Some of the content in this article was originally in Chinese and was kindly provided by the Shanghai Library.
On April 15, the info session for the 10th Shanghai Library Open Data Contest was held at Duke Kunshan University (DKU), with strong support from the DKU Library. The event attracted students and faculty from Computation and Design, Data Science, Political Economy, Environmental Science, Cultures and Movements as well as the Library.
The session was hosted by Mengjie Zou, Interim University Librarian at DKU. She expressed that DKU Library is honored to support the 10th Shanghai Library Open Data Contest. As an institution committed to fostering interdisciplinary research and innovation, DKU Library recognizes the value of open data not only as a rich academic resource, but also as a foundation for creative exploration and technological advancement.
Mr. Qiang Xu, Deputy Director of Shanghai Library, delivered the keynote presentation. He introduced the contest’s background and core concepts, emphasizing the importance of integrating open data with artificial intelligence, particularly its potential in AIGC (Artificial Intelligence Generated Content) and large language model applications. Mr. Xu stressed that high-quality data is key to AI development. He also shared the development trends of smart libraries and several real-world application cases, encouraging participants to explore innovative uses of open data.
Ms. Zheyu Zhang from the Shanghai Library team presented the specific structure of this year’s contest. Ms. Mengying Wang introduced the open data platform and related resources of Shanghai Library. Mr. Yumeng Yao provided an overview of modern historical open data resources from the Index to Chinese Newspapers and Periodicals.
The session concluded with an engaging Q&A, where students and faculty had in-depth discussions with the speakers on data usage timelines and methods. The info session at DKU wrapped up successfully.
This year’s Shanghai Library Open Data Contest continues to offer participants a wide range of rich historical and cultural datasets. With the theme “Wisdom Through Millennia, Ancient Charm Reborn,” the contest will officially launch on April 23 and welcomes submissions from around the globe, including applications, academic papers, and AIGC creations. There are no restrictions on how the data may be used—creative and original ideas are highly encouraged.
In addition, Duke Kunshan University Library will offer dedicated funding support for DKU participants and collaborative support for faculty advisors. By providing funding opportunities, the Library aims to encourage broad participation and empower the DKU community to transform data into meaningful insights and creative outcomes.
For the slides and recording of the info session, please click this link (NetID required).
