The Role of Recommendation Chatbots in the Digital Transformation of Libraries
Tavela, Elizaveta (2025)
2025
Yhteiskuntatutkimuksen maisteriohjelma - Master's Programme in Social Sciences
Informaatioteknologian ja viestinnän tiedekunta - Faculty of Information Technology and Communication Sciences
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Hyväksymispäivämäärä
2025-05-19
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-202505165686
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-202505165686
Tiivistelmä
As technological progress enables an abundance of information, library users may find it increasingly challenging to locate the materials they need. Libraries strive to adopt digital technologies to address this issue. The purpose of this study is to understand how modern libraries utilise recommendation chatbots to enhance collection visibility and discoverability.
The study utilised mixed methods research, consisting of quantitative desk research and qualitative interviews. A total of 348 libraries were reviewed, providing a sampling pool from which representatives of four libraries were interviewed.
The research revealed three major findings. First, the presence of recommendation chatbots in libraries is infrequent. Second, recommendation chatbots are not a necessity. Third, there is no universal blueprint for recommendation chatbots; every library should adapt them according to its unique situation.
In conclusion, while recommendation chatbots are theoretically significant, the study showed they are perceived as a low priority tool for collection visibility and discoverability. This may be due to high resource requirements for development and maintenance, the availability of alternative tools, and the need to address more urgent matters. However, if implemented correctly, a recommendation chatbot can be valuable both now and in the future. Implementation should consider user needs, ethical design, data safety, and response accuracy. Libraries are also encouraged to collaborate, adopt a digitalisation plan, and develop a communication strategy for this technology.
The study utilised mixed methods research, consisting of quantitative desk research and qualitative interviews. A total of 348 libraries were reviewed, providing a sampling pool from which representatives of four libraries were interviewed.
The research revealed three major findings. First, the presence of recommendation chatbots in libraries is infrequent. Second, recommendation chatbots are not a necessity. Third, there is no universal blueprint for recommendation chatbots; every library should adapt them according to its unique situation.
In conclusion, while recommendation chatbots are theoretically significant, the study showed they are perceived as a low priority tool for collection visibility and discoverability. This may be due to high resource requirements for development and maintenance, the availability of alternative tools, and the need to address more urgent matters. However, if implemented correctly, a recommendation chatbot can be valuable both now and in the future. Implementation should consider user needs, ethical design, data safety, and response accuracy. Libraries are also encouraged to collaborate, adopt a digitalisation plan, and develop a communication strategy for this technology.