Fear of obsolescence and integration of artificial intelligence (AI) among librarians in university libraries in selected states in South-South, Nigeria

The research investigated the relationship between fear of obsolescence and integration of artificial intelligence (AI) among librarians in university libraries in selected states in South-South, Nigeria. The study was anchored on Technostress Theory and adopted a correlational research design. The population consisted of 202 librarians from federal and state university libraries in selected states (Bayelsa, Delta, and Edo States) in South-South, Nigeria while 176 respondents (87% response rate) were selected through total enumeration. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire entitled “Fear of obsolescence and Integration of Artificial Intelligence in University Libraries Questionnaire (FOIAIULQ)”. The instrument was validated by experts and demonstrated high reliability (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.81). Data were analysed using mean, standard deviation and Pearson’s Product-Moment Correlation. Findings revealed that the extent of fear of obsolescence among the librarians in university libraries in selected states in South-South, Nigeria, was low, indicating minimal fear that artificial intelligence would render their professional roles irrelevant. The extent of AI integration among the librarians in university libraries was also found to moderate, with moderate adoption in key operational areas such as cataloguing, information retrieval, and user support services. However, the study established a significant positive relationship between fear of obsolescence and AI integration (r = 0.707, p < 0.05). The study concluded that although fear of obsolescence is generally low among librarians, it remains an important psychological factor influencing AI integration in university libraries. It was recommended that university libraries should encourage continuous professional development programmes, AI literacy training, and change management strategies that reassure librarians of their evolving roles in AI-driven environments, thereby enhancing effective integration of artificial intelligence in library services.