Chatbots as a trend in library service digitalization

The digital transformation of the modern society is characterized by the onrush of Artificial Intelligence (AI), as one of the promising and long-term vectors of librarianship digitalization. The AI-based chatbots provide a number of library services and accomplish tasks that traditionally were pertained to human librarians and information specialists. The author investigates into the potential of chatbot technology, specifies and characterizes them, and defines the related risks of using chatbots in library services. The purpose is to understand how the chatbot technology changes and supplements the library and information services. For the purposes of the study, the general dialectical method, theoretical analysis and generalization of research and specialized technical literature, standards on AI and library digitalization are applied. Within the study, the basic functions of chatbot technology are determined, i. e. interactive personalized dialog with a user, economically efficient virtual reference instrument for library routine. The author concludes that the chatbot technology is a trend of distance communication with the users, meeting their information and sociocultural demands online 24/7. However, despite their vast intelligence and technological potential, the chatbots are unable to remove human librarians and interpersonal communication, though they supplement their capabilities, computerize the major part of library services, thus make it possible for the library staff to focus on complex interactions with library visitors and creative professional tasks.