When I look back at how libraries have evolved through 2025, it feels as if artificial intelligence has quietly rewritten the script of librarianship. The year began with cautious experimentation, but by October, AI had become deeply embedded in daily operations from cataloging to digital preservation. [1]. 

Libraries today are not merely using AI; they are living with it. Academic and public institutions alike are automating repetitive workflows, freeing librarians to engage more deeply with research and pedagogy. AI chatbots now answer common queries instantly, while smart systems recommend books based on nuanced user behavior [2], [3]. Some libraries even deploy small robots to navigate aisles, performing inventory or retrieval tasks with quiet precision [2]. Behind these visible changes lies something subtler—the shift toward algorithmic decision-making in information services, where metadata creation, classification, and even preservation strategies are driven by learning models [4]. 

Of course, all this progress comes with questions. As one recent SAGE report revealed, only 7% of academic libraries are using AI tools regularly, even though over 60% are exploring adoption strategies [5]. This gap reflects both hesitation and hunger.  Frameworks like the ‘ACRL’s AI Competencies for Academic Library Workers’ [6] have become so timely. They emphasize three things , understanding the logic of AI systems, applying them ethically, and translating their potential into academic value. No wonder librarians are now seen as mediators between human inquiry and algorithmic intelligence [7]. 

What’s fascinating is how fast generative AI has entered the scholarly mainstream. Tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Copilot are no longer novelties—they are part of everyday academic life [1]. I’ve seen libraries incorporate AI literacy into information literacy courses, teaching students not just how to ‘use’ AI but how to ‘question’ it. The University of Michigan’s AI pedagogy model and Europe’s LIBRA.I. network exemplify this shift toward guided experimentation [8]. In parallel, the idea of ‘machine-readable scholarship’ is emerging. AI can interpret and link research dynamically [9]. 

This convergence of AI, libraries, and academia reminds me that technology alone doesn’t define progress but our response to it does. By collaborating with researchers and technologists, libraries are helping shape the ethical contours of AI use. Whether it’s enabling responsible data governance or supporting cross-disciplinary projects [10], the librarian’s role is evolving from custodian to catalyst. 

In the end, AI hasn’t replaced the librarian rather it has reimagined the profession. The library remains, as ever, a place of trust, but now it hums with the quiet intelligence of algorithms working behind the scenes. As we move toward 2026, the task is not just to deploy AI, but to ensure that it continues to serve the human spirit of curiosity and learning.  

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*References* 

[1] Liblime, “How Libraries Are Leading the AI Revolution,” Oct. 2025. Available: https://liblime.com/2025/10/04/how-libraries-are-leading-the-ai-revolution/ 

[2] IJSAT, “Adoption of Artificial Intelligence in Academic Libraries in African Universities: A Scoping Review,” Sep. 2025. Available: https://www.ijsat.org/research-paper.php?id=8003 

[3] JST, “Survey to Measure the Effectiveness of Utilizing Artificial Intelligence and Data Analysis in Improving Knowledge Management in Omani Information Institutions and Libraries,” Apr. 2025. Available: https://journals.ust.edu/index.php/JST/article/view/2822 

[4] JKG, “Digital Preservation Strategies in Academic Libraries: Ensuring Long-Term Access to Scholarly Resources,” Apr. 2025. Available: https://jkg.ub.ac.id/index.php/jkg/article/view/31 

[5] SAGE Publishing, “New Technology from Sage Report Explores Librarian Leadership in the Age of AI,” May 2025. Available: https://www.sagepub.com/explore-our-content/press-office/press-releases/2025/05/20/new-technology-from-sage-report-explores-librarian-leadership-in-the-age-of-ai 

[6] ALA, “2025-03-05 Draft: AI Competencies for Academic Library Workers,” Mar. 2025. Available: https://www.ala.org/sites/default/files/2025-03/AI_Competencies_Draft.pdf 

[7] SAGE Journals, “Exploring the utilization of generative AI by librarians in higher education across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries: Trends in adoption, innovative applications, and emerging challenges,” Oct. 2025. Available: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/09610006251372630 

[8] Emerald Publishing, “Technology trends for libraries in the AI era,” 2025. Available: https://www.emerald.com/lhtn/article/42/2/6/1268684/Technology-trends-for-libraries-in-the-AI-era 

[9] Hybridhorizons, “How AI Will Transform Libraries & Librarianship 2025-2035?,” Mar. 2025. Available: https://hybridhorizons.substack.com/p/how-ai-will-transform-libraries-and 

[10] WebJunction, “What’s on the horizon for AI and public libraries?,” Oct. 2025. Available: https://www.webjunction.org/news/webjunction/public-libraries-ai-future.html