The International Librarian Networking Program brought together librarians from Iran, Argentina, and Botswana to discuss their library experiences and the role of AI. Maryam Zakerhamidi from the Iran Electricity Industry Special Library works to provide resources to power companies. Mariela Quispe previously worked at the Instituto Tecnológico de Buenos Aires university library. Tebogo Khama is a systems librarian at the University of Botswana Library. Through weekly online meetings, the librarians shared their cultures and perspectives on libraries, noting similarities in limited budgets but varying approaches to technology and AI.

1. International Librarian Networking Program:
AI application from the perspective of Libraries in Iran, Botswana, Argentina
Maryam Zakerhamidi, Iran Electricity Industry Special library
Mariela Quispe, Instituto Tecnológico de Buenos Aires library
Tebogo Khama, University of Botswana Library
Iran Electricity Industry library is one of the richest specialized libraries in Power and Energy
industry. It is located in Tehran, Capital of Iran. The library is the major part of power electricity
holding company and plays a great role in providing library services to users from sixteen regional
and forty distribution electricity companies in all over Iran. It holds a wide range of information
resources such as books, periodicals, Language Lab, electronic databases and has access to world
and domestic standard collection of digital resources.
The library is a part of holding company and aims to supports particularly Electronic Engineers,
Technicians, Students and professors through the provision of distinguished information services.
The library provides the educational, research and technical needs of library users through the
continuous ordering of books and the provision of Persian and English information resources.
In order to provide a better service to the scientific and technical community of library users, we
assessed users' needs and continued ordering of books and information resources from national
and international book fairs and interlibrary loan services.
Language lab in library supports fourteen languages information resources and provide an audio
visual services to reading and learning.
Program participant Maryam Zakerhamidi works as an information specialist and reference
librarian at Iran Electricity Industry special library. She provides library users information need
from national and international resources. She also helps to library colleagues from all over the
world through (ILDS) Interlending and library document supply. She constantly attends
professional conferences and share her experiences through workshops to colleagues and library
users in Iran.
Iran Electricity Industry Special library
The information unit of the Instituto Tecnológico de Buenos Aires is a university library
specialized in engineering, although in recent years it has been expanding its collection of
resources, accompanying the new offerings of undergraduate, graduate, and executive courses.
It is located in the capital of the country, the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, and provides
services to the users of its community composed of students, teachers, researchers,
collaborators, and authorities. It also carries out interlibrary loans with libraries of state or
private universities, from the consortium to which it belongs. The full schedule and all the
tasks required for the optimal functioning of the library are carried out by five professional
librarians.
The participant in this program, Mariela Quispe, worked professionally at this library until six
months ago. Her works included technical processes, database statistics, and assistance in the
circulation area. She also carried out interdisciplinary activities such as calculation of metrics
and indicators, participation in training talks for teachers and students, lists of bibliographic
references for new careers, etc. She actively participate as an assistant in workshops,
conferences, and training courses for professionals.
Instituto Tecnológico de Buenos Aires library
University of Botswana is a fully serviced academic and research library that exists to
support and complement the University of Botswana(UB) community learning, teaching
and research needs. The University of Botswana (UB) was established by the government
in 1982 as a national university; the country’s flagship university. The UB Library offers a
pool of reputable and authoritative resources for learning and research; through electronic
& networked databases, books(print, electronic), inter lending services and research
support to enhance critical thinking. The International Library Network program honoured
Tebogo Khama as one of their own. Tebogo is a systems librarian (support services)
charged with supporting the various department’s systems user account setup, maintenance
and enhancements recommendations as needed.
Our partner's weekly online meeting was a highlight for me! It was a time for all to share in
their experiences; it was an eye opening and also a moment of reckoning as our
experiences were relatable with varying perspectives that were fascinating and valuable.
During this short(priceless) time; we appreciated each other’s cultures, broadening our
perspectives on humanity. It is during the sessions one wished the programs could have
been an in person meet session
University of Botswana Library
Final Thoughts
As a part of the International Librarian Networking Program, we
met via Google meet once a week for three months during the
spring 2023. Our meetings were mostly conducted online through
emails and our social media group. We did share a social media
group and had some conversations through social media messaging
system. Our conversations were structured around the program
prompts which includes themes of our individual backgrounds, the
state of profession of librarianship in our country and our current
priority projects and our work.
Program Format
Contacts
Iran Perspective:
It was very interesting comparing our library experiences and education across three continents. Our libraries are developing and implementing
new approaches such as AI to modernizing their processes and services and lack of the budget is the same limitations in our libraries. Libraries
can take a reactive approach to the foreshadowed greater integration of AI within their products and services by examining how they can engage
strategically with an AI dominant future.
Argentine perspective:
In general, libraries are several steps behind in the implementation of technological developments, and this library is no exception. I have been
amazed at how my colleagues have implemented services based on AI, such as chatbots or recommending readings to users based on their
previous choices. Comparing our libraries, sociocultural contexts, training, and experiences, what has surprised me the most is the resilience and
commitment to the profession that my two colleagues put into practice in their daily work.
Botswana Perspective:
A burning topic, AI kept frequenting the meet up sessions; this challenged each one to evaluate their institutions/departments service delivery. It
called for us to appreciate that as information professionals we need to keep up with trends especially those of technology to safeguard the
integrity of our profession.
Library Comparisons
What we learned
The ILNP is a wonderful program that helps in bridging the gap and opens up collaboration between information professionals. participants are able to share experiences, cultures, compare similarities and network. After the experience one hopes we go
back to the drawing board to improve on service delivery as well pursue interests with a varied network and support systems across the continent.
The program providing an amazing opportunity to learn more about libraries and their librarians in a completely different parts of the world with a different cultural context. Broadening our knowledge and experiences. As a participant of the ILNP who
benefited from networking with international colleagues it was a great opportunity and can be a good starting point for future collaborations.
During our conversations this spring, we learned not only about our respective
libraries and library systems and services, but also about each other and our
cultures, histories and experiences. There were profound similarities and
variations in the way the different countries go about servicing patrons. The
goal and purpose of all showed passionate and driven professionals. The
cultural diversity is one that is uniting as all get a chance to learn about the
other - invitations to visit the countries are open. Pleased in a group of three
we discussed our various interests, experiences in our own libraries. We
concentrated on AI tools: assess and examine the possible application of
Artificial intelligence tools in our libraries that are changing our libraries
services in near future.
Mariela Quispe
The Instituto Tecnológico de Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Email: quispemarielaveronica@gmail.com
Maryam Zakerhamidi
Iran Electricity Industry Special Library
Tehran, Iran
Email: Maryamzakerhamidi@gmail.com
Tebogo Khama
University of Botswana Library
Botswana, South Africa
Email:khamat@ub.ac.bw