Clarivate Releases Pulse of the Library 2025 Report

From Clarivate:

Clarivate today released the Pulse of the Library 2025 report. The report examines how libraries globally are adapting to fast-moving opportunities and challenges such as AI adoption, open science and geopolitical pressures.

The findings reveal a steady rise in artificial intelligence (AI) adoption, with 67% of libraries exploring or implementing AI tools, an increase from 63% in 2024. While the majority remain at the initial stages of evaluation, early adopters are pressing ahead and reporting greater optimism, particularly as they progress through implementation phases.

The report also shows that libraries are more likely to be in the moderate or active implementation phases of AI when AI literacy is part of the formal training or onboarding program (28%), librarians have dedicated time/resources (23.3%), or have managers actively encouraging development (24.2%).

Oren Beit-Arie, Senior Vice President, Strategy and Innovation, Academia & Government at Clarivate, said: “Our second Pulse of the Library report points to growing maturity in library approaches to AI, and an increase in the number of early adopters since last year. It also underscores the importance of offering AI literacy and professional development. Libraries that invest in literacy report greater confidence and will be better positioned to leverage AI for a range of uses, including to increase efficiencies to leave more time for important strategic and creative tasks.”

What’s changed in 2025

Our report revealed a steady increase in artificial intelligence (AI) adoption. More libraries—67% compared to 63% in 2024—are either exploring or actively implementing AI technologies. The majority of respondents (35%) remain at the evaluation stage, ahead of any implementation, but 33% are now in the implementation stages, which is three times as many as in 2024.

Indeed, we noted a statistically significant relationship between the focus of a library to support AI literacy development and the implementation phase of AI.

• Libraries are more likely to be in the moderate or active implementation phases when AI literacy is part of the formal training or onboarding program, librarians have dedicated time/resources, or have managers actively encouraging development (28.0%, 23.3% and 24.2% respectively).
• Respondents who say there is little to no institutional focus on AI literacy were significantly less likely to be implementing AI.

As awareness of AI’s potential grows, our report revealed that libraries are pursuing wider goals with AI, considering it as a tool to address a broader range of possibilities.

• In 2025, respondents selected a greater number of objectives for using AI (selecting on average 4 objectives vs. 3 in 2024).
• The top objectives for using AI remain unchanged from 2024, with support for student learning and content discovery highest overall.

Other key findings from the report include:

• Pace of AI adoption varies regionally: Asia and Europe have continued to advance AI adoption, with 37 – 40% in initial implementation or beyond, compared with 14 -16% in 2024. The U.S. is behind in adoption and confidence, with the lowest optimism about AI’s potential benefits (7% optimistic, compared with 27 -31% in Asia, Mainland China and Rest of World).
  
  
• Perception gaps across roles: Senior librarians are more likely to prioritize library efficiencies as a primary objective of implementing AI technologies, especially when compared to librarians. Senior librarians were more confident in AI terminology, with 43% ranking their confidence in AI terminology as 4 or 5 (on a scale of 1 for not confident to 5 for highly confident), compared to 36% for junior librarians.
• Core library missions mostly unchanged from 2024: The only shift observed was in academic libraries where student engagement has become the primary focus in 2025 (40%).
• Budget constraints remain a key challenge: Many libraries are experiencing geopolitical pressures, affecting budgets and collections. Half of U.S. and North American respondents expect cuts to collections as a result.
• Public libraries snapshot:
  • Only 20% were optimistic about the benefits of AI over 5 years, a decline from 26% in 2024.
  • 54% have no plans or are not actively pursuing AI.
• External forces reshaping strategy:
  • Budget pressures remain the top challenge for libraries, selected by almost half of all respondents (47%).
  • Funding cuts are impacting OA collections strategies for almost half of respondents.

John Chrastka, Executive Director at EveryLibrary, said: “Librarians play a leading role in sharing knowledge and building connections within their communities. This report will help support library and information professionals worldwide as they navigate challenges and opportunities.”

The 2025 Pulse of the Library report draws on insights from more than 2,000 librarians across 109 countries and regions, representing academic, public and national libraries. Building on the first report in 2024, it provides actionable insights and recommendations for libraries seeking to maximize the benefits of AI.

Direct to Full Text Report
DOI: 10.14322/pulse.of.the.library.2025

Direct to Report Microsite

Direct to Survey Findings Data File (via Zenodo)

Filed under: Academic Libraries, Data Files, Funding, Libraries, National Libraries, News, Open Access, Public Libraries