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AI and the UK Library Profession: Survey Report 2025
The purpose of this study is to discover uses and attitudes towards Artificial Intelligence among UK librarians and information professionals.
Written by Dr Andrew Cox, Senior Lecturer at the University of Sheffield, AI and the UK Library Profession offers fresh insight into the adoption, use and perceptions of artificial intelligence across the library and information profession.
The study, which builds on previous research, provides a snapshot of how professionals are engaging
with this fast-evolving technology, and the attitudes shaping its future role in the sector and how that impacts users.
This new report provides a clearer understanding of where we currently stand as a sector, as employers, and as individual professionals in terms of AI adoption, use, and attitudes in the libraries and information profession.
It looks at how library and information professionals are using AI, uncovering a number of valuable insights:
Ethical concerns are almost universal, with questions of accuracy, reliability, legality and environmental impact cited as key reasons for caution.
Individual librarians are experimenting creatively with generative AI, often to save time on routine tasks rather than to fundamentally transform services.
Resource and expertise limitations appear to be hindering more widespread take-up of AI tools. However the survey does not reveal any worries about workforce displacement due to the impact of AI.
Louis Coiffait-Gunn, CILIP Chief Executive:
"As with any big technological or other change, with AI we’re all at different points on a learning journey – as individuals and organisations. Some of us still have our hands over our ears hoping it goes away, while others have already developed
sophisticated approaches to use AI or are actively involved in developing cutting-edge generative AI.
“Wherever you and your employer find yourself on this spectrum, this report should be a useful snapshot of how the library and information profession is currently using this much discussed and rapidly developing technology, and how we’re feeling
about it.”
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