Academic Libraries in the Context of Forth Industrial Revolution (4IR): Opportunities and Challenges

Abstract

This paper examined academic libraries in the context of Forth Industrial Revolution (4IR): opportunities and challenges. The 4IR is considered to be the outcome of the convergence of a number of technologies in industrial operations. This includes the proliferation of robotics, artificial intelligence, cloud computing and big data with the human body through wearable technologies. The 4IR brought about advance changes in the academic libraries and this led to the emergence of other issues such as library automation, embedded librarianship, open science and the use of social media platforms. Adoption of 4IR in academic libraries resulted to several phases of development and these include the emergence or use of Machine Readable Cataloguing (MARC) and Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC), audio visual media systems and web-based indexing. Some of the opportunities 4IR avail academic libraries is that, library users are now able to afford and access the digital world by the advances in technology regardless of time and location. Academic libraries are now offering both on and off campus access to information resources and users enjoy 24/7 services. However, 4IR has posed some challenges in information safety and security while data is accessible everywhere. Ensuring data quality and transparency is another obstacle. Also, as recommendation, modern academic library requires librarians to have sufficient and eligible qualities and skills beyond the usual library skills. In addition, there should be a special training and acquisition of skills on the operation and maintenance of 4IR in academic libraries in Nigeria.