Abstract:

[Purpose/Significance] The rapid evolution of artificial intelligence technologies from dialogue-based generation to autonomous task execution marks a paradigm shift with profound implications for library services. A new generation of AI agents, exemplified by the open-source project OpenClaw, can independently plan multi-step tasks, invoke external tools, operate computer interfaces through visual perception, and deliver structured work products with minimal human intervention. The shift from "answering questions" to "completing tasks" fundamentally challenges the traditional library service model. The model has long been based on the idea that librarians serve as the primary connection between information resources and users. Libraries worldwide are facing an increasing structural tension: their collections are expanding while their staffing levels are remaining constrained, resulting in unmet knowledge service demands. Agent technologies, with their capabilities for autonomous planning, tool invocation, environmental perception, and persistent memory, offer a potential pathway to address this gap. However, the library community currently lacks a systematic analytical framework through which to understand how this technology paradigm intersects with existing service architectures, governance requirements, and organizational structures. This study addresses this gap by providing both a conceptual framework for analyzing agent technologies in the library context and practical guidance for their implementation and governance, contributing to the broader discourse on intelligent library transformation as articulated in national science and technology development strategies. [Method/Process] This study employs a multi-method research design with OpenClaw as the primary analytical lens. The technical architecture analysis involves systematic examination of OpenClaw's publicly available documentation, GitHub source code repository, and official technical publications. Four core mechanisms are deconstructed in detail: the Computer Use Agent paradigm, which enables vision-driven interface operation through periodic screen capture, multimodal language model interpretation, and simulated mouse and keyboard actions; the local-first architecture with model-agnostic design, which maintains data sovereignty through a decentralized gateway-node topology while supporting flexible switching among multiple large language models; the Heartbeat mechanism, which transforms the agent from a passive responder into a proactive monitor through a condition-triggered self-inspection cycles; and the Model Context Protocol, an open standard for tool integration that enables any MCP-compliant agent to invoke standardized service capabilities. Case comparison analysis evaluates two contrasting platform approaches for supporting agent deployment in libraries - FOLIO Eureka, representing the next-generation Library Service Platform pathway with its microservice architecture, API gateway, and event-driven communication, and the Cloud Alliance's A-LSP, representing an agent-native design philosophy that positions intelligent agents as the core organizational principle of library service platforms. Policy document analysis examines the IFLA Guide on the Introduction of AI in Libraries, China's New Generation Artificial Intelligence Development Plan, the Data Security Law, and the Personal Information Protection Law, as well as regional policy experiments in agent technology promotion. Security incident case studies draw from the ClawHavoc supply chain attack, which compromised over 21 000 active instances; Cisco Talos security audits, which revealed prompt injection vulnerabilities; and CrowdStrike threat assessments, which identified misconfiguration risks that could transform agents into attack vectors. [Results/Conclusions] The study proposed a critical distinction between "narrow OpenClaw" (the specific open-source product and its derivative ecosystem) and "broad OpenClaw" (the agent technology paradigm it represents), arguing that libraries must engage strategically with both dimensions while avoiding the twin pitfalls of conflating technology trends with product procurement decisions or dismissing an entire paradigm based on the limitations of a single product. The narrow application analysis identified three viable deployment scenarios - personal productivity tools for librarians, information collection and subject monitoring, and reader-facing service prototyping - while documenting associated risks in technical stability, supply chain security, and regulatory compliance. The broad paradigm analysis revealed five structural impacts on libraries: diversification of service entry points through embedded integration, transformation from reactive response to proactive push services, evolution of reader information behaviors from search to delegation, disruption of commercial ecosystems including usage-based pricing models, and fundamental repositioning of libraries as knowledge infrastructure in the AI ecosystem. Four architectural prerequisites for agent deployment were identified: API openness, event-driven capabilities, permission governance, and observability, with insufficient system openness identified as the primary bottleneck that constrains implementation. Three differentiated implementation pathways were proposed with corresponding phased strategies. A comprehensive governance framework has been constructed encompassing six dimensions: system security with defense-in-depth measures, data governance and privacy protection aligned with national legislation, ethical standards addressing algorithmic bias and hallucination risks, copyright compliance addressing the ambiguity of agent-mediated access under existing licensing agreements, human-agent collaboration through a tiered oversight system, and standardization initiatives including library-specific MCP tool standards. The study also proposed institutional innovations such as "agent sandbox zones" that allow controlled experimentation in isolated environments. The research concluded that the highly structured and process-oriented nature of library workflows makes libraries a particularly suitable domain for agent technology adoption, but successful implementation depends on the coordinated advancement of technical readiness, governance maturity, and organizational change capacity. Limitations of this study include the nascent stage of actual agent deployment in libraries, which means the proposed frameworks await empirical validation. Future research directions include conducting empirical studies of library agent deployments, developing standardization pathways for cross-library agent collaboration, investigating copyright licensing adaptation mechanisms for agent-mediated access, and examining the long-term impact of agent technologies on the library profession and library science education.

Key words: AI agents, OpenClaw, smart libraries, service reconfiguration, computer-use agent, model context protocol, generative engine optimization, governance framework