A Librarian’s Dream: Russia Builds an AI Cataloging System with Multilingual Skills

Russia has developed a homegrown AI service designed to digitize library systems. The tool promises to transform the way documents are processed and searched, and it is already receiving user feedback.

Generating Records in Seconds

The Arctic State Institute of Culture and Arts (AGIKI), together with the National Library of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), has developed Russia’s first AI-powered service for library digitization. The system consists of three modules: automated cataloging, a virtual assistant, and a text processing engine.

The platform accelerates cataloging and document searches, reducing the workload of routine library tasks. According to Timur Alekseev, Head of AGIKI’s AI Center, the current version supports automated preparation of bibliographic records in the RUSMARC format—Russia’s machine-readable standard for authority data. The module is now being tested with experts from the Scientific Library of the Buryat State Agricultural Academy.

“We received the first wave of user feedback, which has already led to technical and interface upgrades aimed at improving cataloging accuracy and simplifying data uploads,” Alekseev said. A prototype is publicly available for testing.

What Can the AI Cataloger Do?

The system automatically fills in all the fields of bibliographic records, producing accurate metadata without manual input. It supports dozens of languages—including minority languages of the Russian North—thanks to advanced language models. Another advantage is seamless integration: an API enables fast, secure connectivity with OPAC-global and other library systems, synchronizing data in real time.

Experts see the AI cataloger as an indispensable tool for schools, research institutions, libraries, and archives.

At our AI center at AGIKI, we are actively digitizing and preserving archival collections gathered by ethnographers, anthropologists, and other researchers over decades. For instance, we use AI in projects mapping soundscapes, recreating the sounds of rare and historic instruments that are disappearing cultural artifacts

Elena Vasileva

Senior Lecturer at AGIKI’s Department of Cultural Studies and Arctic Cultural Heritage, Chief Specialist at the Geo-Cultural Branding Lab

AI as a Tool for Preserving Cultural Identity

The National Library of Yakutia was the first in Russia to integrate GigaChat into its online reader services. These include the 'Expert of Yakutia' chatbot, the 'AI-Text' service for digitized documents, and the 'Digital Librarian of Yakutia' Telegram bot, which has already processed over 33,000 requests in six months.

In the Sakha Republic, AI is increasingly used to preserve cultural heritage. AGIKI is implementing the 'Arctic Cultural Code' project, which aims to create new cultural technologies while safeguarding traditional values and worldviews of Arctic peoples. The AI cataloger is one of the most groundbreaking initiatives in this space, boosting the efficiency of libraries while reducing resource costs. For everyday readers, it means easier access to learning materials, research documents, and archival content.

Leadership in Library Digitization

Russia is strengthening its leadership in library digitization and setting an example for countries seeking innovative ways to modernize archives. Universal AI solutions for cataloging may be adopted not only across Russia but also abroad.

The system builds on AGIKI’s earlier AI projects and could become a technological backbone for library infrastructure nationwide. Plans include expanding pilot programs to other Russian universities and libraries, and potentially exporting the technology to other countries, with adaptations for international cataloging standards.