As buzzwords (buzz phrases?) go, “digital transformation” has it all—a hint of exotic technologies, a whiff of positive change, a scent of enthusiastic rebellion, and an aroma of promise for new and wondrous times. A heady perfume indeed! What isn’t so straightforward or clearly defined is the actual meaning of digital transformation. What, exactly, does digital transformation smell like?

In my knowledge management work, I frequently encounter company spokespeople who proclaim the glories of digital transformation. My first response is to ask them what they mean by the phrase. It’s surprising how diverse the answers are. However, in the business world, they have some elements in common. Digital transformation will help the bottom line. By embracing digital transformation, companies will increase productivity, decrease labor costs, and build profitability.

Great. But what about libraries? How does digital transformation play out in libraryland? Libraries are not profit-making endeavors striving to make money for shareholders. Libraries do operate within budget constraints. If digital transformation allows libraries to provide excellent service, perhaps even introduce new or expanded services, while not spending more money, management is likely to applaud.

But I come back to the definition of digital transformation. Libraries have been digitally transforming for decades. From the earliest days of online searching —exemplified by Lockheed Dialog and Mead Data Central’s Lexis—we have been at the forefront of technology—the early adopters of digitizing, digitalization, and digital transformation. We understand digital. We buy electronic resources. We invest in digital discovery software. We preserve documents and make them findable online. But we also recognize that digitization is a tool, not an end point.

Digital transformation implies radical change, which is not new to libraries. If digital transformation is merely increasing efficiency by modernizing our information technology processes, count libraries in the “Been there, done that” category. If it’s using technology to find new solutions to traditional problems, we’re way ahead of the curve.

The question for libraries is more fundamental than optimizing automation or employing digital transformation tools. It’s not about the bottom line, it’s about helping library users. How does digital transformation affect our users and improve people’s lives?

The next wave of digital transformation will revolve around artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, such as machine learning, natural language processing, predictive analytics, speech recognition, image recognition, and robotics. These can lead to exciting new avenues for information discovery and knowledge creation. Our vendors are putting data in the cloud and implementing AI technologies. Our collections have already been transformed. Now we can look at other library functions, particularly reference and research, where AI technologies can open up impressive possibilities for digital transformation that will benefit the library community. Libraries can provide a better customer experience, create opportunities for research insights, encourage professional development, and enhance people’s lives. Whatever your definition of digital transformation might be, I hope you evaluate AI technologies in terms of how they transform library services in positive ways.

Do you detect the charming fragrance of digital transformation in your library’s future?