Knowledge mapping of library digital transformation: A bibliometric study using visual analysis

This paper aims to provide researchers in the field of library digital transformation (LDT) with a systematic and comprehensive knowledge map, helping them quickly understand related key knowledge, evolutionary trends, and research frontiers. Using bibliometric methods like CiteSpace and VOSviewer software, a scientific knowledge map was constructed for 1736 publications (sources: Web of Science and Scopus) in the field of LDT spanning from 1990 to 2024. Further, a systematic review of the publications was conducted qualitatively and quantitatively. Consequently, findings indicate that LDT had garnered researchers’ attention rapidly since 2005, with the number of publications following an exponential function of y  = 3.0137 e 0.1288x . The hotspots of research in this field primarily focused on three aspects: the influencing factors of LDT, the significant role of information technology (IT) in LDT, and artificial intelligence-driven LDT. The future research trends will concentrate on breaking the obstacles to LDT (including fund investment, facility improvement, information literacy education, professional talent cultivation, and service management enhancement) and the intelligent and personalized applications of artificial intelligence.