AI LITERACY INTEGRATION IN ACADEMIC LIBRARY SERVICES:

Abstract

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in higher education has changed the roles of academic libraries. Libraries now play a key part in encouraging AI literacy among students, staff, and stakeholders. Globally, 67 per cent of libraries are exploring or using AI tools, up from 63 per cent in 2024. Most libraries are still in early evaluation stages, and there are big differences between high-income and Global South contexts (Clarivate, Pulse of the Library, 2025). Sri Lanka is a good example. The World Bank classifies Sri Lanka as lower-middle-income (2025). Sri Lanka's AI Sri Lanka 2028 policy aims to build AI expertise among citizens, practitioners, decision-makers, and specialists (Ministry of Digital Economy, 2024). Academic libraries have an important but underexplored role in this scheme. This paper studies how Sri Lankan academic libraries can promote AI literacy within their institutions. A review of current literature, national policy, and institutional practices finds three main barriers: staff skills mismatches and reluctance to change; limited coverage of critical and ethical AI in Library and Information Science curricula; and organisational constraints typical of lower-middle-income education systems. These outcomes are set within Global South scholarship on fair AI adoption. This article highlights the need for context-sensitive, locally tailored strategies rather than direct models from high-income countries. It ends with evidence-based recommendations for curriculum reform, staff development, and policy changes in South and South-East Asian library systems.