Pulse of the
Library
Global survey of academic, public and
national libraries that assesses trends and
measures impact of technologies such as AI
Assessing the pulse of the library
The quickening pace of technological advancement, in particular generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), is reshaping the landscape for all.
Librarians now find themselves at a pivotal juncture. The question is no longer whether to embrace AI but rather what to adopt and how to do so responsibly. Embracing technological change is not new for librarians, as libraries continue to be bastions of knowledge and learning, evolving their operations and transforming user experiences.
Clarivate™ is deeply invested in the future of libraries. To this end, we conducted a survey of academic, public and national librarians from around the world and are sharing the results. Our aim was to assess current and expected trends and measure the impact of technologies, including AI, on librarians and their communities. In addition to the survey, we conducted several qualitative interviews with librarians from diverse organizations. This report examines the results of our investigation, spotlighting the concerns of librarians and the opportunities they see as they continue to champion their role in advancing the knowledge frontier.
Executive summary
This report combines feedback from a survey and qualitative interviews with more than 1,500 respondents from across the world, covering academic, national and public libraries. It aims to provide a pulse on the current trends, concerns and opportunities within the library community, with a particular focus on technological change, including AI.
The survey exposed several key findings:
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Most libraries have an AI plan or one in the works
Over 60% of respondents are evaluating or planning for AI integration.
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AI adoption is the top tech priority
AI-powered tools for library users and patrons top the list of technology priorities for the next 12 months, according to 43% of respondents.
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AI is advancing library missions
Key goals for those evaluating or implementing AI include supporting student learning (52%), research excellence (47%) and content discoverability (45%), aligning closely with the mission of libraries.
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Librarians see promise and pitfalls in AI adoption
42% believe AI can automate routine tasks, freeing librarians for strategic and creative activities. Levels of optimism vary regionally.
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AI skills gaps and tight budgets are top concerns
A lack of expertise and budget constraints are seen as greater challenges than privacy and security issues:-
Tight budgets: Almost half (47%) cite tight budgets as their greatest challenge.
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Skills gap: 52% of respondents see upskilling as AI's biggest impact on employment, yet nearly a third (32%) state that no training is available.
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Regional priorities differ
Librarians' views on other key topics such as sustainability, diversity, open access and open science show notable regional diversity.
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AI advancement will be led by IT
Heads of IT show the highest confidence and enthusiasm for AI, recognizing its potential to support innovation. By combining their expertise with strategic investment and direction from senior leadership, libraries can move from consideration to implementation in the coming years. This collaboration and targeted investment will be key to fully realizing the transformative benefits of AI in libraries.
Survey findings
AI plans on the rise – academic libraries leading the way
“AI encapsulates the cumulative knowledge of humanity, like a mind vastly surpassing the intellectual capacity of any individual human. Researchers should have the opportunity to harness the benefits of artificial intelligence.”
Joanna Starzak, PhD, The Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Physical Education in Katowice Library, Poland
Note: Multi-select question, n=1,147
Note: Asia excludes Mainland China, Europe excludes the U.K., North America excludes the U.S.
Note: Multi-select question, n=1,147
Note: Multi-select question, n=1,147
There is a notable difference between public and academic libraries. While 58% of public libraries either have no plans or are not actively pursuing AI, only 31% of academic libraries are in the same position.
AI advances the library mission
“The future role of the librarian will be characterized by a blend of traditional responsibilities and new, technology-driven tasks. Even with AI, librarians will continue to be indispensable guides in the information age, fostering a community-centered approach while embracing innovative technologies to enhance library services.”
Derek Brown, Director of IT, Rochester Hills Public Library, U.S.
Note: Multi-select question, n=767
Note: Asia excludes Mainland China, Europe excludes the U.K., North America excludes the U.S.
Note: Multi-select question, n=767
Note: Multi-select question, n=767
We asked those who are actively evaluating or planning to implement AI technologies for their top objectives. They are to:
- Support student learning (52 %)
- Support research excellence (47%)
- Make content more discoverable (45%)
“Over the next five years, research librarians will leverage technologies including AI to improve access to information while maintaining a strong focus on user support, ethical practices, and community engagement.”
Anita Laamanen, Team Leader of eLibrary and Tools, VTT, Finland
Note: Multi-select question, n=1,520
Note: Asia excludes Mainland China, Europe excludes the U.K., North America excludes the U.S.
Note: Multi-select question, n=1,520
Note: Multi-select question, n=1,520
This figure shows the AI use cases that libraries are most interested in.
Librarians see promise and pitfalls in AI adoption
More than half of respondents (52%) acknowledged that there is a skills gap and the need to upskill is the biggest impact of AI on their employment.
There is optimism over AI’s transformative power, with 42% indicating that AI can help automate routine tasks and enable librarians to focus on strategic and creative activities.
Note: Multi-select question, n=1,164
Note: Asia excludes Mainland China, Europe excludes the U.K., North America excludes the U.S.
Note: Multi-select question, n=1,164
Note: Multi-select question, n=1,164
Optimism is tempered by notable concerns. Lack of expertise and budget constraints are seen as greater challenges than privacy and security in implementing or scaling AI.
Note: Multi-select question, n=1,221
Note: Asia excludes Mainland China, Europe excludes the U.K., North America excludes the U.S.
Note: Multi-select question, n=1,221
Note: Multi-select question, n=1,221
Note: Asia excludes Mainland China, Europe excludes the U.K., North America excludes the U.S.
Open access, sustainability, inclusion & diversity
Less than half of our survey respondents (45%) said their library had a sustainability strategy. In contrast, more respondents (55%) indicated their library had an inclusion and diversity strategy.
Note: Asia excludes Mainland China, Europe excludes the U.K., North America excludes the U.S.
When it comes to open science and open access mandates, the impact varies by geography. Europe was most highly affected (71%), whereas the U.S. and Mainland China were least affected. The higher level of impact on European respondents would appear to correspond to the higher numbers of policies in the region.
Note: Asia excludes Mainland China, Europe excludes the U.K., North America excludes the U.S.
Public libraries – survey snapshot
“Public libraries are becoming community centers where people gather to exchange ideas in a complex world of technology advancements. Over the next few years, librarians will be called upon to use new skills, particularly those impacted by AI, to nurture and develop this kind of tech-enabled community engagement.”
Tammy Garrison, Executive Director, Annie Halenbake Ross Library, U.S.
Our survey revealed that 34% of public librarian respondents see content discovery as the area where AI could have the most significant impact on library services.
However, public librarians (42%) are more likely than their academic counterparts (31%) to worry that AI might result in job displacement.
Almost a third (31%) of public librarian respondents told us that they are not optimistic about the benefits of AI, compared to 15% of national librarians and 13% of academic librarians.
Over half (58%) either have no plans to explore AI or are not actively taking steps towards exploration, despite being aware of AI’s potential.
Note: Multi-select question, n=1,123 (academic and public library responses)
Methodology and demographics
The survey was hosted online from April to June 2024. Clarivate promoted it to academic, national and public libraries through email, website pop-ups and social media, and it was also shared with key stakeholders. The survey was available to complete in English, Simplified and Traditional Chinese, Korean and Japanese languages.
Analysis was conducted in partnership with an external agency, TBI Communications, with further qualitative interviews led by our team. In total, 1,527 survey responses were analyzed, along with several follow-up interviews. The majority of survey respondents (76%) represented academic libraries, with 78% representing university libraries. A range of roles, from Library Deans and Directors to Heads of IT/technology services, participated, although librarians represented the majority of respondents, including 67% of the academic library responses. Regionally, just under half of all responses came from the United States (47%).
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