Academic Libraries Emerging Trends in 21st Century: A Systematic Review

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to explore the recent developments and trends that are being used in libraries of academic institutions. The term “emerging trends” often brings to mind some basic IT-supported devices & services, but its scope extends beyond that. The rapid advancement in IT and its implication in libraries have reshaped the entire library operations. This study was conducted not only to discover these changes but to provide an overview of the obstacles faced by libraries and potential remedies to overcome them. The qualitative content analysis method was undertaken, following the PRISMA guidelines a total of 32 open-access research articles were examined that satisfied the inclusion criteria. On a similar basis, three research questions were formulated. The finding revealed that Internet of Things, Information Communication Technologies, and Artificial Intelligence have an impact on emerging trends in academic libraries that evolved the traditional library practices, but unskilled professionals, financial constraints, and inappropriate infrastructure are the main hurdles that academic libraries have been facing to employee current trends that can be overcome through staff training & development, careful planning of infrastructure and adequate funding. It is recommended that IT-integrated gadgets including RFID, Integrated library Management System should be used effectively to enhance library services, and academic libraries.