The National Library of Nigeria in the Age of Artificial Intelligence: Opportunities and Challenges

Abstract

The National Library of Nigeria (NLN) has been at the forefront of information and knowledge dissemination and management for six decades. This paper reviews the relevance of integrating an emerging technology like artificial intelligence (AI) in the operations and services of the NLN. It further presents how the institution can leverage artificial intelligence to improve service delivery in areas like automated cataloguing, preservation of collections, intelligent research support systems, and chatbot systems for engaging library users and clienteles. While x-raying the opportunities for AI adoption in NLN, the paper highlighted possible challenges, such as budget restrictions, data privacy issues, infrastructure constraints, and the necessity for staff capacity development. The paper outlines approaches to address the highlighted challenges while concluding that AI adoption by NLN is crucial to maintain relevance and improve service delivery.