From Custodians of Knowledge to Navigators of Algorithms: The LIS Professionals’ Role in the Digital Intelligence Epoch
Author(s): Gundavarapu Saiprasad & Pulicherla Mallikarjunarao
Abstract: Digital Intelligence has rapidly changed the way we access information, reuse it, and create new content. The tasks that used to be performed by librarians—searching books or databases, summarizing texts, and answering users’ questions—are now increasingly being performed by Digital Intelligence systems. This shift raises a big question: Are librarians still needed?
The authors of this article have attempted to answer that question in depth. We have also critically analyzed the argument that Digital Intelligence can replace librarians entirely. In fact, the author's analysis has reinforced the fact that librarians are not just necessary, but even more so. Because librarians are not just information providers—they are also teachers who teach students, organizers who collect and provide reliable and accurate information, mediators who understand users’ needs, and guides who facilitate thinking.
DOI URL: https://doi.org/10.26761/ijrls.12.1.2026.2071
Cite This Article As: Gundavarapu S. & Pulicherla M. (2026) From Custodians of Knowledge to Navigators of Algorithms: The LIS Professionals’ Role in the Digital Intelligence Epoch. International Journal of Research in Library Science (IJRLS), 12(1) 368-375. www.ijrls.in
Copyright © 2026 Author(s) retains the copyright of this article. This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0.
Paper ID: IJRLS-2071 Page: 368-375 Publication Date: 28 March 2026