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Chatbots

This guide includes resources for creating and deploying a chatbot in a library setting.

Additional Chatbot Literature

Listed is current literature written on chatbots in libraries. This includes examining the uses of chatbots for library services, best practices, and case studies of chatbot implementation by other university libraries.

Enhancing the Academic Library Experience with Chatbots: An Exploration of Research and Implications for Practice (McKie & Narayan, 2019)

  • Covers the prototyping and testing of a chatbot (Lib-bot) for the library at the University of Technology, Sydney.
  • The chatbot provides the potential for providing research assistance to students; details important frameworks to consider when designing a chatbot.

The Role of Chatbots in Academic Libraries: An Experience-based Perspective (Kaushal & Yadav, 2022)

  • A study exploring the benefits of chatbots in libraries, and the risks and challenges that come with it.
  • Interviewed participants provided their input on various aspects of chatbots, such as conversational style, complexity of tasks, ability to assist with research, and customizable user experiences.

Implementing a chatbot on a library website (Ehrenpreis & DeLooper, 2022)

  • A case study on the application of a chatbot for Lehman University's library, examining the initial user interactions with the chatbot.
  • The study details the design process, workflow, and the steps taken to prepare for the chatbot launch.

Chatbot with Dialogflow for FAQ Services in Matana University Library (Barus & Surijati, 2022)

  • The Matana University Library in Indonesia created a chatbot using Dialogflow. 

Articles on chatbots in libraries and other university spaces give insight into the current conversations on AI technology and its possible uses/benefits.

AI and Chatbots in Education: What Does The FutureHold? (Singh, 2018) 

  • Explores future potentials that AI technology has for aiding student success.

Chatting with Chatbots (McKenzie, 2019)

  • The rise and impact of chatbots in spaces of higher education.

How Colleges Are Using Chatbots To Improve Student Retention (Nietzel, 2020)

  • Details how chatbots are being used by universities to accomplish a variety of university goals.

Recent conversations on chatbot technology have been surrounding the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI), namely with programs such as ChatGPT.

Launched in November 2022, ChatGPT is an advanced conversational chatbot using NLP.

The following articles cover early conversations being had about the possible impact of ChatGPT and similar AI programs in libraries.

ChatGPT and Its Possible Impact on Library Reference Services (Chen, 2023)

  • Examines the difference between ChatGPT and traditional chatbots in its approach to user queries. 

The ChatGPT Revolution (Yorio, 2023)

  • What are the potential uses of ChatGPT by librarians?