Abstract
This study examined awareness, adoption, ethical concerns, and institutional policy
adequacy regarding generative AI (GenAI) tools among academic librarians in Nigeria (N =
314). The study was guided by 6 research question and 6 research objectives. Data were
collected using a structured questionnaire covering awareness, adoption, ethical
perceptions, and policy frameworks. Results indicated high awareness of GenAI tools (M =
3.80, SD = 0.68), with familiarity and understanding of potential risks scoring highest (M =
3.99–3.95). Adoption was moderate (M = 3.33, SD = 0.72), with the highest uptake in
recommending GenAI tools to users (M = 3.64) and the lowest integration into workshops
(M = 2.99). Librarians expressed very high ethical concerns (M = 3.96, SD = 0.70),
particularly regarding plagiarism (M = 4.10) and hallucinated content (M = 3.98).
Institutional policies were perceived as inadequate (M = 2.90, SD = 1.28). Correlation
analysis revealed that awareness strongly predicted adoption (r = .56, p < .001), while
policy adequacy moderately reduced ethical concerns (r = –.34, p < .001). Group analyses
indicated federal librarians had higher awareness (M = 3.92 vs. 3.61, p = .005) and
adoption (M = 3.48 vs. 3.27, p = .036) than state librarians. The findings highlight the need
for structured training, robust ethical guidelines, and comprehensive institutional AI
policies to support responsible GenAI integration in academic libraries.
Keywords: Generative AI, Academic Libraries, Awareness, Adoption, Ethical Concerns,
Policy Adequacy
Publication Date: 2026-02-05