Purpose In this article, the role of Web 2.0 technologies for users' engagement in the process of library instruction in academic libraries to enhance their information literacy was explored by considering the perceptions of library professionals and users regarding their use in instructional and service settings. Design/methodology/approach Survey method was used in the study, employing a structured questionnaire to collect perceptions of library professionals (n = 60) and users (n = 819) about Web 2.0 tools such as blogs, social networking sites, podcasts and media-sharing sites in terms of their use in user education and provision of library services in 5 public universities in North-Western India. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, X2 tests and one-way analysis of variance. Findings Overall, both library professionals and users held positive perceptions about the use of Web 2.0 technologies in library instruction. While there appeared to be little variability in library professionals' perceptions across institutions, a clear trend emerges in users' perceptions by institution. Research limitations/implications It would be wrong to assume that the results are representative of all academic libraries in India, as the study was conducted only in a few public universities in North-Western India. The cross-sectional design also restricts the assessment of long-term behavioural adoption of Web 2.0 technologies in academic library services. Practical implications This article highlights the need to incorporate Web 2.0 applications in library instruction initiatives and formulate methods of reconciling technology-based initiatives with users' needs. Originality/value The value of the study lies in its ability to provide empirical evidence of perceptual differences between library professionals and users within the same institutional setting, with a special focus on the use of Web 2.0 technologies in library instruction.
Purpose This study investigates whether open knowledge infrastructures exhibit systematic temporal bias in knowledge ingestion, focusing on differences in indexing speed between high-income and low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Design/methodology/approach We propose the Critical Temporal Observability Framework (CTOF) and apply an accelerated failure time (AFT) survival model to measure cross-platform temporal lag – days between Crossref metadata deposit and OpenAlex record creation – across 11 countries, four disciplines, and Gold OA status, using a model-eligible sample of 9,645 article records. Findings Articles from LMICs require 18.1% longer cross-platform temporal lag than those from high-income countries (time ratio = 1.181; median gap = 323 days). Gold OA articles exhibit longer lags (time ratio = 1.377) irrespective of country. High temporal observability reveals bias rather than eliminating it. Originality/value CTOF introduces temporal observability as an analytical lens for detecting infrastructural inequalities. Findings challenge the assumption that openness guarantees fairness and offer a practical evaluation tool for librarians and repository managers.
Purpose This study examines how research on artificial intelligence (AI) in libraries evolved between 2017 and 2025, with specific attention to changes before, during and after the COVID-19 period. It seeks to identify shifts in publication trends, geographic participation, thematic emphases and methodological approaches and to assess what these shifts suggest about the changing focus and maturity of AI research in library scholarship and practice. Design/methodology/approach The study adopts a scoping review methodology following the Arksey and O'Malley framework, supported by PRISMA-ScR-based screening and selection procedures. A structured search of the Scopus database retrieved AI-related library research published between 2017 and 2025. The final dataset of 373 documents was analyzed using bibliometric profiling and author keyword co-occurrence mapping. Records were grouped into three periods – pre-COVID (2017–2019), during COVID (2020–2022) and post-COVID (2023–2025) – to enable comparative analysis of publication output, citation patterns, geographic distribution, thematic clusters and study designs across phases. Findings The results show a sharp increase in AI-related library research after 2020, with sustained high output after 2023 and an expected citation lag for the most recent year. Geographic participation broadens substantially over time, although publication output remains concentrated in a small number of countries and journals. Thematic analysis reveals a clear shift from early exploratory and infrastructure-linked research in the pre-COVID period, to service continuity, automation and operational concerns during COVID and toward post-COVID consolidation around governance, adoption, generative AI and AI-related literacies, alongside continued interest in service technologies. Methodologically, the literature becomes more diverse across periods, with growing use of quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods, although non-empirical studies remain the largest category overall. Originality/value By explicitly treating pre-COVID, COVID-period and post-COVID literature through 1 August 2025, this study extends earlier bibliometric work by examining publication trends, geographic participation, thematic clusters and methodological change within a single three-period framework. This makes visible changes that are less apparent in aggregate bibliometric analyses of AI-in-libraries research.
Purpose This study examines how Library and Information Science (LIS) professionals use LinkedIn for scholarly engagement, treating professional visibility, research communication and academic networking as related but conceptually distinct dimensions of that engagement. Design/methodology/approach This quantitative study used a structured online questionnaire, distributed via non-probability purposive and snowball sampling, to collect data from 183 LIS professionals. Responses were analysed in JASP using Chi-square and Kruskal–Wallis tests. Findings The Chi-Square test showed that age and frequency of LinkedIn use are not related (χ2 = 8.701, p = 0.465). The Kruskal–Wallis test showed that perceived professional visibility differs significantly by frequency of use (χ2 = 11.18, p < 0.011), and that professional engagement differs significantly by perceived institutional support (χ2 = 7.123, p = 0.028). Effect sizes for both significant relationships were small to moderate, indicating that frequency of use and institutional support are meaningful but not sole predictors of perceived visibility and engagement. Research limitations/implications The study relies on self-reported, cross-sectional data from LinkedIn-using LIS professionals, predominantly based in India and with limited international representation; findings should be interpreted within these platform-specific and regional boundaries. Practical implications Findings highlight the importance of institutional support in driving digital engagement. The inclusion of LinkedIn training within LIS education can improve professional development and research influence. Originality/value Unlike prior LinkedIn research, which has largely focused on students and generic professional samples, this study is among the first to empirically examine LinkedIn use specifically among LIS professionals, linking frequency of use and institutional support to scholarly visibility and extending social capital theory to a profession-specific context.
Purpose This study aims to provide a snapshot of 3D printing services in ARL academic libraries to determine their overall availability and common configurations. Design/methodology/approach Our approach was to systematically survey ARL library webpages to extract and analyze publicly available information about their 3D printing services. Findings The data suggest that roughly half of ARL libraries offer 3D printing services, implying that they have become popular but not yet essential. While a variety of service models, equipment and materials are represented in the data, the most common configurations are streamlined and simplified, offering FDM printing mediated by library staff using a single print material type (usually PLA). Practical implications Decision makers may use this information when considering implementing or revisiting 3D printing services in their library. Originality/value This is the first study to gather data from a large sample of academic libraries on the availability and configuration of their 3D printing services.
