Bibliometric Study on the Influence of Technology on Library Transformation in Various Countries

The digital transformation of libraries is experiencing rapid development, as evidenced by the growth of scientific publications by 215% in the last decade to 2024.(Lu & Lin, 2024; Nakaziba & Ngulube, 2024b), while global investment in library technology reached USD 5.7 billion in 2023 and is projected to increase to USD 8.4 billion in 2028.(Koohang et al., 2023; Lubis et al., 2023). Positive trends are also seen in the adoption of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) in academic libraries, which has increased by 178% since 2019 with AI implementation in 67% of the world's leading university libraries.(Lund et al., 2020; Nakaziba & Ngulube, 2024a). International collaboration in digital library research has grown significantly from 18% to 43% in the last five years, indicating increasing global engagement in library innovation.(Harismanty et al., 2023; Nakaziba & Ngulube, 2024a).The digital divide between countries has a real impact on library transformation, with significant differences in technology adoption rates between developed and developing countries.(Lai et al., 2014). While traditional libraries are experiencing a decline in physical visitors globally, digitally transformed libraries are showing an increase in user engagement.(Sun et al., 2014). The COVID-19 pandemic has been a catalyst that has drastically accelerated the digital transformation of libraries, with indications of acceleration that was originally projected to take five years(Askhoj et al., 2011). Technological disruption and various challenges in developing countries contributed to the closure of some libraries, although the exact percentage still requires further verification.(Ali et al., 2024). The challenges of digital adaptation in the library context underscore the importance of investing in technological infrastructure and developing digital services to address these gaps and improve access to information for the global public.(G. et al., 2018).In the context of research on technology acceptance in libraries, the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) approach modified by Venkatesh & Bala offers a solid framework for understanding the adoption of new technologies.(Singh et al., 2023), while the Diffusion of Innovations Theory updated by Hernon & Matthews complements this understanding with a technology diffusion perspective. The Library Transformation Model (LTMM) developed by Zhang, Deng, Hu, and Han provides a comprehensive metric for evaluating library progress in implementing technological innovations. For the purpose of bibliometric analysis, Van Eck & Waltman have described an effective implementation of the Bibliometric Coupling Analysis framework(González‐Limón & Ramos, 2022), combining quantitative and qualitative methods in modern library research. As an enriching theoretical approach, Actor-Network Theory (ANT) applied by Li & Wilson(Sushma & Joshi, 2023)provides an important perspective on the complex interactions between various actors in the library ecosystem, thereby deepening the understanding of the dynamics of digital transformation in these information institutions.</p> <p>In the recent literature review, several important statements reveal the trends and impacts of library technology where a systematic review by(Sushma & Joshi, 2023)identified five major research clusters, including library technology and digital information behavior that form the foundation of understanding research in this area.(Garcés-Giraldo et al., 2023). Meta-analysis conducted(Shafi et al., 2012)demonstrated that the application of technology contributes significantly to library efficiency and user satisfaction, with clearly recorded positive effects.(Nurrosyidah, 2024)Longitudinal study(Martini & Choo, 2012)highlights an important paradigm shift in library science, from mere storage of information to dynamic facilitator of knowledge.(Thangavel & Chandra, 2023). Bibliometric analysis(Wu, 2013)confirms the dominance of developed countries in library technology research, indicating inequality in the global distribution of knowledge.(Islam & Agarwal, 2022). These findings collectively underscore the importance of continued research to understand the comprehensive impact of technology on libraries and the information society in the digital age.First, there is no comprehensive bibliometric study that specifically compares library technology adoption patterns across continents and based on the country's economic level. This is important to answer the first research question (RQ-1) about the trend of research publications related to the influence of technology on library transformation in various countries.Second, there is a lack of research trend analysis that integrates library data from the Global South with state-of-the-art bibliometric methodologies, and there is no analytical framework that links scientific publication patterns with technology implementation in the field using a mixed-method approach. This gap is closely related to the second research question (RQ-2) which identifies the most influential authors, institutions, and countries in research on library technology and transformation, where representation from the Global South may not be adequately covered.Third, there is still a theoretical gap in explaining the differences in library transformation trajectories between academic, public, and special libraries across geographic contexts, as well as a lack of research on the impact of national policies on patterns of research collaboration and library technology implementation. This gap relates to the third research question (RQ-3) on the main topics and keywords that most often appear in research related to technology-based library transformation, where variations in library types and