This study aims to identify the challenges associated with digital transformation in public libraries in Upper Egypt and assess their impact on the delivery of digital services. Using a qualitative approach, the study involved in-depth interviews and focus group discussions conducted across 31 public libraries, engaging 63 participants (library staff) during June and July 2025. While most participants view the digital transformation of library operations and services as essential and desirable, they consider the current approach inadequate, noting that it has failed to produce tangible results for both staff and patrons. Although library staff recognise the significance of digital transformation and its potential to improve service delivery, they lack control over the process. As a result, they must rely on individual initiatives to meet user needs, whether through traditional services or by creating social media pages that operate without government oversight or supervision. The insufficient digital transformation has considerably affected the technical operations and services of public libraries in Upper Egypt, with experts describing the transformation efforts in these libraries as “weak.” Most strategies were largely individual endeavours rather than part of a structured, organised approach. Key factors hindering digital transformation in these libraries include a lack of government will, interest, vision, and appropriate planning, along with fragile technological infrastructure and software and a shortage of digitally qualified library personnel.
Rarely do any studies propose a minimal-coding methodology to customize a Large Language Model (LLM) as part of the AI-driven automation of information services in libraries. This paper fills in the gap by illustrating a four-stage methodology to customize Llama 3 when automating cataloging, chat support, and recommendation services. Firstly, we collected and processed library data, that is, 197 frequently asked questions from the library website of a leading Research-I university in the US, and metadata of 450,320 books and their one-million-plus user ratings from the Book-Crossing dataset. Secondly, we applied the finetuning technique to customize the LLM using 80 percent of the collected data. Thirdly, we tested the customized LLM using the remaining 20 percent of the collected data. We used BERT F1 and ROUGE scores to evaluate the performance of the customized LLM, which confirmed the quality of its output. Finally, we uploaded the customized LLM to HuggingFace, an open-access repository. We present benefits for non-technical information professionals (e.g., minimal-coding methodology), information organizations (e.g., transportability of the proposed methodology, extending and expanding services), and patrons (e.g., privacy). Theoretical implications at the intersection of AI, information organization, and human-information interaction are discussed at the end.
This three-year mixed-methods study in 12 information-rich Indian higher education institutions (HEIs) examined an ethical AI pedagogy blending AI literacy, ethics, and offline access. Based on UNESCO’s AI Competency Frameworks for students and teachers which stress human-centred thinking, AI ethics, and system design the model advances information literacy by fostering critical AI evaluation in education and libraries. Using a quasi-experimental design (intervention n = 600; control n = 568), plus journals, focus groups, and analytics, it engaged 1168 students, faculty, and administrators. Intervention participants gained superior AI literacy (78.9%, d = 0.80), ethical awareness (76%, d = 0.90), creativity, and collaboration. Results were equitable across genders and non-technical students, aligning with NEP 2020s interdisciplinarity and equity aims. Qualitative data revealed enhanced moral agency and fairness-by-design habits. Yet rural sites faced anxiety, low readiness, and infrastructure issues, widening urban-rural gaps in AI literacy (85.2% vs 69.2%) and ethics (85% vs 62%). Following ICMR, Helsinki, and DPDP guidelines, the study urges combined technical-ethical training and institutional support, offering a scalable Global South framework with tools and policies for critical AI literacy in information services.
This paper is based upon the OCLC presentation at the February 2025 NISO Plus conference. It describes the organization’s journey to research compliance to the European Accessibility Act (EAA). It focuses on the three major complications that shaped their approach: the tension between internal and external metadata sources, the challenge of translating between different metadata formats, and the balance between controlled vocabularies and descriptive flexibility. Their investigation began with three questions: What metadata does the EAA actually require? How will this information flow through existing supply chains? And where should accessibility data be recorded in MARC records to best serve users. OCLC’s journey unearthed a complex landscape involving questions of trust between publishers and libraries, the limitations of existing standards, and the fundamental tension between textual description and systematic discovery. They hope that sharing these experiences will help other organizations navigate similar challenges more efficiently, while contributing to the broader efforts to standardize accessibility metadata that benefit the entire community of libraries, publishers, and content aggregators.
This study examined the preparedness of librarians for 5th IR with a focus on their awareness, level of preparedness, required competencies, and the challenges influencing effective information service delivery in Nigeria. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design, with data collected from 402 librarians across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones using a structured questionnaire. The instrument was validated and yielded a reliability coefficient of 0.87. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics (frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation) and multiple regression analysis at a 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed a high level of awareness of 5th IR technologies among librarians, particularly in areas such as automation, artificial intelligence, and digital transformation. However, the level of preparedness was found to be moderate, indicating a gap between awareness and practical application. Librarians demonstrated strong competencies in foundational areas such as information retrieval systems, electronic resource management, and digital collections, but showed relatively lower proficiency in advanced and emerging technologies. The study further identified key challenges, including inadequate funding, limited training opportunities, poor infrastructure, unstable power supply, and the high cost of technological tools. In addition, the results showed that demographic factors jointly influenced librarians’ preparedness, with age, years of experience, and educational qualification emerging as significant predictors, while gender had no significant effect. The study concludes that although librarians exhibit a positive disposition and foundational readiness for the 5th IR, there is a need to strengthen practical competencies and address systemic constraints. It recommends increased investment in technological infrastructure, continuous professional development, and strategic policy interventions to enhance librarians’ capacity for effective participation in the evolving digital information environment.
