By Ashika Pramlal
A Question Worth Asking
When
ChatGPT first appeared, like many librarians, I wondered: Will AI replace
me? The question is both personal and professional. As a subject librarian
at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), my role has always centred on
connecting people with information, guiding research, and fostering critical
thinking. However, as artificial intelligence (AI) becomes increasingly capable
of retrieving, summarising, and analysing scholarly content, it is natural to
reflect on how this technology might redefine our profession (Cox et al., 2019).
The Evolving Landscape of Academic Librarianship
Librarianship
has constantly evolved alongside technology. Each innovation has transformed
how we manage and deliver information, from card catalogues to online databases
to AI-driven discovery tools.
The essence
of librarianship — human judgment, empathy, and contextual understanding
— remains irreplaceable. AI can assist in finding data, but it cannot mentor a
student struggling to frame a research question or interpret a complex dataset
within a disciplinary context.
Artificial
intelligence has quietly become a powerful ally in the library space. Some of
the ways it is already reshaping my daily work include:
- Information Discovery: AI-powered search tools refine results by understanding natural
language queries, improving the precision of research assistance.
- Research Support: Tools like Elicit, Scite, and Semantic Scholar use machine
learning to summarise literature and identify trends, supporting
librarians and researchers in staying current.
- Academic Integrity: AI detection tools now assist in identifying AI-generated writing,
ensuring the authenticity of student work.
- Knowledge Management: AI chatbots and recommender systems offer 24/7 user assistance,
extending library services beyond office hours (Abubakar,
2021).
While these
tools enhance efficiency, they require librarians to develop new
competencies — from AI literacy to data curation and algorithmic
transparency.
Redefining the Librarian’s Role in the Age of AI
Rather than
replacing librarians, AI is prompting a redefinition of our professional
identity. The emerging librarian is no longer just a custodian of
information but a digital curator, data steward, and educator in information
ethics (Jaguszewski
& Williams, 2013).
Here is how
I see the role evolving:
- From Gatekeeper to Guide: Librarians will focus more on teaching critical evaluation of
AI-generated information.
- From Reference Desk to Research Partner: Subject librarians will increasingly collaborate with academics on
data management, digital scholarship, and open science initiatives.
- From Collection Management to Data
Stewardship: Managing research data, metadata
standards, and FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable)
principles will become central to our work (Abubakar, 2021).
In short, the future librarian will blend traditional expertise with digital fluency — becoming the bridge between human inquiry and machine intelligence.
Ethical and Pedagogical Implications
AI raises
essential questions about bias, privacy, and intellectual property —
where librarians’ ethical frameworks are crucial. We must help students and
researchers navigate issues such as algorithmic transparency and responsible
use of AI-generated content.
At UKZN, initiatives like information
literacy training can be expanded to include AI literacy: teaching
users how to critically engage with AI tools, recognise limitations, and
maintain academic integrity in an AI-enhanced environment (Cox
et al., 2019).
A Human Future in a Machine World
So, will AI
replace me? Probably not. However, it will redefine me. My role as a
subject librarian will continue to evolve, demanding adaptability, continuous
learning, and reaffirming the values that have always defined librarianship —
service, access, and intellectual freedom.
As we move
forward, our challenge is not competing with AI, but collaborating with it
— ensuring that technology enhances, rather than diminishes, the human
experience of learning and discovery (Jaguszewski & Williams, 2013).
References
1. Cox,
A. M., et al. (2019). "The intelligent library: Thought leaders’ views on
the likely impact of artificial intelligence on academic libraries." Library
Hi Tech 37(3): 418–435.
2. Jaguszewski,
J. and K. Williams (2013). "New roles for new times: Transforming liaison
roles in research libraries. Association of Research Libraries.
3. Abubakar,
A. (2021). Artificial intelligence and libraries: Opportunities and
challenges. Information and Knowledge Management.
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