A unified Library Management System designed to help librarians manage growing complexity, adopt Academic AI responsibly and strengthen the library’s impact across teaching, learning, and research.
According to The Pulse of the Library 2025, 67% of libraries are already exploring or implementing AI, yet most describe themselves as being in the early stages of that journey. What is clear is that librarians are not looking for experimentation for its own sake. They are looking for practical, responsible ways to use AI that align with professional values and existing workflows.
Built for librarians not around them
One of the most consistent themes across librarian feedback is that AI works best when it is integrated into core systems. Standalone tools can introduce risk, governance complexity and training burdens at a time when libraries can at least afford them.
Alma, a unified library service platform, takes a different approach. Its Academic AI capabilities are built directly into familiar workflows such as cataloging. This allows libraries to begin using AI in low risk, high impact ways without changing how they work or what they value.
Smarter metadata with human oversight at the center
Behind every successful discovery experience is high quality metadata. Yet maintaining accuracy and consistency across growing collections is increasingly time-consuming and complex.
The Alma Metadata Assistant was designed specifically to address this challenge. Introduced in February 2025, it assists with routine metadata tasks such as generating subject headings, summaries and language tags while keeping librarians firmly in control of final decisions.
As Mingyan Li, Metadata Librarian at the University of Illinois Chicago, explains, “With this powerful tool we can improve our efficiency and workflow, and guarantee at the same time expert interpretation when needed and necessary to oversee and ensure the quality of the metadata”.
Reducing manual work while protecting standards
Academic AI in Alma focuses on small, discrete tasks that scale across thousands of records. This approach reduces repetitive manual work while preserving librarian judgment and accountability.
Lili Daie, Alma Product Manager and Librarian, notes, “AI can’t replace the expertise of librarians, but with thoughtful community feedback and careful design, it becomes a powerful partner helping catalogers start faster, reduce manual effort, and unlock access to hidden collections”.
This balance is critical at a time when 62% of libraries cite budget constraints as their top challenge. By embedding AI within existing systems, Alma helps libraries unlock efficiencies and return on investment from tools they already license rather than requiring new platforms or additional spend.
A community driven approach to innovation
Alma’s evolution has always been shaped by its global community of libraries. Today, more than 2,700 institutions collaborate through shared development, analytics, linked data initiatives and now Academic AI innovation.
This community driven model ensures that new capabilities reflect how libraries actually work rather than theoretical use cases.
Dana Moshkovits, Senior Director of Product Management at Ex Libris, explains, “We are driving meaningful progress in library resource management while fostering a stronger, more connected global library community”.
This collaborative foundation also plays a key role in addressing bias, governance and ethical considerations around AI. Community feedback loops and librarian oversight ensure Academic AI in Alma evolves responsibly and transparently.
Future ready without disruption
Innovation has always been part of librarianship, but the pace of change continues to accelerate. Nearly half of librarians now identify the ability to innovate as the most important future skill.
Alma supports this reality by providing a stable, extensible platform where libraries can introduce AI responsibly. Academic AI features are introduced incrementally, embedded in trusted workflows and guided by librarian expertise.
As Elizabeth York, Electronic Resources Librarian at Rutgers University, cautions, “We should be careful to use it for real applications that will have real benefits and not to treat it casually”.
Alma helps libraries do exactly that.
Alma powered by Academic AI is built around a simple principle: The human remains at the center. For libraries looking to explore AI responsibly, Alma offers a proven starting point. One that is familiar, trustworthy and aligned with the values librarians have upheld for generations. Curious to see it for yourself? Request your demo here!
