A study on awareness and adoption of smart technologies in libraries of engineering colleges in Karnataka

Latest technologies have always caught the attention of library professionals as such technologies have been considered as potential platforms to offer improved library services. In addition, library professionals have also kept in mind that such technologies can offer a good number of flexible options for library users. Many such technologies such as Internet of Things (IoT), Electronic resource management (ERM), Data mining, Artificial intelligence (AI), Blockchain Technology and Augmented Reality etc. are beginning to make an entry into library space. Such ultra-modern, cutting edge technologies are grouped under the category ‘smart technologies’. Libraries of engineering colleges have always had first exposure to latest technologies due to easy access. With this premise in mind, this research is done to investigate the extent of awareness about smart technologies among library professionals working engineering colleges of Karnataka and consequent adoption of such technologies by them. Survey method was used for data collection and collected data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) for various parameters with findings that majority of the library professionals belonging to engineering colleges in Karnataka are already familiar with the term “smart libraries” and are using smart technologies for library purposes.

Keywords: Smart libraries, Smart technologies, Internet of things (IOT), RFID, Library services, Web based services.


Introduction
Libraries since their creation during the early civilizations till date have always worked towards goals of gathering, storing, preserving and retrieving information whenever needed. During these processes they have acquired and adopted prevailing methods and technologies to ease the processes. From the crude manual methods to the modern information and communication technologies libraries have always been the front runners in adoption of such methods and technologies. Automated technologies have been successfully implemented by libraries. A new generation of technologies under the name smart technologies which are more interconnected, more personal are evolving. When such smart technologies are adopted by the libraries, "Users will obviously gravitate towards smart libraries when they experience quality service resulting from technology adoption" (Yusuf, F., Owolabi, S., & Ifijeh, G., 2019).
What is a smart library? Gaohui, Mengli and Xuguang (2018) observed that some libraries adopted "smart" ways to solve the challenges of unprecedented data growth and technological change using new technologies to improve their services. They termed such libraries commonly as "smart libraries". But they also observed that due to lack of theoretical exploration it was difficult to define what a smart library is and how it differs from other libraries. With this backdrop, there is a need for identification of operational scope of smart libraries. The term "smart" refers mainly to efficiency due to the use of technologies and to an automatization of processes to facilitate the working and everyday environment (Freyberg, 2019). Keeping in view this operational definition it can be safely said that a "Smart Library" consists of all emerging technologies that can be suitably introduced to cater to the local requirements.

Objectives of the Study
The general objective of this study is to examine the use of smart technologies for library services by library professionals in engineering colleges of Karnataka.
The specific objectives include: To study the awareness smart libraries in library professionals working in engineering colleges of Karnataka. To find out the level of adoption of smart technologies in library services by library professionals working in engineering colleges of Karnataka. Further, Schöpfel (2018) developed an outline of a new concept of the smart library with four dimensions, i.e., smart services, smart people, smart place, and smart governance with observation that the smart library concept does not constitute a unique model or project but it is a process and a way of how to get things done, that is less linear, less structured, and more creative and innovative.
Further, librarians of this age have a need to adopt new roles and technologies to match user's expectations for new modes of communication and access to information (Vassilakaki & Garoufallou, 2015). But Johnson (2012a) found that most librarians do not feel at home in using emerging modern technologies and prefer using traditional methods.

Methodology
This study adopted survey research method to examine the level awareness and adoption of smart technologies in library services in engineering colleges of Karnataka. The population of the study comprised 200 library professionals of 107 engineering colleges in Karnataka affiliated to Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) Belagavi. Stratified random sampling technique was used to obtain proportionate sample size from librarians of the engineering colleges located in Karnataka affiliated to VTU. Selfdesigned questionnaire was used as the research instrument for this study where 5type Likert scale was used to measure the respondents' level of awareness on smart technologies. 200 copies of the questionnaire were distributed among the sample population, out of which 180 were returned and 176 were found usable. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to analyze the collected data. Statistical methods used for the analyses of the data were frequency distribution, cross tabulation, T-test, and ANOVA test.

Data Analysis and Results
The demographic variables of the library professionals considered were: gender, age, designation, length of service and highest qualification along with their expressed opinions on the levels of awareness and adoption of smart technologies in library services. 1 *Fa = Fully Adopted, Pa = Partially adopted, Na= Not adopted.
From the above Table 2 it has been inferred that majority of library professionals are much aware about concepts of Smart technologies which is suitable for effective library services, but they failed adopt smart technologies at full fledge due various reasons. It is clear from the above table that the significance value greater than 0.05 with variable namely gender, age and designation and hence null hypothesis is rejected. Interestingly association between awareness and adoption of smart technologies with academic experience is greater than 0.05. Hence, we can say that there is significant difference between awareness and adoption of smart technologies with academic experience of respondents.

Gender-wise awareness and adoption of smart technologies
Respondents were asked about their awareness regarding familiarity with major smart technologies which were implemented in their libraries to facilitate the library users by them and also different library professionals from across the world.    From the above table 4 it has been inferred that 100% of chief Librarian, senior librarians as well as Deputy Librarian are very much aware and as well as implemented and being utilize the web based services in their library services. Only 13.33% respondents of Library Assistant category are lagging behind in awareness about web based library services as library assistant professionals are not much exposures to innovative technologies available in the market.

ANOVA ( Age of respondents)
Source Hence, we can say that there is no significant difference between awareness and adoption of smart technologies with Age Factors respondents. Similarly comparison between factors affecting awareness and adoption of smart technologies against academic ranking viz, librarian, senior librarian, deputy librarian and library assistant. It is clear from the above table that the significance value greater than 0.05, hence null hypothesis is not rejected. Hence, we can say that there is no significant difference between awareness and adoption of smart technologies with designation of respondents. A keen observation of data in table 5 indicates that the length of service wise respondents awareness and adoption of smart technology in library services. It could be noted that respondents belong to less than 5 years' length of service (100%) and respondents comes under the length of the service group in the range 6-10 years(100%) are aware and adopting innovative technology like 'webopac' has been implemented rendering service to the academic community. The above table describes the comparison between factors affecting awareness and adoption of smart technologies with professional experience. It is clear from the above table that the significance value greater than 0.05, hence null hypothesis is not rejected. Hence, we can say that there is no significant difference between awareness and adoption of smart technologies with length of experience of respondents.

Conclusion
There is no denial of the fact that engineering libraries are exposing themselves to modern technologies to offer better and improved services to their users. They are pioneers in putting technological innovations into practical applications.
On the same lines, most of library professionals have acquired knowledge about concepts of Smart technologies which can be tweaked for offering better library services and are slowly putting them into practical use, but they have failed adopt smart technologies to a full extent due various reasons. This study reveals that libraries of engineering colleges in Karnataka are slowly bringing in smart technologies in libraries operational areas.