The Paradigm Shift in Higher Education: Reimagining Academic Libraries as Sanctuaries for Value-Based Learning in the GenAI Era

Abstract

The rapid adoption of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) in higher education automates routine information synthesis, exposing a vision crisis regarding the fundamental purpose of academic institutions. This paper establishes a structural framework to redefine the academic library’s role from a passive document repository to the primary institutional sanctuary for moral health, research integrity, and character formation. Introducing “The Wall and the Painting Framework”, the model categorizes technical skills and AI mastery as the decorative Painting, while moral judgment, ethics, and humanistic value-based education construct the structural Wall. Leveraging universal student access, the PhD-qualified Chief Librarian operates beyond disciplinary silos. Through autonomous governance and dedicated reading environments, the library cultivates contemplative reading (Vaasippu) over syllabus-bound cramming (Padippu). As GenAI executes technical tasks, higher education must prioritize character development. Empowering autonomous library leadership ensures a resilient moral foundation (The Wall) supports technical capability (The Painting).