Navigating artificial intelligence disruption: A sociotechnical analysis of library professionals’ perceptions of relevance and strategic adaptation

In an era shaped by artificial intelligence (AI), libraries face critical imperatives to reassert relevance and operational vitality. This study explores how library professionals perceive and navigate AI’s transformative influence. Informed by Sociotechnical Systems Theory, a cross-sectional survey of 84 practitioners from Zimbabwe examined perceptions of institutional relevance, AI impact, and strategic adaptation. Using a structured questionnaire with Likert-scale items, data were analysed through descriptive and inferential statistics. Exploratory factor analysis confirmed construct validity (KMO = 0.78), with high internal consistency (α = 0.80). Results reveal strong consensus on libraries’ enduring significance ( d = 1.64), high AI awareness but notable readiness gaps ( r = 0.35, 95% CI [0.15, 0.52]), and that skill development significantly predicts perceived institutional capacity (β = 0.34, sr 2 = 0.11). Professional optimism is contingent on capacity-building and empowerment. Findings position libraries as ethical agents within algorithmically mediated knowledge environments, contributing empirical insights to practitioner-focussed discourse on AI integration in resource-constrained contexts.