KOLKATA: Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming academic libraries from traditional repositories into dynamic learning hubs, said Dr Shalini Lihitkar, Professor of Library and Information Science at Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University (RTMNU).

She was speaking at the 9th International Library and Information Science Society (I-LISS) Conference 2025, hosted at Sunan Kalijaga State Islamic University, Yogyakarta.

Delivering a presentation titled “Smart Libraries, Smarter Tools: Evaluating General AI Technologies in Academic Information Services”, Dr Lihitkar explained how AI is reshaping cataloguing, collection management, research assistance, and personalised user services.

“Academic libraries are no longer confined to their conventional roles. They are evolving into dynamic hubs that meet the real-time needs of teachers, students, and researchers,” she said.

She outlined benefits of adopting AI, including improved efficiency, accessibility for differently-abled users, and data-driven decision-making. At the same time, she cautioned against challenges such as accuracy, privacy, ethics, and financial feasibility.

Her call for libraries to embrace innovation “responsibly, while upholding their role as trusted knowledge centres,” was well received by delegates.

Themed “Re-skilling the Information Professionals: Preparing for the Next Generation Library”, the conference drew 119 delegates, including leading academicians, researchers, and professionals from 17 countries.

Prof Lihitkar’s address stood out for combining a visionary outlook with practical guidance on integrating AI into higher education libraries, making a significant contribution to the global discussion on the future of information services.