Artificial Intelligence and the Transformation of College Libraries in India: Applications, Readiness, Challenges and a Framework for Responsible Adoption

Artificial Intelligence and the Transformation of College Libraries in India: Applications, Readiness, Challenges and a Framework for Responsible Adoption Dr. Amar Nath* Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping academic information environments by extending conventional library automation towards intelligent discovery, conversational assistance, metadata support, recommendation, research assistance, multilingual access and data-informed service planning. This paper examines the implications of AI for Indian college libraries, with particular attention to services, infrastructure, professional competencies, research support, accessibility, ethics and institutional readiness. A qualitative narrative review and conceptual analysis are employed, drawing on scholarly literature, Indian empirical studies, national policy documents and professional guidance. The review indicates that AI can augment routine library work and create more responsive, inclusive and research-oriented services, but its value depends on data quality, connectivity, interoperability, staff capabilities, privacy safeguards, copyright compliance and human oversight. The paper distinguishes AI-enabled functions from conventional digital automation and cautions against treating all technology-based library services as AI. A six-stage implementation framework—Assess, Prepare, Pilot, Integrate, Evaluate and Scale—is proposed for Indian colleges. The study argues that responsible AI adoption should be problem-led rather than technology-led and should strengthen, rather than displace, professional librarianship. The future-ready college library is therefore conceptualised as a human-centred intelligent knowledge ecosystem in which AI supports discovery, learning and research while librarians retain responsibility for judgement, context, ethics and information literacy. *Post Graduate Government College, Sector-11, Chandigarh, India, Affiliated to Panjab University, Chandigarh Email: [email protected]