INFLUENCE OF POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS’ USE OF CHATGPT AND GEMINI ON LIBRARY USE IN UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES IN BENUE STATE

Abstract

This paper has investigated the influence of postgraduate students’ use of Chatgpt and Gemini on library use in university libraries in Benue State. The investigation adopted a descriptive survey design. Two universities in Benue State including Rev. Fr. Moses Orshio Adasu University, Makurdi and Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi constituted its area. Using Taro Yamane’s formula, a sample size of 318 respondents was drawn from a population of 1,545 postgraduate students of the two institutions. Data collection was done using a structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics of frequency counts, mean and standard deviation were used for data analysis while Chi-square was used to test hypothesis at 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that ChatGPT had improved their ability to conduct research, offered faster access to academic information and in many cases, served as a preferred alternative to traditional library services. It was revealed that Gemini is helpful for information seeking and research, but it was less preferred than ChatGPT. Fewer students reported that Gemini met their academic needs entirely or influenced their library visits to the same extent. The test of hypotheses confirmed that postgraduate students’use of ChatGPT and Gemini has significant influence on library use. The study concluded that extensive use of artificial intelligence tools especially ChatGPT signals a paradigm shift in how postgraduate students access, interact with and apply information for academic purposes. It was finally recommended that University libraries should adopt AI-powered tools as part of their information service delivery to complement traditional services.