A Skill Gap Analysis among Librarians and Sustainable Energy in the Metaverse Future Libraries

Authors

  • Rexwhite Tega Enakrire University of Johannesburg, South Africa
  • Bolaji David Oladokun Federal University of Technology, Ikot Abasi
  • Lebogang Morodi University of South Africa, South Africa
  • Yusuf Ayodeji Ajani University of Abuja, Nigeria

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.23974/ijol.2025.vol10.1.397

Abstract

This study investigates the potential integration of the metaverse into future library services, focusing on the skill gaps among librarians and the necessity of sustainable energy infrastructure, particularly in developing nations. It highlights the need for librarians to acquire technical and soft skills, such as digital literacy, data management, and critical thinking, to effectively operate in metaverse environments. The study reveals both enthusiasm and concerns among librarians regarding metaverse adoption, noting challenges like technology anxiety among senior staff. The authors advocate for continuous skill development and sustainable energy solutions to support the metaverse's implementation in libraries.

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Author Biographies

  • Rexwhite Tega Enakrire, University of Johannesburg, South Africa

    Rexwhite Tega Enakrire, an enthusiastic researcher and Associate Professor at the University of Johannesburg, College of Business and Economics, Department of Information and Knowledge Management, South Africa, obtained his PhD, from the University of Zululand, South Africa in 2016 and his MSc, PGDE, BSc, and Diploma in Library and Information Science from the Delta State University, Nigeria. Rexwhite's research interests cut across Academic librarianship, IKM, ICT4D/AI/ Digital Technologies, HCI and Bibliometrics. Rexwhite is concerned about how tacit and explicit knowledge has become the panacea through which universities and libraries strive in the present-day knowledge economy.

  • Bolaji David Oladokun, Federal University of Technology, Ikot Abasi

    Bolaji David Oladokun, a researcher and lecturer at the Federal University of Technology, Ikot Abasi, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, holds a First-Class degree in Library and Information Science and a Diploma in Mass Communication with distinction. He earned his Master’s degree in Library and Information Science from Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Port Harcourt, Nigeria, graduating with distinction. A Certified Librarian of Nigeria (CLN), he is an active member of the Nigerian Library Association (NLA), the Nigerian Association of Library and Information Science Educators (NALISE), and the Association for Information Science and Technology (ASIS&T). Serving as the Business Editor of the Rivers State NLA Journal, he has authored over 150 articles in accredited journals, conference proceedings, and book chapters. He also reviews for numerous journals indexed in Scopus, Scimago, and Web of Science (WoS). Additionally, he has published three books and edited two book chapters in the library and information science field.

  • Lebogang Morodi, University of South Africa, South Africa

    Lebogang Morodi is an established Professor of a multi-interdisciplinary field of study, Criminal Justice at the CLAW, University of South Africa. His teaching and research interests cut across the criminal justice system within the South African context, constitutional rights, ODEL/e-learning, the use of digital technologies to support teaching and learning, reintegration of ex-offenders in society, and soccer education in South Africa among others. He can be contacted at: morodlr@unisa.ac.za

  • Yusuf Ayodeji Ajani, University of Abuja, Nigeria

    Yusuf Ayodeji Ajani, Lecturer II at the University of Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria, and postgraduate student at the University of Ilorin, is a Certified Librarian of Nigeria (CLN). He is an active member of several professional organizations, including the Nigerian Library Association (NLA), the Nigerian Association of Library and Information Science Educators (NALISE), the Association for Information Science and Technology (ASIS&T), and the Association of Academic Qualitative Research Likeminds (AAQREL). Ajani’s research focuses on Industrial Revolution Skills, and he has published numerous articles in leading journals. In 2023, he was honored with the Emerald Literati Award for his outstanding paper, Robots and the Public Libraries.

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Published

2025-03-31

Issue

Vol. 10 No. 1 (2025)

Section

Reports From the Field

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How to Cite

A Skill Gap Analysis among Librarians and Sustainable Energy in the Metaverse Future Libraries. (2025). International Journal of Librarianship, 10(1), 103-113. https://doi.org/10.23974/ijol.2025.vol10.1.397