Identifying the Impact of Augmented Reality on Library Services

In recent decades, Augmented Reality has attracted more attention and by adding a layer of virtual information, it has provided a new experience for libraries to increase their response to the needs of a large and diverse population of users. The present study seeks to identify the impact of Augmented Reality on library services in order to develop an understanding about what and how actions are currently being taken by technology.

Due to the inadequate and scattered information on the Augmented Reality flooding into the libraries, this study aimed to investigate the aspects of library services influenced by Augmented Reality. To this end, a qualitative content analysis was used to employ the data gathered from the three scientific databases of Web of Science, Google Scholar, and Scopus.

The findings suggest that Augmented Reality is well capable of supporting librarians in managing library resources. Moreover, it could aid users in (1) searching for library resources, (2) learning about library services and information literacy, (3) receiving location-based services, (4) creating interactive and research networks, and (5) visiting historic and scarce recourses.

The results of present study showed that the focus of most researchers and developers of Augmented Reality applications was on facilitation services for library users than librarians. In addition, the empowerment of children and adolescents as independent library users has been special attention. Researchers at the department of information and knowledge science, librarians, child and adolescent librarians, and computer science experts can use the practical suggestions of this research. Therefore, it is imperative that researchers interact with librarians and library users, or even bring librarians as researchers, to inform the issues of these sites and to move towards the realization of fourth-generation libraries through technologies such as Augmented Reality.