Purpose Academic library websites increasingly operate as first-contact points for digital reference and user services. This study examines how selected user-service entry points are made publicly visible on the official library websites of Chinese second-round Double First-Class universities. Design/methodology/approach A structured, codebook-guided, non-login website audit was conducted across the full 147-university policy-defined sample frame. The final analytic set contained 141 fully codable library web presences. A two-author coding-and-verification workflow was used: one author completed first-pass coding, while the other independently checked coded values for all 147 institutions, evidence URLs, evidence summaries and case notes against official public pages. Ambiguous cases were resolved through codebook clarification and consensus. Findings The results show a support-oriented but uneven public service layer. Consult or contact links and off-campus access guidance were the most consistently visible features, followed by FAQ/help and account-related access. Search and reservation services were less consistently exposed. English-language entry was limited, no visible accessibility or disability statement was observed and visible AI-supported service entry remained uncommon. Practical implications The findings offer a practical benchmark for academic libraries to examine whether users can identify where digital service begins before logging in or knowing local institutional terminology. Originality/value The study reframes official academic library websites as public-facing digital user-service front doors and provides a replicable audit approach for assessing service-entry reachability.
Purpose This study aims to examine the levels of acceptance of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI) tools among undergraduate Library and Information Science (LIS) students in Türkiye, and how these levels of acceptance vary according to selected demographic and technology-related variables. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative survey method was adopted. The sample consisted of 434 undergraduate students from 14 LIS departments across Türkiye. Data were collected using the “Generative Artificial Intelligence Acceptance Scale”, grounded in the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model, and analysed using SPSS. Findings The findings reveal that LIS students exhibit a high level of GAI acceptance, with performance expectancy emerging as the dimension most strongly associated with overall acceptance. Frequency of use, technological proficiency and participation in GAI training were significantly associated with acceptance levels across the UTAUT dimensions, whilst gender and duration of use showed comparatively limited associations. The vast majority of students (96.1%) believe that GAI tools can be integrated into information centre services. Originality/value The findings offer important insights regarding the development of AI-focused curricula in LIS education, the enhancement of digital literacy, and the future integration of AI-based applications in information centres.
Purpose This study examines the evolution of disability services in Taiwan's public libraries, focusing on the transition from formal inclusion, which refers to compliance with accessibility regulations and policy frameworks, to substantive inclusion, which emphasizes meaningful participation, user empowerment, and cultural equity. Guided by the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and grounded in Street-Level Bureaucracy Theory, the study explores how librarians navigate institutional pressures, limited resources, and professional autonomy in implementing inclusive services. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative research design was adopted, involving 15 semi-structured interviews with frontline librarians across Taiwan. Data were analyzed thematically using ATLAS.ti, which facilitated the identification of key themes related to institutional constraints, adaptive professional strategies, and organizational cultural transformation. Findings The results show that Taiwan's public libraries have largely achieved formal compliance with accessibility requirements. However, genuine inclusion remains limited by outdated evaluation systems, insufficient staffing, and inadequate professional development opportunities. Librarians demonstrate considerable agency and creativity by employing informal strategies and forming collaborations to overcome institutional challenges. A cultural transformation is also emerging, in which inclusion is redefined as a core professional responsibility rather than a form of charitable assistance. Originality/value The study proposes a three-layered framework of inclusion consisting of institutional, practical, and cultural dimensions to explain the dynamic process of inclusive transformation. Recommendations include developing a feedback-oriented evaluation framework that integrates user experience indicators, establishing dedicated positions and continuous training to strengthen inclusive service competencies, and institutionalizing professional learning networks to sustain inclusive cultural values. Ultimately, substantive inclusion in public libraries can be achieved only when policies, professional practices, and organizational culture interact within a continuous cycle of learning and adaptation.
Purpose This study investigates professional identity and competency development among digital reference librarians in university libraries in Southwest Nigeria, with particular emphasis on skills, training, challenges and future directions. Design/methodology/approach The study adopts a quantitative survey design. Data were collected from academic librarians to assess their levels of professional identity, digital competencies, access to training and perceived barriers to effective service delivery. Findings The findings reveal that librarians demonstrate a strong sense of professional identity and high competence in traditional digital reference services, such as database searching and user instruction. However, competencies related to artificial intelligence (AI)-mediated search systems remain comparatively low, indicating emerging skill gaps. Access to continuous professional development is moderate, with limited availability of AI-focused training programmes. Key challenges identified include inadequate digital infrastructure, rapid technological changes and role ambiguity. Additionally, professional identity, digital competence and access to training positively influence strategies for strengthening professional roles, while systemic challenges negatively impact them. Research limitations/implications The study suggests that enhancing digital reference services requires strategic alignment between individual competencies and institutional support. There is a need for targeted AI training, mentorship programmes and policy-driven interventions to address skill gaps and sustain librarians' relevance in rapidly evolving academic environments. Originality/value This study provides empirical insights into the interplay between professional identity, digital competencies and institutional factors in shaping digital reference services in Southwest Nigerian university libraries. It contributes to the growing discourse on integrating emerging technologies, particularly AI, into librarianship and highlights context-specific challenges and development pathways.
Purpose Primary source discovery is among the most demanding forms of reference work. This paper investigates whether generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools can find reliable and relevant primary sources, how effectively they summarize them and whether they can provide ethical access and enable discovery, to establish what reference librarians can responsibly recommend. Design/methodology/approach The authors tested four generative AI tools at free, institutionally provided and paid access levels, querying each with 20 prompts based on undergraduate history topics. A grading rubric framed by the Guidelines for Primary Source Literacy was used to assess primary source status, availability, summary, topic appropriateness and citation. Findings No tool hallucinated; all sources recommended by the tested generative AI tools existed. Overall, the tools performed well on topic appropriateness and adequately in citations, but some struggled to provide accessible sources and summaries. Research limitations/implications Because models evolve continuously and prior interactions may bias output, the study is not strictly reproducible, though the rubric and prompt set can be reused. Practical implications The findings support a reallocation of professional attention rather than a displacement of it. Librarians can recommend generative AI as a discovery venue alongside traditional search methods, and redirect reference and instruction time to what the tools neglect. Originality/value This is one of the first studies to evaluate generative AI tools for primary source discovery, and it separates discovery from the analytical skills that follow it.
