Current high technology trends reshaping libraries, archives and museums: real-world examples from the global north and Nigeria

Purpose This paper aims to examine ten high technology trends currently converging libraries, archives and museums, with verifiable real-world implementations. Design/methodology/approach The study methodology is based on literature review of 2023–2026 IFLA, UNESCO and ICOM reports, Marshall Breeding’s, 2026 Library Systems Report and also from direct observation. Findings Ten operational trends are identified: generative artificial intelligence, digital twins/three-dimensional scanning, international image interoperability framework and linked open data, immersive augmented reality/virtual reality, blockchain for provenance, handwritten text recognition, crowdsourced curation, smart Internet of Things preservation, computational archival science as data labs and sustainable green infrastructure. Originality/value The article provides practitioner-based synthesis linking global best practices to Nigerian Library Archives and Museum context.