This study explored the potential of ChatGPT in the search for reliable references. Results showed that the reliability of ChatGPT's references vary across different source types. For journal articles, they were all fabricated and not compliant with APA 7 format. Webpages did not match actual existing sites. However, for books, the generated references correctly corresponded to real, existing ones. In the case of journal websites, the links within the responses were functional. Although this exploration gained interesting insights, researchers are strongly recommended not to depend on ChatGPT for references due to accuracy issues and must undertake manual, scholarly searches.

This column examines readiness for 4IR technology adoption in public libraries in Bangladesh. It explores the current state of adoption, the challenges faced during implementation, and the potential benefits. With the convergence of advanced technologies such as AI, IoT, blockchain, and autonomous systems, libraries can transform into vital community centers and preserve cultural heritage. The findings provide an overview of the current state of adoption, identify opportunities and challenges, and emphasize the need for further research to understand the impact of these technologies on libraries in Bangladesh.

This column provides a case study of the University of Toronto’s (UOT) Gerstein Science Information Center’s Mobile Application Development Lab (MADLab). It examines the strategic positioning and services provided by MADLab within one of Canada’s major academic libraries for science and health sciences, and shares author’s own experiences in this research domain. The facility’s emphasis on developing mobile apps, its partnership with UOT libraries to support their operations, and its potential commitment to establishing an experimental culture to drive technology adoptions, such as AI, are highlighted in the column. It also examines the cooperative partnership between MADLab and UOT libraries, illustrative of a mutually beneficial partnership that fosters entrepreneurship and creativity within the UOT community. As AI and technology continually evolve, the MADLab case study offers valuable insights into the transformative power of strategic positioning, experiential learning, and collaborative partnerships in the pursuit of knowledge dissemination and cutting-edge technological advancements in the time to come.

This column aims to explore the frameworks to help libraries foster digital innovation by leveraging AI technologies through continuous experimentation to innovate their services for their patrons. Additionally, the column seeks to highlight the benefits and interplay between the frameworks, providing insights for librarians interested in implementing AI solutions and driving technological advancements in library settings. The column reports two frameworks - The Need-Based Experimentation (NBE) Framework and the Curiosity-Based Experimentation (CBE) Framework based on the author’s professional experiences and empirical observations of 10 university libraries’ experimentation-driven AI technology adoption practices. The NBE framework focuses on experimenting with AI technologies that have the functional capability to address the library’s current business needs. In contrast, the CBE framework explores AI technologies out of curiosity, aiming to gain practical experiences and uncover potential future applications, aligned with the librarian’s interests. These frameworks guide librarians to effectively experiment with AI technology based on their motivations and goals. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, there is no experimentation-driven framework for adopting AI technologies to assist libraries do so strategically. The adoption of AI should be influenced by carefully planned, ongoing experiments, the results of which should be deployed in real to inform adoption decisions.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on library operations and services, with many libraries having to adapt quickly to provide more digital resources and services to patrons. This study examines the impact of the pandemic on library services and presents a strategic approach to overcome the challenges faced by libraries during COVID-19. In this study, nine strategic approaches have been identified for managing libraries in the post-COVID period to facilitate efficient library management and offer better services to library users. The Best-Worst Method, a multi-criteria decision-making technique is used to evaluate these strategies and determine their importance in library management. The present study has revealed that the most significant strategies on which libraries will focus in the post-pandemic era are “Academic Library Strategy and Budgeting” and “Promotion of Online Content (e-books, exhibitions, tutorials, events, and concerts).” This research concludes that the pandemic has led to a shift toward digital resources and services, and as a result, libraries need a strategy to continue providing access to information and resources while safeguarding users and employees.

One of the core objectives of public libraries is the unrestricted provision of information resources and services to meet the information and educational needs of individuals and societies. Social media has grown very popular to become a basic component for everyday living. The aim of this study was to assess the use of social media platforms for information services provision in public libraries in Cape Town, South Africa in order to establish the opportunities and challenges. Using the technology acceptance model (TAM), the study sought to evaluate social media platform usage; ascertain the information resources/services and type of content shared on social media platforms by public libraries in Cape Town; as well as appraise the challenges and opportunities in the use of social media in public library services at the municipal public libraries. The descriptive survey research was quantitatively used to survey 102 public libraries in Cape Town. The research findings revealed that services including promotion and marketing of library services, updates on new arrivals, and live streaming of library activities were provided through social media. Policy at the libraries places a limit on social media use to a single social media platform by public librarians for official library services provision. This research adds to the scarce literature on the use of social media in public libraries in developing countries especially those in Africa where Internet penetration is still low by identifying challenges and opportunities. Library users have not been included in this study and their views of library services through social media are not captured in this report. The results by implication interpreted the TAM model by incorporating a new construct: preference of choice, informed by the study findings.

The novel discipline of prompt-engineering is a combination of artificial intelligence, linguistics, and user experience design. Crafting effective prompts for AI models like OpenAI’s GPT can optimize the quality of generated output, especially in reference services. The article explains the CLEAR Framework—a guiding tool that incorporates principles of conciseness, logic, explicitness, adaptability, and reflectiveness in prompt crafting. Despite challenges including biases, ethical concerns, and keeping up with rapidly evolving AI capabilities, the field also presents opportunities for growth. The article concludes with a call to action for library professionals to embrace and master prompt-engineering as an essential skill.

As electronic resources routinely account for a sizable portion of library budgets, electronic resources librarians are under increasing pressure to ensure constant access to these resources. Therefore, developing troubleshooting skills and resources is critical for maintaining electronic access for patrons. This article emphasizes the significance of troubleshooting in electronic resources librarianship by highlighting articles on troubleshooting, the NASIG Core Competencies, and the subsequent need for troubleshooting systems that integrate with email. Therefore, this article details how to create an Outlook-Based Troubleshooting System to assist electronic resources librarians in efficiently resolving access issues.

This paper describes how to match journal lists from different data sources efficiently in four steps. The description is offered as an introduction to data matching techniques using Microsoft Excel and Access. An example application is offered to demonstrate why journal data matching is relevant for reference and instruction. The example is a comparison of two indexes, Social Services s and Applied Social Sciences Index and s. The indexes are compared to each other, and both are compared to library holdings and interlibrary loan data.

The research aimed to explore the perspectives of students toward the utilization of ChatGPT, its potential benefits and disadvantages over traditional reference librarians. The study employed a descriptive survey research methodology and analyzed the data collected through descriptive and inferential statistics. Out of the 54 students at Adeleke University surveyed, they acknowledged the advantages of ChatGPT such as its convenience, user-friendliness, extensive knowledge base, and accessibility. However, they also pointed out its limitations including the inability to comprehend emotions, limitations in answering complex questions, potential for providing incorrect answers, and risk of outdated information. Despite these drawbacks, the students still expressed their intention to seek reference assistance from ChatGPT, as well as from librarians. The research suggests that library administration should embrace technology to ensure that students have convenient access to reference services.