national policy contexts may not be well mapped in the existing literature.The relevance of bibliometric research on technology-based library transformation is becoming increasingly crucial in facing the dynamics of contemporary libraries. The phenomenon of the "Digital Library Divide" which is widening post-pandemic requires comprehensive mapping based on scientific evidence through bibliometric analysis to understand the gaps in access and implementation of technology in various types of libraries and geographical areas. This mapping will provide an empirical basis for developing more inclusive policies in the digital transformation of libraries.The emergence of generative AI technologies such as ChatGPT and Claude has fundamentally changed the paradigm of library reference services, presenting new potentials and challenges that have not been adequately mapped in existing bibliometric studies. An in-depth analysis of how the scientific literature responds to these developments will help identify future research directions and best practices in integrating AI into library services.The trends of “Library as a Platform” and “Knowledge Commons” that are disrupting the conventional library model further emphasize the importance of bibliometric mapping for institutional strategic planning. By understanding how these trends are documentedand developed in the scientific literature, libraries can develop more effective and evidence-based transformation strategies. In addition, the integration of blockchain and metaverse technologies in library services that have emerged since 2022 forms a new frontier that has not been explored in depth in the literature, making bibliometric analysis of this topic very relevant and prospective.The shift in library focus from “collections” to “connections and collaborations” that is happening globally also requires comparative analysis to understand how this shift is manifested in scholarly publications across countries and institutional contexts. Bibliometric research that analyzes the differences and similarities in the trajectories of this transformation will provide valuable insights for policymakers and library practitioners in adapting their service models in the evolving digital era.This study aims to develop a comprehensive global knowledge map of technology-based library transformation by utilizing advanced visualization analysis techniques through VOSviewer and CiteSpace. This mapping will present a holistic picture of the development of research in this field, identify dominant research clusters, and reveal existing knowledge gaps. A significant contribution of this approach is the availability of a clear visual representation of the evolution of library transformation research that can be a reference for researchers and practitioners in understanding the scientific landscape in this field.This study will also identify patterns of international scientific collaboration and analyze their implications for the transfer of library knowledge and technology across countries. Understanding the dynamics of research collaboration will reveal how library technology knowledge and innovation flow globally, including identifying structural barriers to knowledge exchange between developed and developing countries. Another important aspect is the effort to develop a new taxonomy to classify library technology research based on the level of innovation and implementation impact, which will allow a more structured evaluation of the contribution of various technological approaches to library transformation.This study also contributes to formulating a future research agenda for library technology responsive to the global digital divide. By identifying areas of research that still need further exploration, this study will guide future research efforts to address key challenges in the digital transformation of libraries across geographic and economic contexts. A significant practical contribution of this study is the creation of a new framework called the Library Technology Adoption Readiness Index (LTARI) that can help policymakers in various countries evaluate the readiness of their institutions to adopt library technologies that are appropriate to the local context and user needs. This framework can be a valuable evaluation tool for libraries around the world in developing sustainable and inclusive technology transformation strategies</p>

Methodology: This study uses bibliometric analysis to investigate the Bibliometric Study of the Impact of Technology on Library Transformation in Different Countries. This approach was chosen because of its ability to quantify patterns and trends in majorscholarly publications, providing a comprehensive understanding of the evolution and distribution of research in this field.The following is an explanation of each research question (Research Questions -RQ) in this study:RQ-1: What are the trends in research publications related to the influence of technology on library transformation in various countries based on bibliometric data?RQ-2: Who are the most influential authors, institutions, and countries in research on library technology and transformation?RQ-3: What are the main topics and keywords that most frequently appear in research related to technology-based library transformation?Data Source: Data for this analysis was taken from the Scopus database, which includes 1,319 article documents published from 2015 to 2025 from 755 Sources with a total of 3,998 authors. The inclusion criteria were articles containing the search string("bibliometric" OR "scientometric" OR "informetrics" OR "co-citation analysis" OR "co-word analysis" OR "network analysis" OR "citation analysis" OR "trend analysis" OR "mapping analysis" OR "literature mapping" OR "text mining" OR "knowledge mapping" OR "research trends" OR "publication analysis" OR "research