On the morning of October 25, 2019, Professor Robert Darnton, the former Director of Harvard University Library (“HU Library”), gave a lecture entitled "Libraries, Books, and the Digital Future " in the lecture hall on the basement floor of King Abdulaziz Public Library Branch in Peking University (“Library Branch”). In the afternoon of the same day, Ms. Geneva Henry, the current Director of George Washington University Library (“GW Library”) and head of the Academic Innovation Department of GW Library, visited the Library Branch and presented an academic report themed "Research Libraries as Navigators for AI and New Technologies on Campus" in the 212 conference room.

In the morning lecture, Professor Robert Darnton made a brilliant analysis on how to maximize the sharing of cultural resources through digitalization. He introduced the largest online document resource integration platform in the United States—Digital Public Library of America (DPLA). As an open and distributed online resource integration platform, it made the presence of a huge digital library possible through the Internet, bringing together physical libraries, universities, museums and other cultural heritage and providing free cultural resources for everyone. Professor Robert Darnton’s speech conveyed the tenet of "Knowledge is the common wealth of mankind", and highlighted the contribution of modern technology represented by the Internet to knowledge sharing as well as the big role it would continue to play in the foreseeable future.

Prof. Robert Darnton gave a lecture in the hall

The scene of Q&A

In the afternoon lecture, Ms. Geneva Henry gave a detailed introduction to the history, collection features, digital library building and the support for teaching and research provided by subject services of GW Library and its Academic Innovation Department to the teachers, students and librarians at the gathering. She also shared experience on how their research librarians combined artificial intelligence with library development and the significant services they provided for AI researchers regarding ethical and policy issues.

Over one hundred teachers, students and librarians from Peking University participated in the two lectures, listening to and learning from the valuable experience of HU Library and GW Library in digital library development.