Leveraging AI/ML Tools in Developing Smart Library Systems in the 21st Century

Velmurugan VS

Published on: 2025-09-24

Abstract

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) are transforming libraries into smart, responsive, and user-focused systems. The present research explores AI/ML technologies in smart libraries, including cataloging, information retrieval, recommender systems, predictive analytics, and intelligent infrastructure. For the survey of the adoption rate of AI/ML, 120 libraries (research libraries, academic libraries, and public libraries) were surveyed. Research reveals that while 72% of the university libraries have already adopted AI-based cataloging and 68% are using recommendation systems, it is negligible (less than 40%) in the case of public libraries. The cost, infrastructure, and expertise are the bottlenecks in the process that deter implementations on a large scale. The paper concludes with a conceptual model and offers guidelines for large-scale implementation in the 21st century.