productivity”) Data Collection Procedure: Using Bibliometrix software in R, data was extracted including information on authors, affiliations, year of publication, keywords, and citations. The data was cleaned by removing duplicates and correcting entry errors.The analysis was performed using the Bibliometrix and Biblioshiny packages in R.Method Validation: The validity of the bibliometric methods used was confirmed through comparison with other bibliometric studies in similar literature and by consulting experts in the field of bibliometrics and AI.Quality Control: To ensure the reliability of the results, the data extraction process was repeated twice at a month interval to check for consistency in data collection and analysis.Research Ethics: This research uses public data and does not involve human subjects directly, so it does not require approval from an ethics committee.Limitations: This study is limited to data available in the Scopus database, and may not include all relevant publications that are not indexed in this database</p>

Figure 2. Main InformationThe "Main Information" image displays the results of bibliometric analysis for the study "The Influence of Technology on Library Transformation in Various Countries" conducted using Biblioshiny. The data shows the research period from 2015 to 2025 with a negative annual growth of -1.88%, indicating a downward trend in publications in recent years.The analysis identified 1319 documents sourced from 755 different publications with contributions from 3998 authors. Of these, only 130 authors published single works, indicating the dominance of collaborative work in this field. The level of internationalcollaboration is quite significant at 19.86% and an average of 3.79 authors per document. There are 3850 keywords used by authors, indicating the diversity of topics in library and technology studies.The average age of the documents is 4.3 years, indicating that most of the literature is relatively new. The documents have an average of 11.35 citations per document, indicating a good impact in the academic community. However, it is worth noting that thereferences listed are 0, which is likely a technical error in data collection or visualization. Overall, the data depicts a mature research field with strong collaboration but has seen a decline in interest in recent years.Trends in Research Publications Related to the Influence of Technology on Library Transformation in Various Countries Based on Bibliometric DataFigure 3. Sources' Production Over Time The "Sources' Production Over Time" visualization shows the evolution of publications from five leading sources in a bibliometric study on the impact of technology on library transformation during the decade 2015-2025. The graph presents the accumulated publications from each source represented by a different color, providing a comprehensive overview of research trends in this field.Library Philosophy and Practice (LPP), identified by the green line, shows the most prominent growth pattern. After a relatively quiet start, LPP experienced a significant surge in the period 2019-2021, followed by stabilization at a dominant position witharound 45 cumulative publications. This sharp increase indicates the great attention of the library research community to digital transformation, especially during the pandemic that accelerated the digitalization of library services.CEUR Workshop Proceedings (red line) shows a more consistent growth trend throughout the decade. It starts with a relatively low number of publications but continues to show a steady increase to reach around 37 publications in 2025. A similar pattern is seen for Lecture Notes in Computer Science (yellow line), which managed to accumulate around 40 publications by the end of the observation period.Scientometrics, marked with the purple line, demonstrates moderate growth with an accumulation of around 26 publications. While not as rapid as the other sources, Scientometrics’ consistency shows continued interest in bibliometric approaches to analyzing library transformation.Meanwhile, the Proceedings of the ACM/IEEE Joint Conference on Digital Libraries (blue line) shows a unique pattern with growth slowing after 2021, reaching a plateau at around 21 publications. This stagnation may indicate a shift in focus or topic saturation in this conference forum.Comparative analysis reveals an interesting phenomenon where all sources experienced accelerated growth in the 2019-2021 period. This period coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic that forced libraries around the world to rapidly transform digitally, triggering an increase in related studies.The dominance of Library Philosophy and Practice since 2021 reflects its important role as a primary platform for discussions on the digital transformation of libraries. However, the relatively even distribution of publications among the top three sources (LPP, CEUR, and LNCS) indicates a diverse research landscape with multidisciplinary approaches.</p> <p>Figure 4. Countries' Scientific Production The "Countries' Scientific Production" visualization presents a world map with blue gradients that depict the intensity of countries' scientific contributions to research on the impact of technology on library transformation. The map reveals uneven distribution patterns in global knowledge production in this area.China appears as a major contributor, marked by the deep dark blue color that dominates its representation on the map. This position reflects China's large investment in research and development of digital library technology. The United States and India follow with significant contributions, also visualized in dark blue shades, although not as dense as China.European countries show moderate levels of contribution, illustrated by medium to light blue. Similar patterns are seen in Australia, Canada, Japan, and several Southeast Asian countries. The intensity of the color in these regions indicates substantial research activity but not as high as in the top three countries.A sharp contrast emerges when looking at the largely grayed-out regions of Africa, Central America, and parts of Central Asia. This visual representation underscores the low or absence of research data from these regions in the study of technology-based library transformation.The map reveals significant gaps in the global research landscape. Countries with established research infrastructure, high-tech resources, and strong economies tend to dominate knowledge production in these areas. Meanwhile, countries with limited access to technology or minimal research funding appear to lag behind in scientific contributions.