Enhanced International Nuclear Information System Introduces Full-Text Search with Invenio

With contributions from over 130 countries and 11 international organizations, INIS continues to expand rapidly, adding more than 100,000 new knowledge products annually.

The International Nuclear Information System (INIS), a digital repository managed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), has made a major technological advancement by integrating a modern repository platform featuring full-text search capabilities for the first time. This enhancement significantly improves accessibility and automation, positioning INIS as a global leader in nuclear knowledge sharing.

A Vast and Evolving Digital Library

Since its establishment in 1970, INIS has grown into one of the world’s most comprehensive nuclear science repositories, housing nearly five million reports, books, scientific articles, conference papers, and other knowledge products. These materials span a vast array of nuclear-related topics, including reactor technology, materials science, medical applications, decommissioning, and many others that align with the IAEA’s mission.

With contributions from over 130 countries and 11 international organizations, INIS continues to expand rapidly, adding more than 100,000 new knowledge products annually. The repository also benefits from partnerships with major publishers such as Elsevier, Nature-Springer, and the Institute of Physics, ensuring a continuous influx of valuable research materials.

Leveraging Invenio for Enhanced Search and Connectivity

To meet the evolving needs of researchers and scientists, the IAEA has adopted Invenio, an open-source platform developed by the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN). This integration brings significant improvements, including automation, expanded storage capacity, and enhanced interoperability with other scientific repositories.

INIS is now the first large-scale repository to implement full-text search using Invenio, enabling users to search not only metadata but also the full content of documents in PDF format. This advancement is expected to facilitate easier access to scientific knowledge and promote more efficient research.

“In today’s knowledge-based economy, information is among the most valuable resources. It is critical for research, innovation, decision-making, and knowledge sharing,” said Dibuleng Mohlakwana, Head of the IAEA’s Nuclear Information Section. “This new platform enhances INIS’s role as a global leader in open science, improving its capabilities as a vital information hub supporting nuclear science for peaceful applications.”

Artificial Intelligence-Driven Indexing with NADIA

Previously, categorizing and tagging documents in INIS required extensive manual effort. Now, this task is largely automated through NADIA (Nuclear Artificial Intelligence for Document Indexing and Analysis), an AI tool developed by the IAEA. NADIA efficiently processes newly added documents, assigning relevant descriptors and ensuring a structured, easily searchable database. Additionally, a user-friendly submission form has replaced the previously complex entry system, making it easier for contributors to add new materials without specialized training.

Supporting the Open Access Movement

As scientific publishing increasingly shifts toward open access, INIS is aligning with this trend by fostering greater transparency and accessibility in nuclear research. By connecting with external repositories such as arXiv, the Directory of Open Access Journals, and PubMed, INIS expands its reach and ensures that valuable nuclear knowledge is freely available to researchers, policymakers, and the public.

“One of the great things about this platform is that whatever we develop here can be shared with other organizations. Not only are we disseminating scientific knowledge, but we are also contributing to the development of Invenio,” said Astrit Ademaj, Nuclear Systems Support Analyst and Project Manager for the Invenio implementation.

Expanding Knowledge and Addressing Global Challenges

INIS continues to be a hub for pioneering research in nuclear science. Among the most popular recent additions to the repository is the Prospective Study Bluebook on Nuclear Energy to Support Low Carbon, a collaborative effort between nuclear companies in China and France aimed at addressing climate change challenges. Over the past five years alone, INIS has added over 600,000 such knowledge products, reflecting its commitment to advancing nuclear science and technology for the benefit of humanity.

With these latest improvements, INIS is poised to become an even more valuable resource for researchers worldwide, reinforcing its role as a leader in global nuclear information exchange.