Virtual information assistants on mobile app to serve visitors at Helsinki Central Library Oodi
Hammais, Eero; Ketamo, Harri; Koivisto, Antti (2019)
Hammais, Eero
Ketamo, Harri
Koivisto, Antti
IFLA
2019
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
http://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe202001314176
Lähdeviite:
http://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe202001314176
Lähdeviite:
Hammais E., Ketamo H., Koivisto A., (2019). Virtual information assistants on mobile app to serve visitors at Helsinki Central Library Oodi. , IFLA.
Tiivistelmä
A big challenge for library visitors has always been the great amount of information and how to find
new interesting and available content quickly and easily. From libraries’ point of view, the challenge
is how to offer different kinds of reader profiles with reading suggestions in a fast, efficient and
entertaining way. Library classification rigorously guides the search for information but doesn’t serve
all user profiles that well. Many users want to discover content across genre boundaries but at the
same time stick to interesting themes.
Headai created mobile application with six distinctive, AI-based recommenders for the Helsinki
Central Library Oodi. Based on their own areas of interest, these virtual assistants provide visitors
with interesting reading suggestions. The service design goes hand in hand with Oodi’s modern
architecture and the role of forerunner of libraries in Finland harnessing new technology to serve
visitors. To support the idea of virtual assistants, it was natural to use chat-like user interface. Every
recommender was designed to have their own personality.
AI-assisted book recommenders act as great enthusiasts in serving reading suggestions. At the same
time, they utilize many available APIs to enrich the visitor’s experience. The intuitive user interface
makes the use very fast and easy. An artificial-intelligence-based book suggesting is a good example
of a new technology that can add value to library content and automate repetitive information
routines.
new interesting and available content quickly and easily. From libraries’ point of view, the challenge
is how to offer different kinds of reader profiles with reading suggestions in a fast, efficient and
entertaining way. Library classification rigorously guides the search for information but doesn’t serve
all user profiles that well. Many users want to discover content across genre boundaries but at the
same time stick to interesting themes.
Headai created mobile application with six distinctive, AI-based recommenders for the Helsinki
Central Library Oodi. Based on their own areas of interest, these virtual assistants provide visitors
with interesting reading suggestions. The service design goes hand in hand with Oodi’s modern
architecture and the role of forerunner of libraries in Finland harnessing new technology to serve
visitors. To support the idea of virtual assistants, it was natural to use chat-like user interface. Every
recommender was designed to have their own personality.
AI-assisted book recommenders act as great enthusiasts in serving reading suggestions. At the same
time, they utilize many available APIs to enrich the visitor’s experience. The intuitive user interface
makes the use very fast and easy. An artificial-intelligence-based book suggesting is a good example
of a new technology that can add value to library content and automate repetitive information
routines.