Transforming OPACs into Intelligent Discovery Systems: An AI-Powered, Knowledge Graph-Driven Smart OPAC for Digital Libraries
Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Abstract: Traditional Online Public Access Catalogues (OPACs) are becoming less effective due to the rapid growth of scholarly literature. Conventional search methods, such as keyword indexing and Boolean queries, often fail to support efficient knowledge discovery. This paper proposes a Smart OPAC framework that transforms traditional OPACs into intelligent discovery systems using artificial intelligence and knowledge graph techniques. The framework enables semantic search, thematic filtering, and knowledge graph-based visualization to enhance user interaction and exploration. It integrates multiple open scholarly data sources and applies semantic embeddings to improve relevance and contextual understanding. The system supports exploratory search, semantic navigation, and refined result filtering based on user-defined themes. Quantitative evaluation demonstrates improvements in retrieval efficiency, relevance, and reduction of information overload. The proposed approach offers practical implications for modernizing digital library services and supports next-generation research workflows. Future work includes user-centric evaluation, personalization, and dynamic knowledge graph updates.
Source: arXiv (Cornell University)
Authors: Rajeevan, M. S., Devi, B. Mini
Subfield: Information Systems
Field: Computer Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7149020443
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