Abstract

This study examined users' awareness to establish futurity of libraries and to propose strategies in the era of the <TEX>$4^{th}$</TEX> Industrial Revolution. For this purpose, the awareness survey was conducted of users, and the survey consisted of questions about the awareness of the <TEX>$4^{th}$</TEX> Industrial Revolution, the current state of using technologies and devices of the <TEX>$4^{th}$</TEX> Industrial Revolution, and the futurity of libraries of the <TEX>$4^{th}$</TEX> Industrial Revolution. The results are as follows: First, users were interested in the <TEX>$4^{th}$</TEX> industrial Revolution, but they thought that new technologies are poorly adopted in the libraries. Second, users were most frequently using mobile phone, QR code, and Beacon. Especially, mobile phone was a most frequently used device in the libraries. However, users were not satisfied with technologies and devices provided by the libraries. Third, users expected the <TEX>$4^{th}$</TEX> Industrial Revolution have a positive influence on future of libraries, but they were worried about losses of opportunities and jobs. Forth, users agreed with necessity of new technologies of the <TEX>$4^{th}$</TEX> Industrial Revolution for libraries services. They wanted application of the technologies, expecially, in online services. Ultimately, this study suggested some meaningful insights and strategies through comparative analysis of the above findings and librarians' awareness survey results.