Abstract
<jats:p>This article examines the following conditional historical stages of library development, such as pre-digital, digital, and outlines approaches to post-digital. It is stated that the library environment of Ukraine is developing in accordance with the historical trends in the development of world book collections. The features of the initial period of library development in Ukraine are highlighted. It is emphasized that the rapid pace of the spread of digital innovations contributed to the transformation of leading modern libraries, turning them into scientific and information complexes, with the addition of their traditional functionality to analytical and prognostic and expert activities. The theoretical and methodological principles of further paths for the functional development of the 21st century library in the conditions of digitalization are determined. It is recalled that the initiation of research in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) in Ukraine should be considered the work of the outstanding domestic scientist V. Glushkov, who believed in the feasibility of developing and using AI algorithms to automate the management of the state economy. It is concluded that a gradual increase in the specific weight of the implementation of AI technologies within the walls of book collections will contribute to the establishment of the Library under the general patronage of AI.</jats:p>