Abstract：Applications of metaverse-related technologies in the services of US urban libraries PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to understand the applications of metaverse-related technologies in US urban librariesexplore excellent cases of US urban librariespractices in using metaverse-related technologies to serve patrons and try to find the factor that may affect the application of metaverse-related technologies in libraries at this stageDesignmethodologyapproachTo gather information about how and whether libraries use metaverserelated technologies such as three-dimensional3Dtechnologyradio frequency identificationRFIDvirtual reality augmented realityARand artificial intelligenceAIin their servicesFirstlythe authors visit 150 US urban library websites that are members of the Urban Libraries CouncilSecondlythe authors calculate the proportion of services provided by urban libraries that use metaverse-related technologies and introduce outstanding casesLastlythe authors discuss the factors that influence the application of metaverse-related technologies in urban libraries in the United States based on data published by the Institute of Museum and Library ServicesFindingsMetaverse-related technologies have been widely used in US urban librariesbut there are differences in the popularity of the applications of different technologiesIn all84of libraries use 3D technologymainly in 3D printing services and 3D model building services76of libraries use virtual and augmented reality technologies in their servicesmainly concentrated in head-mounted VR device experiencesAR device experiencesvirtual tours and virtual exhibitions62of libraries use Internet of thingsIoTtechnologymainly in self-checkout machines and book location servicesHoweverAI technologies are less used in librarieswith 28of libraries mentioning the applications of AI in their servicesmainly focusing on intelligent searchvirtual assistants and robot librariansIn additionthis study finds that library operating expenditures and population served do not affect the application of metaverse-related technologies in librariesOriginalityvalueThis paper provides updated statistical data on the use of metaverse-related technologies in US urban libraries and aims to help library managers understand the overall applications and best practicesWith this as an inspirationthey could formulate corresponding development plans to better serve their communities with metaverse-related technologiesConsulting ServiceProvide answers through virtual assistants and robot librariesRetrieval and IndexingSmart search can help users find the information they are looking forNLPNatural Language TreatmentIntelligent search and virtual assistants mentioned in the article may need to use natural language processing technology to understand and respond to user inquiriesMachine learningThe robotic library mentioned in the information may use machine learning technology to perform various library taskssuch as answering query or auxiliary users