AI Metadata vs Tagging in School Libraries
15, October 2024
Concord introduces AI Metadata Editor and AI Metadata Search Assistant to support cataloguing and make searching your library more successful.
Concord introduces AI to deliver better search results for students when they search your library catalogue.
In modern school libraries, managing a growing collection of resources with limited staff – while ensuring better student access – is an ongoing challenge.
Concord has introduced AI to make Infiniti library searches smarter, faster and more intuitive.
Problem: Manually assigning tags to books
With many library management systems, librarians must manually tag books with additional specific search terms to facilitate searches. This method presents several challenges:
Time-consuming
Each book requires individual attention to assign relevant search tags, taking time away from other day-to-day tasks.
Inconsistent search results
A book about “dinosaurs” will not appear in searches for “dinosores” or “T-Rex”, unless deliberately tagged.
Labour-intensive for librarians
Librarians must predict every possible term that students might use and tag every relevant book accordingly.
Frustrating for students
Students often struggle to find resources if their search term doesn’t exactly match the assigned subjects or tags.
This process creates inefficiencies and makes it difficult for students to find the information they need quickly – or maybe not even find it at all.
Solution: AI Metadata Editor and AI Metadata Search Assistant
Concord Infiniti harnesses the power of machine learning to revolutionise how librarians categorise books without tagging.
Instead of relying on manually inputting tags or search terms for every book, Infiniti can be taught to automatically “associate” book metadata under broader subjects and intelligently link them to relevant search terms. For example:
- Books related to “tsunamis” are categorised under that subject, and the AI Editor trains Infiniti to recognise connected terms – like “tidal waves”, “storm surges” and “sea swells”.
- Once trained, the AI Search Assistant applies this knowledge across your entire Infiniti catalogue, ensuring that all existing and new books are automatically found.
Key advantages of Infiniti’s AI system include:
One-time training
Infiniti is trained once, and from there, it intelligently links all relevant terms to their categories.
Smart search
When students search, Infiniti will infer the search intent – eliminate “no results found ” or “check your spelling ” messages.
Adaptability
Infiniti understands minor spelling errors, non-English languages, and colloquial terms, ensuring wider searching success.
Infiniti AI eliminates the need for tedious and constant manual updates, making it easier to manage large and growing collections.
What it means for librarians and students
For librarians, Infiniti AI eliminates the manual effort needed to categorise books with tags.
Efficient
Focus on more meaningful tasks, like assisting students with research and reading skills.
Accurate
Categorise book metadata consistently and eliminate the risk of “book-by-book” human error.
Scalable
Ensure new and existing books are effortlessly and iteratively associated in your catalogue from day one.
For students, the benefits of Infiniti AI are even more significant.
Intuitive
Search using a variety of terms and receive relevant results, even when using; colloquialisms, incorrect spelling, or non-English words.
Helpful
Get the right resources quickly and improve student outcomes by spending less time searching and more time on reading and researching.
Choose Concord Infiniti
In a digital educational landscape, Concord Infiniti’s AI Metadata Editor and AI Metadata Search Assistant transform how school libraries manage their collections and deliver better search results.
By automating the “association” process and creating an intuitive, smart search experience, Infiniti allows librarians to work more efficiently and ensures that students can find the resources they intended to find without frustration.
Book a demo with the experts from Concord to see how you can streamline tagging and search metadata in your library.