Library and Information Sciences

Library and Information Sciences

A Survey of Academic Librarians' Perceptions of Artificial Intelligence Technology: A Case Study (Librarians of Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz and Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Mohammad Hassan Azimi 1
Zeinab Mohammadi 2
Fatemeh Rafieinasab 2
1 Assistant Professor, Department of Knowledge and Information Science, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran
2 Ph.D candidate, Department of Knowledge and Information Science, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz,, Ahvaz, Iran.
10.30481/lis.2021.286969.1831
Abstract
Objective: This study aimed to understand the level of knowledge and use of artificial intelligence technology by librarians of university libraries.
Methodology: The present study is a descriptive-applied survey. The statistical population contains of all the librarians of both Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences and Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz. The census method was used and eventually 79 responses were collected. Data was collected using Wood and Allen's (2018) questionnaire and S.P.S.S. Software; Version 24 was used for analysis.
Findings: Findings on the use and interaction of librarians in the library around artificial intelligence and virtual assistants (library-related data on artificial intelligence and virtual assistants) equals to 3.295, which demonstrates a significant difference compared to the standard number. This result indicates that the use and interaction of librarians in the library with regard to artificial intelligence and virtual assistants are at a desirable level. Most librarians are unsure about the use of AI-based capabilities as a means of communicating with members, with 38 percent saying that administrators do not use this capacity for interaction and only 12.7 percent use librarians' capabilities. Based on artificial intelligence as a means of communicating with members. In a workshop held on artificial intelligence and virtual assistants, most librarians stated that the practice is not performed, and only 4 percent acknowledged that this technology is used in libraries. Most librarians (53.2%) believe that artificial intelligence will have a positive effect on work, and most librarians (58.2%) believe that artificial intelligence can improve the quality of library services. The results also showed a significant difference between Shahid Chamran University and Ahvaz Jundishapur University in comparison with the variables of "active use of library intelligence" and "library staff’s interest in artificial intelligence capabilities."
Conclusion: The use of artificial intelligence technology and virtual assistants to facilitate library activities is an obvious and important matter and is strongly recommended. In addition, the necessary infrastructure to use these technologies ought to be created. Although these systems cannot always be a good alternative for librarians, their presence in the library in the information age is necessity and cannot be ignored. Moreover, in interaction with the user, they promote the role of the librarian as an information interface. While these systems can not always be a good alternative for librarians, their presence in the library in the information age is a necessity that can not be ignored. In general, just as the advent of computers and library software in the past has increased the accuracy and speed of library services, it is clear that the introduction and application of artificial intelligence technology in libraries has not been ineffective. In this regard, the necessary training should be provided to librarians and library administrators, and even to users.
Keywords
Artificial Intelligence
Virtual Assistant
Academic Libraries
Librarians
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