Jakarta, INTI - The 17th Indonesian Digital Library Conference (KPDI XVII), organized by the Indonesian Digital Library Forum (FPDI) at Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (UMY) on August 4–5, 2026, produced five strategic recommendations to strengthen digital library transformation in the era of artificial intelligence (AI).
These recommendations reflect the insights of librarians, academics, researchers, IT practitioners, and various stakeholders in charting a course for the development of Indonesian digital libraries that are adaptable to technological advancements and aligned with the public interest.
Deputy Head of FPDI, Ida Fajar Priyanto, presented the five recommendations concluded from KPDI XVII during the closing session on Wednesday (August 5).
- AI is to be utilized to advance knowledge and improve library services to be superior, more accessible, and more effective, as well as expanding public access to information.
- Strengthening "intellectual humanity" must be central to the information literacy ecosystem, ensuring that AI usage remains grounded in human values and supports critical thinking, ethics, and responsibility, rather than replacing the human role.
- Librarians are encouraged to develop AI-based applications to preserve both existing and evolving knowledge, thereby reinforcing the library's role as a hub for knowledge management.
- As learning spaces and literacy centers, libraries must adapt to changing public information-seeking behaviors to remain relevant, boost productivity, and benefit the community.
- Library transformation must be inclusive, ensuring that information technology advancements expand knowledge access for all segments of society.
Implementation of AI Must be Balanced with Human Values
Head of FPDI, Joko Santoso, emphasized that the conference discussions demonstrated that digital library transformation must not focus solely on technological development.
"Digital library transformation must remain human-centric. It should not focus solely on advancements in information technology or artificial intelligence but must continue to deliver tangible benefits to people," he said.
According to Joko, the implementation of AI must always be balanced with human values so that technology does not merely generate information and recommendations but is also utilized wisely, ethically, and responsibly. He believes libraries play a crucial role in ensuring that technological progress keeps pace with the strengthening of literacy, ethical, and human values.
He added that the role of librarians has become increasingly strategic in the AI era. They act as literacy facilitators, information technology mediators, and guardians of meaning amidst the rapid tide of digital disruption. Librarians no longer simply manage collections; they also play a role in guiding the public to use technology critically and responsibly.
"The implementation of artificial intelligence needs to be balanced with human values. Technology must not only be capable of providing information and recommendations but must also be used wisely and responsibly," Joko stated.
Conclusion
KPDI XVII, organized by FPDI at UMY, produced five strategic recommendations to strengthen digital library transformation in the era of AI. These recommendations include leveraging AI to enhance service quality; strengthening "intellectual humanity" to ensure AI remains grounded in human values; encouraging libraries to develop AI applications for knowledge creation and preservation; transforming library services to adapt to changing public behaviors; and ensuring that library transformation is inclusive for all segments of society.
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