</p> <p>This uneven distribution raises important questions about access, inclusion, and representation in the development of global knowledge about digital libraries. The dominance of a few countries has the potential to create bias in the direction of library technology development, which may under-represent the local needs and contexts of under-represented regions.This visualization also highlights the major centers of global digital library innovation, providing a snapshot of where library transformation initiatives are most actively developing. This pattern reflects the broader dynamics of the global knowledge economy, where knowledge production is concentrated in certain regions.The implications of this map suggest the need for international collaborative efforts to bridge the digital divide in library research. Initiatives to support research capacity development in underrepresented regions can broaden the global perspective and ensure that digital library transformation benefits communities around the world, not just established technology hubs.Thus, this visualization not only depicts the current distribution of scholarly production, but also highlights the challenges and opportunities in creating a more inclusive and globally representative digital library research landscape.The Most Influential Authors, Institutions, and Countries in Research on Library Technology and Transformation Figure 5. Authors' Production over Time The “Authors’ Production over Time” graphic visualizes the productivity of the top ten authors in a study of the impact of technology on library transformation over the period 2015–2025. The graphic uses a bubble plot system, where the size of the circles reflects the number of publications in a given year.In this visualization, it can be seen that “NA NA” (likely a representation of unidentified authors) shows consistency in publishing throughout the period. The highest productivity of this group is especially visible around 2019-2021, which is indicated bythe larger circle in that period.ZHANG Z emerges as one of the most productive authors, with particularly significant contributions in 2022. This is represented by the largest circle on the graph for that year, indicating a substantial spike in publications. Meanwhile, authors such as WANG J, LI X, and LIU Y display a more dispersed publication pattern across the time span, with increases in productivity evident in certain years.An interesting pattern in this graph is that the majority of authors appear to have started actively contributing after 2018. This indicates an increase in research interest in the field of digital library transformation in the second half of the decade. This phenomenon may reflect the momentum of the growth of digital technology and its application in the library environment which was increasingly developing during that period.Based on the names of the authors appearing in the graph (such as WANG, ZHANG, LI, LIU, and CHEN), there is a strong indication that most of the productive researchers in this field are from China. This observation is consistent with data from the country contribution map that shows China's dominance in scientific production on this topic.Overall, this visualization reveals several important patterns. First, research on digital library transformation is dominated by a group of prolific authors who published mostly in the period 2019–2023. Second, this period appears to represent a peak in research activity in the field of digital library transformation. Third, there is a significant geographic concentration of prolific researchers, with researchers from China dominating.These patterns provide valuable insights into the dynamics of research in the field of digital library transformation. The peak publication period of 2019-2023 may reflect the academic response to the acceleration of library digitization during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, the dominance of Chinese researchers indicates the country's significant investment in digital library technology research and development as part of its national digital infrastructure development strategy.the period 2015–2025. The graphic uses a bubble plot system, where the size of the circles reflects the number of publications in a given year.In this visualization, it can be seen that “NA NA” (likely a representation of unidentified authors) shows consistency in publishing throughout the period. The highest productivity of this group is especially visible around 2019-2021, which is indicated bythe larger circle in that period.ZHANG Z emerges as one of the most productive authors, with particularly significant contributions in 2022. This is represented by the largest circle on the graph for that year, indicating a substantial spike in publications. Meanwhile, authors such as WANG J, LI X, and LIU Y display a more dispersed publication pattern across the time span, with increases in productivity evident in certain years.An interesting pattern in this graph is that the majority of authors appear to