The hybrid chiera: AI as a decolonial tool for panning for singularities in University Library heritage

Abstract

As university libraries navigate the era of Artificial Intelligence, a critical tension arises between traditional preservation and digital innovation. This article argues that, far from being a threat, AI can be a powerful ally in unearthing unique materials, identifying and highlighting marginalized heritage within vast academic collections. We present a Brazilian perspective on how AI tools can be employed at the University of Brasília’s Central Library (BCE/UnB) to bridge the gap between "disobedient" community memory (such as fanzines and ephemeral local publications) and the global digital ecosystem. By leveraging AI to assist in decolonial curation and the generation of specialized metadata, librarians can combat epistemicide on an unprecedented scale. This "chimera" approach transforms the library into a technological laboratory dedicated to social justice rather than mere administrative efficiency. The study demonstrates that, when guided by human curatorial authority, AI does not automate the librarian's role; instead, it enhances their capacity to safeguard the university's diverse soul, ensuring that community-centered narratives are not lost during the digital transition. Ultimately, it proves that the most powerful innovation is a political, human-centric commitment to using technology to protect diversity and democratic access to knowledge in the Global South