Abstract
The continuous adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) across higher education libraries presents transformative prospects for automated service delivery, metadata generation, and resource discovery, while simultaneously introducing profound vulnerabilities regarding patron data privacy. This conceptual paper examines the operational deployment of AI tools within Nigerian academic libraries, focusing on how technological adoption can be harmonized with robust data protection standards. Through a systematic analysis of sociotechnical realities and national regulatory frameworks, including the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA) of 2023, the paper explores the inherent friction between machine learning data requirements and information ethics. The discussion highlights that while Nigerian libraries are gradually integrating conversational agents and automated tools to manage growing user demands, the absence of customized institutional policies and adequate cybersecurity infrastructure exposes patron transaction logs to potential misuse. To bridge this gap, five strategic recommendations are articulated: establishing sector-specific AI privacy guidelines, mandating Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs), incorporating privacy-by-design principles into procurement protocols, advancing continuous professional capacity building, and enforcing transparent institutional policies. Implementing these frameworks ensures that academic libraries preserve their foundational mandate as secure, equitable, and privacy-conscious hubs of intellectual inquiry.
Keywords: Artificial Intelligence, Data Privacy Concerns, Information Ethics, Academic Libraries, Nigeria Data Protection Act
Publication Date: 2026-10-31