ChatGPT and Librarians for Reference Consultations

• Published in: Internet reference services quarterly Vol. 27; no. 3; pp. 131 - 147
• Main Author: Adetayo, Adebowale Jeremy
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Binghamton Routledge 03.07.2023; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Chatbots; ChatGPT; Knowledge bases (artificial intelligence); librarians; reference consultations; reference services; Students
• ISSN: 1087-5301; 1540-4749
• DOI: 10.1080/10875301.2023.2203681

The research aimed to explore the perspectives of students toward the utilization of ChatGPT, its potential benefits and disadvantages over traditional reference librarians. The study employed a descriptive survey research methodology and analyzed the data collected through descriptive and inferential statistics. Out of the 54 students at Adeleke University surveyed, they acknowledged the advantages of ChatGPT such as its convenience, user-friendliness, extensive knowledge base, and accessibility. However, they also pointed out its limitations including the inability to comprehend emotions, limitations in answering complex questions, potential for providing incorrect answers, and risk of outdated information. Despite these drawbacks, the students still expressed their intention to seek reference assistance from ChatGPT, as well as from librarians. The research suggests that library administration should embrace technology to ensure that students have convenient access to reference services.