What question did this study set out to answer?

The study aimed to assess librarians' perceptions of artificial intelligence's usefulness in enhancing library services.

June 17, 2026Open Access

Perception of usefulness of artificial intelligence for library services among librarians in university libraries in Delta State, Nigeria

FOFestus OgbogbaidiDelta State University LULizzy Rukevwe UmukoroDelta State University

Key Points

The study aimed to assess librarians' perceptions of artificial intelligence's usefulness in enhancing library services.
Correlational research design was used.
Population included 90 librarians with total enumeration sampling.
Data collected via structured questionnaire and analyzed using frequency, mean, standard deviation, and Pearson's correlation coefficient.
Library service delivery was generally low, particularly for technology-based services.
Librarians viewed AI positively regarding efficiency, information retrieval, and user service delivery.
A strong positive relationship was found between perceived AI usefulness and library service effectiveness.

Abstract

This study investigated perception of usefulness of artificial intelligence for library services among librarians in university libraries in Delta State, Nigeria. Correlational research design was adopted for the study. The population consisted of 90 librarians in the university libraries, and a total enumeration sampling technique was used to include all of them in the study. Data were collected using a structured and validated questionnaire. Frequency, mean, and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions, while Pearson’s Product– Moment Correlation Coefficient was employed to test the hypothesis at the 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed that library service delivery was generally low, with traditional services such as circulation, lending, reference services, and reading spaces provided to a high extent, while specialised and technology-based services such as academic support, interlibrary loan, current awareness, and photocopying services were delivered to a low extent. The study also found that librarians generally perceived AI as useful in improving efficiency, information retrieval, decision-making, and user service delivery, with a generally positive outlook on its benefits for library operations. In addition, staff demonstrated a high level of willingness to adopt AI tools, showing readiness to learn, implement, and support AI integration in daily library work. Furthermore, the findings established a strong and statistically significant positive relationship between perceived usefulness of AI and library service delivery, indicating that higher appreciation of AI corresponds with improved library service effectiveness. The study concludes that artificial intelligence has significant potential to enhance academic library services if properly integrated. It recommended increased institutional investment in AI infrastructure, continuous staff training, and supportive management policies to facilitate effective adoption and utilisation of AI in university libraries.

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