Users and library staff perception, perceived usefulness and usability of artificial intelligence integration in university digital libraries in Southwestern Nigeria

With continuous advances in digital libraries, the application of artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a trailblazer to improving access to electronic materials. This study User and library staff perception, perceived usefulness and usability of artificial intelligence integration in university digital libraries in Southwestern Nigeria. Artificial intelligence technologies such as intelligent search engines, chatbots and personalised recommender systems increasingly employ more sophisticated methods to improve navigation, retrieval accuracy, and user experience overall. However, their success in adoption largely depends on whether library users and librarians consider them useful, usable, and credible. Using a qualitative approach, data were obtained through interviews with 30 library personnel members and 60 library users in sampled university libraries in Southwestern Nigerian. Thematic analysis was employed in interpreting the responses, which indicated a mix of enthusiasm and anxiety. Although participants concurred that access to e-resources has been greatly enhanced by AI, concerns were brought forth on transparency, user training, and the need for human input in automation. The results emphasised the importance of positive user perception as a potential for implementation of AI in digital libraries. The research concluded that universities need to invest in leading edge AI technologies as well as user education, staff training, and participatory system design to facilitate equitable and effective access to knowledge. The implications point to the necessity of a balanced integration strategy that articulates technological progress with human focused service delivery.