The author reviews the scientific and practical conference on artificial intelligence (AI) in libraries held by RAS Institute for Scientific Information for Social Sciences. He summarizes the presented papers exploring theoretical and practical aspects of using AI tools in library services in Russia and neighbor states.

In particular, the author focuses on using artificial neural networks for information retrieval, e-library concept processing (classification, abstracting and annotating), full text recognition, uniform cataloguing, textbook conversion into online courses, and design of reading lists systems. At the conference, the speakers argued that the neural networks were slowly implemented in Russian libraries due to the lack of tagged “library” data sets in open access. They also emphasized the role of libraries in teaching users to work with AI applications.

The conference participants consented on the fact of rapid development of this vector in the libraries. The librarians should be more persistent in using available universal applications, partner with Russian large IT-companies, and undertake to design specialized AI-tools for deep content processing of digitized information arrays.

The author explores one of the aspects of data analysis of the publication activity of scientific institution researchers. In particular, she discusses the possibility of assessing the interest that research centers, research and scientific-production organizations take in the research projects by scientific organizations. For this purpose, the author proposes to use databases of publication activity of researchers as the information source. The author refers to the data on copublishing by partner organizations, which enables to evaluate the interest of these organizations in cooperation on the projects within their specialized focus. To obtain estimates, the statistical approach and multicriteria analysis were applied.

The authors explore the significant changes in traditional bibliometrics, including distinctive innovations in this area. Advancement of e-publications and increasing role of open access systems are among the most significant developments. New approaches to providing access to feed scientific data are discussed. The governmental agencies has been increasingly encouraging the publication activity assessment, as well as design and development of the analogous national platforms, e.g. Russian Science Citation Index, eLIBRARY, and NEL. The sanctions prohibiting using Clarivate Analytics and Elsevier systems and products dictate the need for timely provision of comparative measurements with simultaneous application of national and global systems.

The authors review in brief the improvements of existing methods, e.g. the introduction of the system of beamplot diagrams and research-based citation analysis. The role of scientometrics in global rankings is evaluated. The focus is also made on the new vectors of analysis, such as altmetrics and artificial intelligence. The application of artificial intelligence tools lays the basis for the entirely new system for comparing scientific publications with the existing array of accumulated knowledge.

The expanding studies in transformation of scientific communication and practical aspects of open scientific content and scientific process dictate to identify the subject scope of open science studies. For the purpose of the study, 561 journal publications in the Library and Information Science category included in the Web of Science database were analyzed. As a result, 27 topics are specified, their contents are described, and the differences in subject orientation between “the classical” WoS, and the newer ESCI, are revealed. The transforming infrastructure of scientific communication, researchers’ adaptation to open science, and science serials’ publishing practice are in the focus of the selected publications. Most of them are based on global experience, though the national experience and EC and BRICS projects and initiatives are not overlooked.

The authors discuss the experience of Russia and the CIS countries in designing analytics systems for assessing research outcome of researchers and organizations and facilitating decision making in science. The scientometric analysis based on the indicators of research funding, staff training, publication activity, etc., was accomplished to characterize the post-Soviet science space. The authors attempt to classify the existing CRIS-systems and similar solutions. Based on their study, the authors conclude on the positive trend in analytics systems design in these countries. However, these solutions are still few, and the market of model CRIS-systems has to be developed. The article will be interesting for scientometrists and administrators of research divisions of scientific and academic organizations.

The practical use of linked data in library projects implies their representation in the RDF format for further use and processing in information systems, and, on the other hand, enrichment of information delivered to the search portal users. In this study, the authors examine the aspects of information enrichment for search outcome. They used GEMET multilingual thesaurus as the basic data set for linking. The RNPLS&T Single Open Information Archive (SOIA) portal has been built based on advanced technologies and trends in using linked data. These trends are also reviewed. Despite plenty of data sets available via the Linked Open Data Cloud, the library projects embracing the linked data technology use just few overlapping data sets.

To build the links between UDC codes and subject headings with GEMET concepts, the authors analyzed the entries in the e-catalogs of SOIA and “Ecology: Science and Technology” database. The analysis results demonstrate that approximately 20% entries comprise subject headings and UDC codes that might be linked to GEMET thesaurus concepts.

The links between GEMET concepts and Internet-based DBpedia are seen as the most promising option. The authors suggest to supplement these links with the references to Ruwiki (Russian online encyclopedia). These additional links were established for UDC upper levels in the operational database and will be further created for every GEMET active concept.

Within the framework of R&D project “Information support of research by scientists and specialists on the basis of RNPLST Open Archive as the system of scientific knowledge aggregation”, the RNPLS&T carries on the analysis of general characteristics and features of and defining standard requirements for the LIS search interfaces. The author attempts to develop the array of the requirements for modern web-based interfaces of e-catalogs, to classify and formulate them more specifically, and to substantiate these requirements. She proposes the following classification of the requirements: general requirements, requirements for search functionality structure, requirement for content enrichment, requirement for the system of search user support, requirements for applying recommendation system and existence of auxiliary user support. The author also suggests the ways to improve search interfaces of e-catalogs, in particular, to unify and differentiate search instruments, to obtain additional search options, to implement different types of user support more intensively, and to create effective multifunctional recommender systems. The proposed recommendations may be used for search interfaces of library information systems.

The structure of scientific process adapting to the open science concept has been intensively changing. The libraries and librarians are to be the key actors in this process. Within the scope and differentiation of librarian and bibliographer competences for open science support, the competences may be divided into several key vectors: methodological support, analysis, and popularization of open science. While the issues of methodological support and analytics for open science have been well developed in the professional literature, the author aims at formulating the competences and assessing the readiness of new librarians for open science popularization. Based on the existing practice, the author defines the relevant skills and formulates four competences (and related knowledge and skills indicators): 1) orientation in open science trends; 2) organization of civil science activities, social partnerships and observance of legal standards in copyright, related rights, and privacy laws; 3) readiness for organizing educational events on science and civil science projects, for creating and disseminating the content to clarify the open science principle for various community groups; and 4) understanding and reproducing modern forms and methods of open science popularization. Based on the Federal State Educational Standard 51.03.06 “Library Information Activities” and academic curricula, the essential competences are formulated. The author also discusses the findings of the survey “The competences of librarians for open science development” conducted by Research Department of SB RAS State Public Scientific and Technological Library among 4th year students of Specialty 51.03.06 “Library Information Activity” in 2024. The obtained results evidence that the students apprehend the communicative component and, to some degree, social orientation of open science. They are also ready for holding educational events and disseminating content revealing the open science principles. However, they have difficulties with civil science efforts, social partnership and valid legal standards in copyright and related rights, as well as with the delivery of communicative components and social orientation of open science. To eliminate the above mentioned problems, based on the survey results, the free short training course has been developed and development of the enhanced program has begun.