Cataloging and Classification of Arabic Manuscripts in Light of Modern Technologies and Artificial Intelligence
A Prospective Vision
Keywords:
Arabic-Islamic Heritage, Arabic Manuscripts; Manuscript Cataloging, Manuscript Classification, Cataloging Standards, Name Authority Files, Manuscript Cataloguer, Application of Artificial Intelligence in Cataloging and ClassificationAbstract
The Arabic manuscript heritage gains a unique significance, not only within the Arab and Islamic worlds but also globally. It constitutes the largest and most extensive corpus of surviving manuscripts, spanning centuries and currently housed in over 100 countries. Its immense value lies in documenting the original Arab-Islamic contributions across various fields of knowledge, making it an invaluable resource for numerous academic research.
This intellectual heritage critically requires accurate description and systematic organization. This ensures rapid and easy accessibility. This study aims to provide a prospective vision for the technical processing of the Arab manuscript heritage. The study begins with an accurate examination of the current status of manuscript cataloging and classification practices, including the utilization of Artificial Intelligence (AI). It seeks to identify the inherent strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and challenges.
The study employed a descriptive methodology using content analysis to examine existing rules, standards, systems, and applications. This was supplemented by a survey of domain experts to validate a future vision, which is founded upon two main pillars: Establishing a dedicated Arab institution responsible for Arabic manuscript heritage, and implementing several programs focused on establishing standardized cataloging rules, creating a unified authority file for classical Arab author names, developing a list of subject headings specific to Arabic manuscript heritage, and establishing a unified classification system for Arabic manuscripts.