have started actively contributing after 2018. This indicates an increase in research interest in the field of digital library transformation in the second half of the decade. This phenomenon may reflect the momentum of the growth of digital technology and its application in the library environment which was increasingly developing during that period.Based on the names of the authors appearing in the graph (such as WANG, ZHANG, LI, LIU, and CHEN), there is a strong indication that most of the productive researchers in this field are from China. This observation is consistent with data from the country contribution map that shows China's dominance in scientific production on this topic.Overall, this visualization reveals several important patterns. First, research on digital library transformation is dominated by a group of prolific authors who published mostly in the period 2019–2023. Second, this period appears to represent a peak in research activity in the field of digital library transformation. Third, there is a significant geographic concentration of prolific researchers, with researchers from China dominating.These patterns provide valuable insights into the dynamics of research in the field of digital library transformation. The peak publication period of 2019-2023 may reflect the academic response to the acceleration of library digitization during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, the dominance of Chinese researchers indicates the country's significant investment in digital library technology research and development as part of its national digital infrastructure development strategy.</p> <p>Figure 6. Most Relevant Affiliations The “Most Relevant Affiliations” figure visualizes the top ten institutions that have contributed the most to research on the impact of technology on library transformation. Wuhan University is at the top with a significant contribution of 27 articles, farsurpassing other institutions. The second position is occupied by the University of Granada (Spain) with 17 articles, followed by Zhejiang University with 12 articles. Panjab University and several other institutions such as Fudan University, Islamic AzadUniversity, and the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences each contributed around 10-11 articles. At the bottom are Airlangga University and the University of California, which each contributed 9 articles. There is also a “NOTREPORTED” category which likely represents affiliations that are not clearly stated in the publications. This distribution shows the dominance of institutions from China (Wuhan, Zhejiang, Fudan, and the Chinese Academy of Sciences) in digital library research, with mixed representation from institutions in Spain, India, Iran, Indonesia, and the United States. This reflects the global nature of this research field.</p> <p>Figure 6. Countries Production Over TimeThe "Countries' Production over Time" figure shows the research productivity trends of five major countries (China, USA, India, United Kingdom, and Germany) in the area of technology's impact on library transformation over the period 2015-2025. The graph shows that all countries have positive trends, but with significant differences in growth rates. China (red line) shows the most striking growth pattern, starting with a moderate position in 2015 and experiencing a sharp increase around 2020, reaching more than 600 articles in 2025, far surpassing other countries. The USA (purple line) consistently ranks second with more stable growth, reaching around 350 articles in 2025. India (green line) shows slow growth until 2018, then accelerates and finally reaches third place with around 320 articles in 2025. The United Kingdom and Germany (blue and yellow lines) show more moderate growth patterns, each producing around 100 articles by the end of the period. A major turning point occurred around 2020, with most countries experiencing significant productivity gains, likely driven by the COVID-19 pandemic accelerating the digital transformation of libraries. Overall, this graph underscores China’s dominance in digital library research over the past decade, and shows the growing global interest in the topic, with significant contributions from the United States and India.</p> <p>Figure 7. Collaboration Network The “Collaboration Network” figure shows the international collaboration network in research on the impact of technology on library transformation. The visualization shows China, the USA, and India as the three main nodes with the largest node sizes, indicating their role as centers of global research collaboration in this field. The three countries’ central position in the network with many connections indicates a high level of collaboration with other countries. Different collaboration clusters are indicated by different colors: the European cluster (green) including Portugal, Spain, and Austria; the East Asian cluster (blue) including Japan, Korea, and Hong Kong; and the Latin American cluster and several developing countries. The lines connecting the nodes represent the collaboration relationships between countries, with the thickness of the lines likely reflecting the intensity of the collaboration. Several countries such as Argentina, Nigeria, and Thailand appear to be on the periphery of the network with more limited connections. This pattern confirms previous findings about the dominance of China, the USA, and India in digital library research, but also shows that this field is characterized by significant international collaboration, especially between developed and developing countries that have complementary expertise and experience in technology-based library transformation.