Research article · 2026
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN ACADEMIC LIBRARIES: OPPORTUNITIES AND ETHICAL CHALLENGES IN THE NIGERIAN CONTEXT
Abstract
Purpose: This study examined the opportunities and ethical challenges associated with the adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Nigerian university libraries. Specifically, it investigated how AI can enhance cataloguing, information retrieval, user services, and professional development, while also analyzing ethical concerns such as data privacy, algorithmic bias, transparency, accountability, and professional identity. Design/Methodology/Approach: A descriptive survey research design was adopted. Data were collected from 183 professional librarians across six federal university libraries in South-East Nigeria using a validated questionnaire titled Artificial Intelligence in Academic Libraries: Opportunities and Ethical Challenges Questionnaire (AIALECQ). Reliability was established prior to administration. Data were analyzed using mean and standard deviation to answer research questions, while Pearson Product-Moment Correlation (PPMC) tested the hypothesis at the 0.05 level of significance. Findings: The results revealed that librarians perceive AI as providing significant opportunities for improving cataloguing, information retrieval, user services, and professional development. Ethical challenges identified include data privacy concerns, algorithmic bias, transparency, accountability, and fears of professional displacement. Contextual factors such as infrastructural readiness, funding, policy frameworks, and organizational culture were found to have a significant positive relationship with AI adoption. Implication/Originality/Value: The study concludes that successful and sustainable AI adoption in Nigerian university libraries requires adequate infrastructure, supportive institutional policies, ethical governance frameworks, continuous professional development, and strategic investment in digital technologies. It recommends increased funding, strengthened AI governance, and the development of national policy frameworks to facilitate responsible integration.
Keywords
Artificial Intelligence; Academic Libraries; Ethical Challenges; AI Adoption; Nigerian University Libraries; Digital Transformation
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