Areas and contexts of the use of robotics in libraries: an overview of the applied solutions and a discussion of prospects

Abstract

PurposeRobotics is a topic that rarely appears in Library and Information Science literature as it is mainly explored in the field of computer science. It is also a very complex topic that covers various forms of technical solutions that have varying degrees of complexity; these are conventionally referred to as robots. The aim of this article is to present an overview of the applied solutions from the field of robotics in libraries and a discussion of the future prospects for their use in various areas of library activity.Design/methodology/approachThe article is based on a literature review. Systematic comparative searches were made in the Scopus and Web of Science databases and the popular Google Scholar search engine. Publications in English related to the use of robots in libraries were sought in the 2010–2021 period. The results were subjected to qualitative analysis in order to define the main directions of reflection.FindingsThe conducted analyses showed that the topic of the use of robots in libraries is relatively rarely mentioned in LIS literature as the main topic of considerations. In practice, however, many interesting examples of the use of robots in libraries can be found, mainly in the area of educational and popularizing activities.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper is based on a systematic literature review. However, it is based on selected information sources and covers a specific chronological range, therefore it does not reflect all publications in the field of using robots in libraries. The second limitation concerns the examples of library activities mentioned in the text. For obvious reasons, it is not possible to describe all interesting initiatives, so a selection was made to illustrate the main trends.Practical implicationsRobots have a wide practical application in library activities, as evidenced by the examples described in this paper. Systematized reflection on this topic may promote the popularization of the practical implementation of robots in libraries.Social implicationsRobotics is a topic that, due to a lack of reliable knowledge, is often of great concern and social controversy. Disseminating knowledge about the usability of robots may foster a peaceful social debate on this topic.Originality/valueRobotics-related topics are still rarely discussed in the LIS subject literature. In particular, there are no entry-level review articles that would familiarize a reader with the most important findings on the practical aspects of implementing robots in libraries and provide a starting point for reading more detailed publications on specific technologies or implementations.