Adoption of artificial intelligence in academic libraries: A systematic review of current practices, challenges, and research opportunities
Lateef Ayinde, Raphael Ebiefung, Bolaji David Oladokun
Abstract
Given the strategic role of academic libraries in higher education, this study provides a systematic literature review on the current practices, challenges to the adoption of Artificial Intelligence and the future research directions in academic libraries. A total of 29 relevant articles were used for review based on their relevance. Only peer-reviewed journal articles and conference papers published in the last five years (2020–2024) were selected and included in the study. Web of Science, SCOPUS, and Library and Information Science Abstract (LISA) were the databases consulted. The current practices were grouped into six major dimensions, including technical services, references and information services, administrative services and circulation, collection development, information literacy and user education, and professional development and collaboration. The results showed that the most prominent use of AI in academic libraries is for reference and information services. Furthermore, it was found that 48.28 % (14) of the articles cited Funding as the major institutional challenge to AI adoption in academic libraries. A cluster of studies included in the review emphasized the need for more user-driven research on AI applications in academic libraries. This study reflects the importance of retraining librarians to develop new competencies in managing AI-enhanced communication tools, including chatbot integration and prompt engineering.