Opportunities for academic smart libraries in the Caribbean

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper hinged on the concept of smart libraries and their development for the furtherance of information access, dissemination and information resources and services delivery in Caribbean libraries.Design/methodology/approachTo conduct this research, the literature of smart libraries and technologically driven and their application in libraries were reviewed by examining existing literature on information and communication technologies and technology in libraries.FindingsThe literature highlighted that this technological advancement is not yet fully on stream in academic libraries of the Caribbean owing to the lack of financial, technological and organizational resources. It further outlined that certain aspects of library automation are fostered through the inclusion of technology.Research limitations/implicationsThe limitation of this study is that only academic libraries of the Caribbean region were assessed. Other regions should be explored in future research.Originality/valueThe concept of smart libraries is an emerging issue with limited scope for scrutiny; a systematic and extensive review of recent research on smart in libraries is unavailable. This paper presents an overview of smart libraries or technologically driven libraries, its findings for potential research opportunities and development for academic libraries. In addition, it will build on the body of knowledge that is presently non-existent on smart libraries in the Caribbean.