Sri Lanka with its traditional library system faced an immense challenge during this Covid-19 pandemic. In traditional library systems, users are mostly prefer printed material over digital materials. Yet as in many other sectors, digital technologies came in to play a major role in providing library services during this unprecedented global crisis.
When the global context is considered, it is observed that libraries had lesser or no pre-decided emergency funds or strategies to face such a crisis. Nevertheless, numerous research studies have been made on library related experiences for the past two years.
These can showcase as an immediate remedial measure for the deliverance of previously unavailable knowledge on the crisis and coping up with it by the library professionals. Hence, where previous knowledge is unavailable the best way is to learn while experiencing it. Now after two years of gaining experience it is high time to look back at the collective experiences to face the upcoming third year with Covid -19.
The most promising factor that came out to light when the research reviewed related to library services during Covid-19 is that libraries change and evolve to suit the upcoming challenges. As S. R. Ranganathan proposed in 1931 in his fifth law of library science, “Library is a growing organism” and it changes and evolves to survive not only the continual changes such as technology but also abrupt changes such as pandemics.
Global context
The lessons from research literature from global context provide us with a detailed account where no matter the condition when faced with a global crisis, how we all be challenged with an unknown, how we can learn from it, how we can implement strategies to overcome problems and finally how innovations play a significant role in this changing environment.
Covid-19 for sure made every sector unstable. The libraries with their long-standing traditions were flabbergasted at first with the drastic measures taken by the government to restrict interaction among humans to limit the spread of the virus and safeguard the community. Library administration was forced to make hard choices when it comes to serving the user and saving them from potential risks at the same time. Physical library access was restricted yet the need for information was ever-increasing.
Most researchers reported the problems associated with limited working hours, unstable workflow, restricting or shutting down the physical libraries for the public, unmanning operations, unavailability of disaster management budgets, and unavailability of pre-defined disaster management systems.
The negativity of unknownness engulfed the library sector for a very short while, and then these universal knowledge hubs, reevaluated, reorganised, and reworked to suit the challenges. The changes to pre-established services and implementation of digital technology-based distant services and work from home culture reported a different set of problems.
Globally library staff started working from home. Some literature mentioned the overburden of work due to 24/7 connectivity.
Moreover, the problems associated with the unavailability of formal working policy addressing the new working routines were stressed upon. The solution of digital technologies caused new challenges. The digital divide is caused due to lack of devices, network facilities, and due to lack of digital literacy skills.
The most exceptional part of this experience-based research literature can be introduced as the suggested changes and innovative approaches of libraries around the globe.
Strategies
They can be categorised as introducing strategies to provide physical resources and services, changing the available services by incorporating new technologies, the establishment of mechanisms to train staff and users to get familiarised with new services, implementation of strategies to increase the digital resources and technological infrastructure.
To go forward with the usual services while safeguarding users, some libraries introduced pre-booking the library space and materials by the users, implementing quarantine policies for returned books, systems such as quarantine racks to keep the books for a certain time, the establishment of quarantine guidelines for the overall library, limiting interactions by implementing digital user recording systems and self-serving systems.
Australian academic libraries reported documentation of the new normal practices and mapping the new conditions and implementations. This is one innovative practice that can help the administration to plan for future emergencies.
Some libraries introduced new services to be on par with the changing environment. A Chinese academic library implemented mechanisms to provide online access to reach librarians in their time of information need. Most libraries around the globe reported shifting from physical library resources to digital resources and shifting to online services. To provide online resources most libraries digitised sharable physical resources and created digital content. Some provided extended access to digital content through purchases and subscriptions.
Digital resources
Unlike physical resources, digital resources can only be accessed through digital devices, and internet facility is an essential factor. To fulfill these needs some Asian libraries reported introducing device loan systems.
Other than that with all these prerequisites, information literacy, and mainly digital literacy is important skill to utilise these services. Most global libraries conducted digital literacy programs for the users as well as the library workers.
This is an important step in exposing the user and library staff to the new services enhanced with technology.
The Covid-19 pandemic and related restrictions seem to work as a positive trigger to the global library system to innovate and implement new services. It seems to accelerate the technological integrations to library systems and the use of digital content in the place of printed content.
Overall global research shows us that libraries can stay positive during Covid-19 by implementing safety guidelines to serve the user community while protecting them, by introducing distance library services through the incorporation technology, by equipping the library staff and user with digital literacy skills to implement and utilise the services, by generating and subscribing to digital content and conversion of printed content to digital content.
The writer is the Acting Librarian at Uva Wellassa University