Mobile Information Management and Artificial Intelligence: Emerging Trends in Academic Libraries

Abstract

Mobile computing and artificial intelligence (AI) are transforming the ways academic libraries in the U.S. organize, deliver and manage information services. The aim of this study is to assess how far U.S. academic library workers are from adopting mobile devices and AI applications in their everyday work, in what ways they believe these technologies would benefit their work, and how mobile information management competence relates to readiness to adopt AI. Data was gathered by using a descriptive, cross-sectional survey design and a sample of 250 library professionals in four-year college and university libraries in the United States, who were selected using stratified random sampling from directories of institutional membership. Structured and validated questionnaire was used for data collection and descriptive and inferential statistics like frequencies, percentages, means and Pearson correlation were used for analyzing the data. Results show that mobile devices are now part of the reference service, instruction, and outreach and that AI in general is in a moderate, but still developing, phase of use, with some obstacles to widespread use such as training needs, budget constraints, and policy issues.Results reveal that mobile devices have become part of the reference, instruction and outreach services and that the use of AI in general, including the use of generative AI and AI-assisted discovery tools, is in a moderate, but still developing phase, with some challenges for widespread use consisting of training needs, budget constraints, and challenges with policies. There was a statistically significant positive correlation between respondents' mobile technology proficiency and their responses to being ready to use the AI tools. The paper ends with the recommendations for professional development, infrastructure investment and policy development for the responsible incorporation of mobile and AI technologies in academic library services.