</p> <p>Main Topics and Keywords That Most Often Appear in Research Related to Technology-Based Library TransformationFigure 8. World CloudThe “WordCloud” image displays a visualization of the most frequently occurring keywords in research on the impact of technology on library transformation. From the visualization, it can be seen that “data mining” and “digital libraries” are the most dominant concepts, displayed with the largest size and central position in the word cloud, indicating their crucial role in the transformation of modern libraries. The keywords “machine learning”, “natural language processing systems”, and “human” also have significant representation, indicating the importance of artificial intelligence technologies and human-computer interaction in the evolution of digital libraries. Concepts such as “text mining”, “information retrieval”, “artificial intelligence”, and “big data” also stand out, reflecting the main technological trends driving innovation in library services. In addition, there are keywords such as “bibliometrics”, “sentiment analysis”, “citation analysis”, and “social networking (online)” that show the various analysis methods and social approaches in digital library research. The diversity of terminology covering both technical aspects (such as “gene expression profiling”, “transcriptome”) and social aspects (such as “female”, “male”) indicates the interdisciplinary nature of research in this field. Overall, this word cloud confirms that library transformation is heavily influenced by data processing technologies, artificial intelligence, and advanced information analysis methods.</p> <p>Figure 9. Co-occurrence Network The “Co-occurrence Network” figure presents the network of associations between keywords that frequently appear together in publications on the impact of technology on library transformation. This visualization shows several interconnected thematic clusters, marked with different colors. It can be seen that “data mining”, “human”, “article”, and “digital libraries” form the central node with the largest node size, indicating their highest frequency of occurrence and their role as core concepts in research. The green cluster on the right groups terms related to language and information processing technologies such as “natural language processing systems”, “information retrieval”, and “text mining”, indicating the importance of linguistic technologies in library transformation. The blue cluster on the left is dominated by concepts related to biomedical research such as “gene expression”, “transcriptome”, “genetics”, and “controlled study”, indicating the application of digital library technologies in scientificresearch. There is also a small red cluster in the upper right corner that includes “timing circuits” and “electric network analysis”, which may represent technical aspects of digital infrastructure. The connecting lines between the nodes illustrate the frequency of co-occurrence, with the thickest connections seen between the main concepts. This visualization emphasizes the multidisciplinary nature of digital library transformation research that combines aspects of computation, linguistics, and various knowledge domains, with data mining and natural language processing technologies as key drivers of library innovation in the digital era.</p>

Based on a bibliometric analysis of the impact of technology on library transformation, the study reveals an uneven global distribution pattern. China emerged as the dominant contributor to scientific publications in this field, followed by the United States and India, while most countries in Africa and Central America showed minimal contributions. Wuhan University ranked first among institutions with 27 articles, far surpassing the University of Granada (17 articles) and other institutions. There was a significant increase in publications around 2019-2021, with "Library Philosophy and Practice" being the most productive journal. The analysis shows a correlation between the COVID-19 pandemic and the acceleration of research on the digital transformation of libraries, although there was an overall downward trend in publications with a negative annual growth of -1.88%.In terms of research content, “data mining” and “digital libraries” emerged as the most dominant concepts, followed by “machine learning”, “natural language processing systems”, and other artificial intelligence approaches. The keyword co-occurrence network revealed several interrelated thematic clusters, indicating the multidisciplinary nature of this research that combines aspects of computation, linguistics, and various knowledge domains. Interestingly, there are also clusters of concepts related to biomedical research such as “gene expression” and “transcriptome”, indicating the application of digital library technology in scientific research. The level of international collaboration is quite significant with a percentage of 19.86% and an average of 3.79authors per document, indicating that this field is characterized by substantial global cooperation.These findings underscore the widening digital divide post-pandemic, with significant differences in library technology adoption between developed and developing countries. However, collaborative networks demonstrate the potential for knowledge transfer between countries, especially between major research hubs (China, USA, India) and countries on the periphery of the network. Data processing technologies, artificial intelligence, and advanced information analysis methods are key drivers of library transformation, with increasing interest in generative AI technologies such as ChatGPT changing the paradigm of library reference services. This study emphasizes the importance of comprehensive mapping to understand the gaps in access and implementation of technology across different types of libraries and geographical regions, and provides an empirical basis for developing more inclusive policies for library digital transformation in an evolving era.</p>