Knowledge-based systems in libraries
Automation can do more than help
librarians
provide information to users. Sometimes computer applications might even replace
the need for
reference staff to serve as intermediaries between users and
information. The development of knowledge-based systems or expert systems has
this promise.
Knowledge-based systems is often abbreviated as KBSs. These
systems have come out of the field of artificial intelligence. Library
applications soon followed the initial work on artificial intelligence in the
late 1950s.
A pioneer in the field of AI from Stanford University named E.A. Feigenbaum
defines knowledge based, or expert systems as “an intelligent computer system
that uses knowledge and inference procedures to solve problems that are
difficult enough to require significant human expertise for their solution.” For
humans to exhibit expert performance in any number of tasks they need
extensive knowledge and experience. A KBS tries to emulate this performance by acquiring and using the same knowledge that the human expert has.
There are two main reasons that librarians are interested in developing KBSs.
The first is to make their expertise available to customers at all times. The
second is to save staff time in answering “routine” questions. This is important
in times of decreasing resources. A system was developed as early as 1967 that
was designed to retrieve the titles of works that could best answer biology
reference questions. Several computer programs called expert systems had
appeared by the mid-1970s. These early systems had limited flexibility, speed,
ease of development and alternation, and portability. Some of these limitations
were overcome by expert systems that could be mounted on microcomputers, and
became available to customers in particular libraries.
A knowledge-based system consists of three things. First is a knowledge base of facts
and heuristics related to the problem. Second is a control structure, or an
inference procedure. This is to utilize the database in solving the problem.
Third is a working memory, or database to keep track of the status of the
problem.
Communication is required between computer programmers and experts in the field in order to develop expert systems. Computer programmers in this field are
called knowledge engineers. Experts tell programmers how problems are solved
and the heuristics that are used. The knowledge engineer takes the information
and programs the strategies into the system. The ability of the system to solve
problems improves with the addition of knowledge from different experts.
The ability to make the expertise of the reference staff available in a more
consistent and timely fashion as well as free professionals from the burden of
repetitive questions is the reason that expert systems have potential importance
for reference services. There are a number of ways they can do this. One is by
developing programs that can teach the reference process through machine
simulation of the reference interview. Another is by providing basic
assistance to users when personal help is not available. A third is by
simulating the decision-making steps involved in negotiating a question and
selecting appropriate source to answer it.
Many expert systems are now being applied in reference services. These include
systems that recommend novels to readers, advise on dietary fiber, assist in choosing an index in biology or agriculture, translate natural language search
inquiries into search statements that are acceptable for searching such things
as the MEDLINE database, and instruct users in how to use Index Medicus
for subject searches. In the 1980s interest in KBSs rapidly grew, and in 1988
these systems reached a development peak. Development and interest in these
systems seems to have declined since then. Time, expertise, and resources to
develop are required by a KBS. Then there is the uncertainty about the potential
benefits as well. The advances in the technology of oonline public access catalogs and the World Wide Web might rekindle interest in knowledge based
systems. There are now many Internet based expert systems that accommodate
questions in plain English. The system offers answers to a query appear in about
the same time it takes a search engine to do a search. It offers real-time
reference assistance. Currently the performance of these systems is inconsistent
but their refinement would allow expert systems to reach far beyond an
individual library and benefit a far greater number of library customers.
The question of deprofessionalizing librarianship is going to come up as more
expert systems are developed that can do more and more of the tasks that are now
performed by reference staff. The desirability of removing reference staff from
the intermediary role between user and information will be debated. The benefits
of increasing access to reference expertise will also be debated. Determining
just when such systems are appropriate in reference service will be something
the reference staff will find necessary to determine. Sensitivity and
objectivity as well as the needs of customers must be foremost in their minds
while making these decisions.