Proceedings of 3rd International Conference on Library & Technology on “Artificial Intelligence and Humanities in Library and Education 4.0 (AIHLE 2025)

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Framework for Secure and Sustainable Management of Legal Documents in Academic Libraries Using Smart Contracts

Authors
Deepak Bhatt1, *, Amar Jeet Rawat2
1Uttaranchal University, Dehradun, India
2Uttaranchal University, Dehradun, India
*Corresponding author. Email: bhattdpac@gmail.com
Corresponding Author
Deepak Bhatt
Available Online 16 March 2026.
DOI
10.2991/978-94-6239-618-0_18How to use a DOI?
Keywords
Blockchain; Smart Contracts; Hybrid Intelligence; Digital Preservation; Legal Tech; Explainable AI
Abstract

In academic libraries, the digitization of legal documents poses significant long-term preservation, security, and access concerns. This paper proposes a new architecture to overcome these concerns, which considers the solution in terms of a Hybrid Intelligence (HI) system---a system that supplements human intelligence without replacing it. Our framework establishes an environment for librarians and AI components to work collaboratively by incorporating blockchain, smart contracts and Natural Language Processing (NLP). In our framework, we leverage the immutability of a permissioned blockchain (Hyperledger Fabric) and decentralized storage (IPFS) to create a tamper-proof repository, while document lifecycle policies are automated and enforced using smart contracts. Emphasizing responsible governance and explainability, the HI approach addresses known issues with blockchain adoption. In this paper, I will highlight the alignment of the system with the principles of Collaborative, Responsible and Explainable AI, outline the architecture of the system, and detail a use case in a university library context. The proposed framework presents a realistic pathway for developing secure, efficient, and sustainable digital preservation systems for sensitive legal documents.

Copyright
© 2026 The Author(s)
Open Access
Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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Volume Title
Proceedings of 3rd International Conference on Library & Technology on “Artificial Intelligence and Humanities in Library and Education 4.0 (AIHLE 2025)
Series
Advances in Intelligent Systems Research
Publication Date
16 March 2026
ISBN
978-94-6239-618-0
ISSN
1951-6851
DOI
10.2991/978-94-6239-618-0_18How to use a DOI?
Copyright
© 2026 The Author(s)
Open Access
Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

Cite this article

risenwbib
TY  - CONF
AU  - Deepak Bhatt
AU  - Amar Jeet Rawat
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/03/16
TI  - Framework for Secure and Sustainable Management of Legal Documents in Academic Libraries Using Smart Contracts
BT  - Proceedings of 3rd International Conference on Library & Technology on “Artificial Intelligence and Humanities in Library and Education 4.0 (AIHLE 2025)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 237
EP  - 251
SN  - 1951-6851
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-94-6239-618-0_18
DO  - 10.2991/978-94-6239-618-0_18
ID  - Bhatt2026
ER  -