shanghai Jiao Tong University Library, proposed that relying on a new system infrastructure and alarge data platform to deliver high-quality knowledge services in education, science, and talent cultivationwill be a key mission for libraries during this period. This also presents an opportunity to realize the visionof the “Library as the Heart of the University 2.0”. Liu Hongwei emphasized that university librariesshould adapt and innovate in four key areas: reaffirming their university identity, ensuring a closedloopfor sustainable development, constructing a new development paradigm, and deeply transformingservices. Through a three-phase evolution, namely, efficient resource allocation, a revolution in serviceeffectiveness, and brand-wide influence, libraries can evolve from mere resource providers to powerfulacademic ecosystem enablers in world-class universities.