Research article · 2026
HARNESSING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE FOR ENHANCED CATALOGUING EFFICIENCY: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF GODFREY OKOYE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY AND EVANGEL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY, NIGERIA
Abstract
Purpose: This study harnesses Artificial intelligence for enhanced cataloguing efficiency. It compared the extent of AI adoption in cataloguing practices at Godfrey Okoye University Library and Evangel University Library, both private university libraries in South-East Nigeria. Design/Methodology/Approach:This study adopted a comparative case-study design, relying on structured institutional observation and documentation of both libraries cataloguing infrastructure. Findings: Findings of the study show that Godfrey Okoye University Library operates the Mandarin Library Automation Software, an online integrated cataloguing system, and has adopted AI-supported cataloguing functions such as automated metadata generation, intelligent classification, authority control and AI-enhanced Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC) search to a very high extent. In contrast, Evangel University Library does not operate any online cataloguing system and has not adopted AI in its cataloguing practices in any form. Findings further revealed that cataloguing in Evangel University Library remains largely manual. Implication: The study has practical implications for university library management and funding agencies by demonstrating that AI-supported cataloguing can enhance the speed, accuracy, consistency, and retrievability of bibliographic records, while also highlighting the need for sustained investment in automation infrastructure, staff training, system maintenance, and reliable power supply. Originality/value: the originality of the study lie in its comparative case-study approach, which provides direct institutional evidence by contrasting a library with very high AI adoption against one without an online cataloguing system, thereby offering a practical basis for understanding the relationship between AI adoption and cataloguing efficiency in Nigerian university libraries.
Keywords
Artificial Intelligence, Cataloguing Efficiency, Library Automation, AI Adoption. Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC), University Libraries.
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