From October 11 to 18, the 2026 Silk Road International Library Alliance Workshop, hosted by the National Library of China (NLC) and organized by the Shaanxi Library, was held in Xi’an, Shaanxi Province. Twenty-six representatives from 26 member institutions of the Silk Road International Library Alliance (SRILA) across 14 countries attended the event.

Centered on the theme of "Empowerment through Digital Intelligence, Jointly Building the Silk Road: Theories and Innovative Practices of Smart Libraries", this workshop featured lectures delivered by eight experts in relevant fields. The courses covered an overview of smart libraries, the repositioning of libraries in the algorithmic era, key technologies for intelligent information services in the digital intelligence age, from knowledge intermediary to cognitive intermediary-- future library 1.0, and case studies on selected smart library initiatives.

Besides thematic lectures, in light of the progress of Xi’an’s smart city development, the workshop featured field teaching and on-site sharing sessions. It arranged for participants to visit a number of cultural and museum institutions to gain first-hand experience of Xi’an’s latest achievements in smart city development, the application of digital intelligence to cultural inheritance, and scenario-based practices of smart libraries, promoting the integration of theoretical discussion and practical observation.