The Emotional Intelligence Gap: Can AI Truly Replace Human Interaction in Library Services?

As libraries rapidly adopt artificial intelligence (AI) to streamline operations and enhance user experiences, the debate over whether AI can replace human librarians, particularly in delivering emotionally intelligent service, has intensified.This paper employs secondary research to investigate the implications of AI integration into library services, focusing on the unique human capacities that define librarian-user interactions.While AI offers unparalleled efficiency through automation, personalised search tools, and predictive analytics, it lacks core emotional intelligence competencies such as empathy, moral reasoning, and nuanced communication.Drawing from literature and conceptual analysis, the paper identifies the "emotional intelligence gap" as a central challenge to fully automating library services.explores the irreplaceable value of modern libraries.Findings revealed that although AI significantly enhances operational speed and user convenience, it falls short in areas requiring emotional labour, ethical discretion, and culturally sensitive engagement.The inability of AI to exhibit human empathy limits its effectiveness in serving vulnerable populations, resolving interpersonal conflicts, and fostering inclusive library environments.The study recommends a hybrid model where AI is leveraged to handle repetitive and data-driven tasks, while human librarians focus on relational and ethical aspects of service.Libraries should prioritise training programs that enhance librarians' emotional intelligence alongside AI literacy to promote complementary collaboration.Ultimately, emotionally intelligent human librarians remain indispensable for maintaining ethical standards, trust-based interactions, and adaptive service in the AI-augmented library ecosystem.